The table below shows the varying distances between pairs of atoms with the same electric charge and magnitude.

Pair of Atoms Distance Between the Atoms (units)
A 16
B 24
C 11
D 29

Which of the following pairs of atoms has the strongest electric force?
A.
Pair B
B.
Pair A
C.
Pair D
D.
Pair C

1 answer

The electric force between charged particles is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them, according to Coulomb's Law:

\[ F \propto \frac{1}{r^2} \]

where \( F \) is the electric force and \( r \) is the distance between the charges. This means that the smaller the distance, the greater the electric force.

Looking at the table:

  • Pair A: 16 units
  • Pair B: 24 units
  • Pair C: 11 units
  • Pair D: 29 units

Among these distances, Pair C has the smallest distance (11 units).

Thus, Pair C has the strongest electric force.

The answer is D. Pair C.