A2L Item 122

Meta-Information
Description: 
Identify the correct force diagram.
Goal: 
Reasoning with Coulomb's law
Level: 
High School
Level: 
Undergraduate
Keywords: 
Electromagnetism
Keywords: 
Forces
Keywords: 
Newton's Third Law
Source: 
UMPERG-A2LEM6

The diagrams show two uniformly charged spheres. The charge on the right sphere is three times as large as the charge on the left sphere. The arrows on each charge represent the force on the charge. Which force diagram best represents the magnitude and direction of the electric forces on the two spheres?

Commentary

Answer

(4) By Newton’s third law the forces are equal and opposite.