Decide how the sketches below would be listed, if they were listed in order of d

Question

Decide how the sketches below would be listed, if they were listed in order of decreasing potential energy. That is, select "1" beside the sketch that shows the system with the highest potential energy, select "2" beside the sketch that shows the system with the next highest potential energy, and so on. Note for advanced students: since the units of each charge are not written, you may assume any convenient and reasonable unit, for example coulombs or multiples of e. This equation may be useful: F = k q_1 middot q_2/r^2, where q_1 is the first charge and q_2 the second charge, r is the distance between them, and k is a constant.

Explanation / Answer

For the first case

PE1 = k(1)(-2)/r1^2 = -2k/r1^2 units

PE2 = k(1)(-1)/r2^2 = -k/r1^2

PE3 = k(1)(5)/r3^2 = 5k/r3^2

PE4 = k(1)(3)/r4^2 = 3k/r4^2

Hence the order for r3 < (r4=r1) < r2

Hence the PE order will be PE3 > PE4 > PE2 > PE1

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