Which one of the following statements best explains why it is possible to define
ID: 2016905 • Letter: W
Question
Which one of the following statements best explains why it is possible to define an electrostatic potential in a region of space that contains an electrostatic field?a.) A negative charge will gain kinetic energy as it moves away from another negative charge.
b.) Like charges repel one another and unlike charges attract one another.
c.) A positive charge will gain kinetic energy as it approaches a negative charge.
d.) Work must be done to bring two positive charges closer together.
e.) The work required to bring two charges together is independent of the path taken.
Explanation / Answer
Ahhh, the dark art of multiple choice questions: Statements A and C are basically identical sides of the same coin, so either they're both right or neither is, and since there is only 1 right answer, it can't be A or C. Statement B just references forces. "potential" is about energy which required force AND distance. Since you already know D is wrong, the answer must be E. This makes sense because "independence of path" implies that movements parallel to your potential field are irrelevant to the energy state, which is true.