What can be concluded if the net electric force on a known positive charge at point P is zero?

What can be concluded if the net electric force on a known positive charge at point P is zero?

• A. Both charges are positive
• B. Both charges are negative
• C. Charges have opposite signs
• D. One charge's magnitude is greater

Answer: (D)

When the net electric force on a positive charge at point P is zero, it indicates that the forces exerted by the surrounding charges are balanced. This means that for the positive charge, there are likely different other charges present that are exerting forces on it, and those forces must cancel each other out precisely. If both surrounding charges are the same type, such as both being positive or both being negative, they would exert forces that would not cancel out. Instead, like charges repel each other, leading to a net force that cannot be zero. Therefore, the correct condition for achieving a net electric force of zero on a positive charge is that there must be charges of opposite signs present that are influencing it. In this case, if the charges around point P have opposite signs, the positive charge experiences attractive forces from negative charges and, under certain magnitudes, these can cancel out the repelling forces effectively. The conclusion regarding the magnitudes of the charges is relevant because if one charge has a significantly larger magnitude than the other, it could potentially exert a larger force that could still result in a net zero force at a specific point, depending on the distances and arrangement of the charges. Hence, while it could be imagined that equal magnitudes of forces

When the net electric force on a positive charge at point P is zero, it indicates that the forces exerted by the surrounding charges are balanced. This means that for the positive charge, there are likely different other charges present that are exerting forces on it, and those forces must cancel each other out precisely.

If both surrounding charges are the same type, such as both being positive or both being negative, they would exert forces that would not cancel out. Instead, like charges repel each other, leading to a net force that cannot be zero. Therefore, the correct condition for achieving a net electric force of zero on a positive charge is that there must be charges of opposite signs present that are influencing it.

In this case, if the charges around point P have opposite signs, the positive charge experiences attractive forces from negative charges and, under certain magnitudes, these can cancel out the repelling forces effectively.

The conclusion regarding the magnitudes of the charges is relevant because if one charge has a significantly larger magnitude than the other, it could potentially exert a larger force that could still result in a net zero force at a specific point, depending on the distances and arrangement of the charges. Hence, while it could be imagined that equal magnitudes of forces