Chapter 5.3

Question 1

What is electric potential energy dependent upon?

Answer 1

-it is dependent upon the relative position of one charge with respect to another charge or to a collection of charges

Question 2

What happens to charges when the charges are like charges

Answer 2

• the potential energy is positive
• if the charges are unlike, then the potential energy will be negative
• > as the charges are brought closer together, they will have increased negative potential energy
• > increasing negative energy numbers means greater stability

-the smaller the potential energy number, the more stable it is