Data:IMPORTANT!!! Negative forces are attractive. Positive forces are repulsive. The sign (-/+) does not affect the magnitude. Claim State your conclusion about the relationship between distance and electrostatic force.*2 pointsForce and distance are not relatedThe force decreases as the distance decreasesThe force decreases as the distance increasesEvidence: Provide evidence from the data above.*3 pointsReasoning: Explain how your evidence supports your claim, referencing Coulomb's Law.*4 pointsClaim State your conclusion about the relationship between charge and electrostatic force.*2 pointsThe force increases as the magnitude of the charge decreasesThe force decreases as the magnitude of the charge decreasesForce and charge are NOT related.Evidence: Provide evidence from the data above.*3 pointsReasoning: Explain how your evidence supports your claim, referencing Coulomb's Law.*4 points

1 answer

Claim 1: Relationship between Distance and Electrostatic Force

Claim: The force decreases as the distance increases.

Evidence: The data indicates that as distance increases, the force between charged objects decreases, reflecting a common understanding in electrostatics.

Reasoning: According to Coulomb's Law, the electrostatic force \( F \) between two point charges is inversely proportional to the square of the distance \( r \) between them: \[ F = k \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2} \] where \( k \) is Coulomb's constant, \( q_1 \) and \( q_2 \) are the magnitudes of the charges. As \( r \) (distance) increases, the denominator of the fraction increases, leading to a decrease in the force. Therefore, this supports the conclusion that the force decreases as the distance increases.


Claim 2: Relationship between Charge and Electrostatic Force

Claim: The force increases as the magnitude of the charge increases.

Evidence: The data indicates that when the magnitude of the charges increases, the electrostatic force between them also increases.

Reasoning: Coulomb's Law also states that the electrostatic force \( F \) is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the two charges: \[ F = k \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2} \] If either \( q_1 \) or \( q_2 \) (the magnitudes of the charges) increases, the product \( |q_1 q_2| \) in the numerator increases, leading to a greater electrostatic force. Thus, this supports the conclusion that the force increases as the magnitude of the charge increases.