Question

Electrostatic force is maximum when charge \( Q \) is placed at ------?

• A. At the center of the sphere
• B. At the surface of the sphere
• C. At the corner of the cube
• D. At infinity

Hint:

For spherical conductors, the electrostatic force is greatest when the charge is placed at the surface, as the charge distributes evenly and maximizes the interaction with other charges.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The electrostatic force between two charges is governed by Coulomb's law: \[ F = \frac{1}{4 \pi \epsilon_0} \cdot \frac{Q_1 Q_2}{r^2} \] where \( Q_1 \) and \( Q_2 \) are the magnitudes of the charges and \( r \) is the distance between them. When a charge is placed on a spherical conductor, the electrostatic force is maximum when the charge is placed at the surface because the charge distributes uniformly over the surface of the sphere. This results in the maximum electrostatic force at the surface. Thus, the electrostatic force is maximum when the charge \( Q \) is placed at the surface of the sphere.