Two electrons lying 10cm apart are released. What will be their speed when they are 20cm apart?
Let their velocities at 20cm a part
be v. Then
ΔKETotal=2[Me2v2−m2(0)2]=Mev2
Potential energy 10 cm (U Initial )
=−1ke210100=10ke2
Potential Energy 20 cm (U final )
=ke220/100=5ke2
ΔUTotal=Ufinal−Uinitial
=5ke2−10ke2=−5ke2
As electrostatics force is
conservative,
ΔKETotal+ΔPETotal=0
⇒mev2−5ke2=0
⇒v=√5ke2me=35.58m/s