Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]PhysicsThe Forces
The sum of all electromagnetic forces between different particles within a system of charged particles is zero
Options
- Aonly if half of the particles are positively charged and the other half are negatively charged
- Bonly if all the particles are negatively charged
- Cirrespective of the signs of the charges
- Donly if all the particles are positively charged
Correct answer
C. irrespective of the signs of the charges
Step-by-step solution
According to Newton's third law of motion, the electromagnetic force exerted by one particle on another is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force exerted by the second particle on the first. Mathematically, F _ ij = - F _ ji , where F _ ij is the force on particle i due to particle j . When calculating the sum of all internal electromagnetic forces within a system of charged particles, these forces always occur in action-reaction pairs. The sum of all such pairs is exactly zero, since F _ ij + F