Two magnets are placed near each other. What will happen to the magnetic force between them if the distance between the magnets is doubled?

Question

The magnetic force will increase.


The magnetic force will remain the same.


The magnetic force will decrease slightly but not significantly.


The magnetic force will decrease significantly as the distance increases.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

The magnetic force will decrease significantly as the distance increases.

According to the inverse square law for magnetic forces, the magnetic force between two magnets decreases with the square of the distance between them. Therefore, if the distance is doubled, the magnetic force will decrease to a quarter of its original strength.