Exam-style question
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What does Coulomb's law state about the force between two point charges?.
- A.The force is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
- B.The force is inversely proportional to the product of the charges and directly proportional to the square of the distance between them.
- C.The force is directly proportional to the sum of the charges and inversely proportional to the distance between them.
- D.The force is independent of the distance between the charges.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The force is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
Explanation
Why this works
Coulomb's law defines the electrostatic force between two point charges as being proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance separating them. This relationship is fundamental in understanding electric forces.
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