NEETPhysicsElectrostatics
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): At large distances, the electric field due to a short electric dipole decreases more rapidly with distance than the electric field due to a single point charge. Reason (R): The net charge of an electric dipole is zero, so the electric fields produced by its two individual charges largely cancel eac
Options
- ABoth (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
- BBoth (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
- C(A) is correct but (R) is not correct
- D(A) is not correct but (R) is correct
Correct answer
B. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
Step-by-step solution
The electric field due to a single point charge at a distance r is proportional to 1 r^2 . For a short electric dipole, the electric field at a large distance r is proportional to 1 r^3 . Thus, the field of a dipole decreases more rapidly with distance. Hence, Assertion (A) is correct. An electric dipole consists of two equal and opposite charges, making the net charge zero. At large distances, the fields due to the positive and negative charges are almost equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, leading to si