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Three positive charges are kept at the vertices of an equilateral triangle. We can make the potential energy of the system zero by adjusting the amount of charges. This statement is ______
  • a)
    True
  • b)
    False
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Three positive charges are kept at the vertices of an equilateral tria...
Answer:
False

Explanation:
The statement mentioned in the question is false.
To understand why, let's analyze the scenario of three positive charges kept at the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

1. Electric Potential Energy:
The electric potential energy of a system of charges is given by the equation:
U = k * q1 * q2 / r

Where:
- U is the electric potential energy
- k is the electrostatic constant
- q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges
- r is the distance between the charges

2. Equilateral Triangle:
In an equilateral triangle, all three sides are of equal length, and all three angles are 60 degrees.

3. Electric Potential Energy in an Equilateral Triangle:
When three positive charges are placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle, the potential energy of the system is not zero.

- The charges at the vertices of the triangle will exert repulsive forces on each other.
- The electric potential energy will be positive since the charges have the same sign.
- The potential energy will be maximum when the charges are closest to each other, i.e., at the vertices of the triangle.

4. Adjusting the Amount of Charges:
Adjusting the amount of charges will not change the fact that the potential energy of the system is non-zero.

- If the charges are increased or decreased, the potential energy will still be positive.
- The only way to make the potential energy zero is by having charges of opposite signs cancel each other out.

5. Conclusion:
Therefore, the statement that we can make the potential energy of the system zero by adjusting the amount of charges is false. The potential energy will always be positive for a system of three positive charges placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle.
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Community Answer
Three positive charges are kept at the vertices of an equilateral tria...
Electric potential is a positive quantity if both the charges are positive. In this case, all the three charges are positive; hence there is no negative term in the total energy term. Therefore, we cannot make the total energy of the system zero by adjusting the values of charge. But it would be possible if one of the charges were positive.
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