The electric potential energy in joules of two electrons is determined by the Coulomb's law, which states that the potential energy between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the distance between them. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
U = k(q1q2)/r where k is the Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the charges of the two electrons, and r is the distance between them.
The electric potential energy between two electrons is inversely proportional to the distance between them. This means that as the distance between the electrons increases, the potential energy decreases, and vice versa. This relationship is described by the inverse square law, which states that the electric potential energy is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between two point charges.
Yes, the electric potential energy of two electrons can be negative. This occurs when the two electrons have opposite charges (one is positive and the other is negative). In this case, the potential energy is negative because the electrons are attracted to each other and work must be done to separate them.
As the distance between two electrons decreases, their electric potential energy increases. This is because the electrons are now closer together and the force of attraction between them becomes stronger, leading to a higher potential energy. The change in potential energy can be calculated using the formula:
ΔU = k(q1q2)(1/r2 - 1/r1) where ΔU is the change in potential energy, r1 and r2 are the initial and final distances between the electrons, and q1 and q2 are their charges.
The unit of measurement for electric potential energy is joules (J). This is the same unit used to measure other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy and thermal energy. It represents the amount of work required to move a charge from one point to another against an electric field.