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title: "Three point charges are fixed along the \\(x\\)-axis: charge \\(q_1 = +q\\) is located at \\(x = 0\\), charge \\(q_2 = -q\\) is located at \\(x = d\\), and charge \\(q_3 = +q\\) is located at \\(x = 3d\\), where \\(d > 0\\). Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitudes \\(F_1\\), \\(F_2\\), and \\(F_3\\) of the net electrostatic forces acting on charges \\(q_1\\), \\(q_2\\), and \\(q_3\\), respectively?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117918/"
date_modified: "2026-08-04T08:02:34+00:00"
---

# Three point charges are fixed along the \(x\)-axis: charge \(q_1 = +q\) is located at \(x = 0\), charge \(q_2 = -q\) is located at \(x = d\), and charge \(q_3 = +q\) is located at \(x = 3d\), where \(d > 0\). Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitudes \(F_1\), \(F_2\), and \(F_3\) of the net electrostatic forces acting on charges \(q_1\), \(q_2\), and \(q_3\), respectively?

Three point charges are fixed along the \(x\)-axis: charge \(q_1 = +q\) is located at \(x = 0\), charge \(q_2 = -q\) is located at \(x = d\), and charge \(q_3 = +q\) is located at \(x = 3d\), where \(d > 0\). Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitudes \(F_1\), \(F_2\), and \(F_3\) of the net electrostatic forces acting on charges \(q_1\), \(q_2\), and \(q_3\), respectively?

![A horizontal straight line representing the x-axis with a rightward arrow at the far end labeled x. Three point charges are drawn as small shaded circles positioned along the axis. The first charge, labeled q_1 = +q, is at x = 0. The second charge, labeled q_2 = -q, is located to the right at x = d. The third charge, labeled q_3 = +q, is located further to the right at x = 3d. Double-ended horizontal dimension arrows show the distance d between x = 0 and x = d, and the distance 2d between x = d and x = 3d. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1785830554-DEPX2F.jpg)

- **A.** \(F_2 > F_1 > F_3\)
- **B.** \(F_1 > F_2 > F_3\)
- **C.** \(F_1 > F_3 > F_2\)
- **D.** \(F_3 > F_2 > F_1\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117918/*