Answer:
d) 1/4 F
Explanation:
The magnitude of electrostatic force between stationary charges is described by Coulomb's law. This law states that this force is proportional to the magnitudes of the charges:
[tex]F\propto q_1q_2[/tex]
When each of the spheres has lost half its initial charge, we have:
[tex]q_1'=\frac{q_1}{2}\\q_2'=\frac{q_2}{2}[/tex]
So, the new electrostatic force is:
[tex]F'\propto q_1'q_2'\\F'\propto \frac{q_1}{2}\frac{q_2}{2}\\F'\propto \frac{q_1q_2}{4}\\F'\propto\frac{1}{4}F[/tex]