Calculate the electrostatic potential energy for a system of three point charges placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle of side 'a'.

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Solution

Distance between each particle is $a$ .
Charge on each particle is $q$ .
So, potential energy $U = U_{12} + U_{23} + U_{13} = 3 U_{12}$ $(∵ U_{12} = U_{23} = U_{13})$
$⟹ U = 3 \times \frac{k q^{2}}{a}$

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Calculate the electrostatic potential energy for a system of three point charges placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle of side 'a'.

Distance between each particle is a. Charge on each particle is q.So, potential energy U=U12+U23+U13=3U12 (∵ U12=U23=U13)⟹ U=3×kq2a

Distance between each particle is $a$ .
Charge on each particle is $q$ .
So, potential energy $U = U_{12} + U_{23} + U_{13} = 3 U_{12}$ $(∵ U_{12} = U_{23} = U_{13})$
$⟹ U = 3 \times \frac{k q^{2}}{a}$