Two point charges, +Q and -Q, are placed at a distance d apart. What is the elec

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Question: Two point charges, +Q and -Q, are placed at a distance d apart. What is the electric potential at the midpoint between them?

Options:

Correct Answer: 0

Solution:

At the midpoint, the potentials due to both charges cancel each other out, resulting in a net potential of 0 V.

Two point charges, +Q and -Q, are placed at a distance d apart. What is the electric potential at the midpoint between them?

Two point charges, +Q and -Q, are placed at a distance d apart. What is the electric potential at the midpoint between them?

Step 1: Identify the two point charges: one is +Q (positive) and the other is -Q (negative).
Step 2: Determine the distance between the two charges, which is given as d.
Step 3: Find the midpoint between the two charges. This point is located at a distance of d/2 from each charge.
Step 4: Calculate the electric potential due to the positive charge (+Q) at the midpoint. The formula for electric potential (V) is V = k * Q / r, where k is a constant, Q is the charge, and r is the distance from the charge.
Step 5: For the positive charge, the potential at the midpoint is V+ = k * Q / (d/2) = 2kQ/d.
Step 6: Calculate the electric potential due to the negative charge (-Q) at the midpoint using the same formula. The potential is V- = k * (-Q) / (d/2) = -2kQ/d.
Step 7: Add the potentials from both charges at the midpoint: V_total = V+ + V- = (2kQ/d) + (-2kQ/d).
Step 8: Simplify the total potential: V_total = 0.

Electric Potential – The electric potential at a point in space due to a point charge is given by V = k * Q / r, where k is Coulomb's constant, Q is the charge, and r is the distance from the charge to the point.
Superposition Principle – The total electric potential at a point due to multiple charges is the algebraic sum of the potentials due to each charge considered separately.
Midpoint Analysis – At the midpoint between two equal and opposite charges, the distances to each charge are equal, leading to cancellation of their potentials.