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Item RG129002: Decreasing the distance between the two positively charged particles and increasing the magnitude of the charge of the particles would increase the amount of electrostatic potential energy in the system.

Two positively charged particles are held in position as shown in the figure below.

Which of the following changes would increase the amount of electrostatic potential energy in the system of two particles described above?

  1. Decreasing the distance between the two particles and increasing the magnitude of the charge of the particles
  2. Increasing the distance between the two particles and decreasing the magnitude of the charge of the particles
  3. Maintaining the distance between the two charges but replacing both particles with negatively charged particles of the same magnitude
  4. None of the changes described above would increase the electrostatic potential energy of the system.
Distribution of Responses
Chart showing distrubtion of responses for Item EG129002
Scale Score for Item Difficulty
(200[Easy]-800[Difficult])
502
Students Responding Correctly
Group Correct Total Percent
Overall 1775 4382 41%
Grades
  4–5N/AN/AN/A
  6–8 923 2520 37%
  9–12 852 1862 46%
Gender
  Male878213241%
  Female861216240%
Primary Language
  English1594381142%
  Other14447830%

View data table