Answer to Question #161749 in Physics for Rahila

Question

Why like charges are repel? Interms of energy

Answer 1

Opposite (+ and -) charges attract, just like the earth and any object, so the potential energy increases as we put effort in to separate the charges. Once they're separated, they will "fall" together, releasing potential energy.

But like charges (+ and +, or - and -) repel, so it takes effort to push them together, and when they're close together they have high potential energy. If they're pushed together and released, they will fly apart, releasing energy.

Because the potential energy of like-charged particles increases as they are brought closer together, while that of opposite-charged particles decreases, it is convenient to assign a value of zero potential energy to two charged particles which are a long distance apart. Bringing one positive and one negative particle together decreases potential energy, giving a negative value, indicating that energy is released.