Question

Consider three charged bodies A, B and C. If A and B repel each other and A attracts C, what is the nature of the force between B and C?
A. Attractive
B. Repulsive
C. Zero
D. None of these

Answer 1

The above problem can be explained by using the concept of the electrostatics. The charge of a body is the same as the number of electrons in that body. If the body has excess number of electrons then it is called as the negatively charged and if the body has deficiency of electrons then the body is said to be positively charged.

Complete step by step answer:
The same charge repels each other and the opposite charge attracts each other. The force between the same charge is called repulsive charge and that of opposite charge is called attractive charge.

The bodies A and B repel each other, so the charge of the body A and body B is of the same nature. The charge of bodies A and B either may be positive or negative.

The bodies A and C attract each other, so the charge of the body A and body C is of opposite nature. One body from the body A and C is positively charged and the other is negatively charged.

Let us assume body A and body B are positively charged, so the body C becomes negatively charged.
The body B is positively charged and body C is negatively charged. The charge on body B and body C is of opposite nature, so the force between body B and body C is attractive.

Therefore, the nature of force between the B and C is attractive and the option (A) is the correct answer.

Note: The alternative method to solve the above problem is to assume the bodies A and B negatively charged. As the body A and C attract each other, so the body C is positively charged. The body B is negatively charged and body C is positively charged, so the nature of force between the B and C is attractive.