Two charges of magnitude $5\, nC$ and $-2\, nC$, one placed at points $(2\, cm, 0,\, 0)$ and $(x \,cm, 0, 0)$ in a region of space, where there is no other external field. If the electrostatic potential energy of the system is $-0.5 \, \mu J$. The value of $x$ is