Question

how does increasing the distance between charged objects affect the electric force between them?
the electric force increases because the distance has an indirect relationship to the force.
the electric force increases because the distance has a direct relationship to the force.
the electric force decreases because the distance has an indirect relationship to the force.
the electric force decreases because the distance has a direct relationship to the force.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall Coulomb's Law

Coulomb's Law states that the electric force \( F = k\frac{q_1q_2}{r^2}\), where \(k\) is a constant, \(q_1\) and \(q_2\) are the charges of the two objects, and \(r\) is the distance between them.

Step2: Analyze the relationship between force and distance

From the formula \(F = k\frac{q_1q_2}{r^2}\), we can see that \(F\) is inversely proportional to \(r^2\). As \(r\) (distance) increases, the value of \(\frac{1}{r^2}\) decreases. So, the electric force \(F\) decreases. The relationship between \(F\) and \(r\) is an indirect (inverse) relationship.

Answer:

The electric force decreases because the distance has an indirect relationship to the force.