Which of the following statements correctly explains/explain the exist

Which of the following statements correctly explains/explain the existence of a positive force between two electric charges?

  • Both the charges are positive.
  • Both the charges are negative.
  • Both the charges are oppositely charged.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only
2 only
1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2022
A positive force between two electric charges indicates a repulsive force. Repulsive forces exist between like charges, meaning both charges are either positive or both are negative.
According to Coulomb’s Law, the force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The force is repulsive if the charges are of the same sign (both positive or both negative) and attractive if they are of opposite signs (one positive and one negative). A positive force value in physics convention often represents repulsion, while a negative force value represents attraction.
Statement 1 describes the case of two positive charges, which repel each other. Statement 2 describes the case of two negative charges, which also repel each other. Statement 3 describes the case of oppositely charged particles (e.g., positive and negative), which attract each other, resulting in an attractive (negative) force. Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 correctly explain the existence of a positive (repulsive) force.
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