Answer:
The magnitude of the force decreases by a factor 4
Explanation:
The magnitude of the electrical force between a pair of charged objects is given by
[tex]F=k\frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2}[/tex]
where
k is the Coulomb's constant
q1, q2 are the charges of the two objects
r is the distance between the two objects
In this problem, the two objects are moved twice as far apart, so their distance becomes
r' = 2r
Substituting into the equation, we find the new force
[tex]F'=k\frac{q_1 q_2}{r'^2}=k\frac{q_1 q_2}{(2r)^2}=\frac{1}{4}(k\frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2})=\frac{1}{4}F[/tex]
