Physics Technology Update (4th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32190-308-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-308-2

Chapter 20 - Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy - Problems and Conceptual Exercises - Page 718: 30

Answer

$C\lt A=B\lt D$

Work Step by Step

We know that the charges in each case are equidistant from the origin. The sum of the charges in each case are: Case A: $+q-q+q-q+q-q+q-q=0$ Case B: $+q+2q-q-q-2q-q+q+q=0$ Case C: $-2q-q+2q+q-4q-5q+3q+3q=-3q$ Case D: $-q-q-q-q+8q-q-q-q=+q$ Thus, the required ranking of the electric potentials is $C\lt A=B\lt D$.
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