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title: "Two fixed point charges, each with charge \\(+Q\\), are located on the \\(x\\)-axis at \\(x = -d\\) and \\(x = +d\\). A small test charge \\(+q\\) is placed successively at three positions on the \\(x\\)-axis: Position 1 at \\(x = -d/2\\), Position 2 at \\(x = 0\\), and Position 3 at \\(x = +d/2\\). Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitudes of the net electrostatic forces \\(F_1\\), \\(F_2\\), and \\(F_3\\) exerted on the test charge at Positions 1, 2, and 3, respectively?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117994/"
date_modified: "2026-08-04T08:02:48+00:00"
---

# Two fixed point charges, each with charge \(+Q\), are located on the \(x\)-axis at \(x = -d\) and \(x = +d\). A small test charge \(+q\) is placed successively at three positions on the \(x\)-axis: Position 1 at \(x = -d/2\), Position 2 at \(x = 0\), and Position 3 at \(x = +d/2\). Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitudes of the net electrostatic forces \(F_1\), \(F_2\), and \(F_3\) exerted on the test charge at Positions 1, 2, and 3, respectively?

Two fixed point charges, each with charge \(+Q\), are located on the \(x\)-axis at \(x = -d\) and \(x = +d\). A small test charge \(+q\) is placed successively at three positions on the \(x\)-axis: Position 1 at \(x = -d/2\), Position 2 at \(x = 0\), and Position 3 at \(x = +d/2\). Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitudes of the net electrostatic forces \(F_1\), \(F_2\), and \(F_3\) exerted on the test charge at Positions 1, 2, and 3, respectively?

![A horizontal x-axis with an origin labeled 0 at the center. Two positive point charges, each rendered as a circle with a plus sign labeled +Q, are located on the axis: one at x = -d on the left and one at x = +d on the right. Three points on the x-axis are marked with dark dots and labeled: Position 1 at x = -d/2, Position 2 at x = 0, and Position 3 at x = +d/2. Dashed vertical tick lines extend down from x = -d, x = -d/2, x = 0, x = +d/2, and x = +d to label their coordinate positions along the axis. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1785830568-UtTI0R.jpg)

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

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117994/*