Question

Principle of superposition can be applied to:
A. Electric Charge Only
B. Electric field only
C. Electrostatic forces and electric field both
D. Electrostatic forces only

Answer 1

Hint:The principle of superposition is used to calculate two or more electric fields created due to an electric charge. In other words, it can be said that it gives the total force acting on one charge due to a number of charges.

Complete step by step solution:
According to the principle of superposition, every charge has its area of influence around it that is known as the electric field. This means all the other electric charges that are present in that medium have their own electric field which are not dependent on each other. The net electric field for that system is the vector sum of electric fields of individual charges.

Since there are a number of charges considered in principle of superposition, there exists an electrostatic force between two charges that are interacting. The electrostatic force that exists between any two charged particles is not affected due to the presence of other charges. Hence, the net electrostatic force on a single charge is equal to the vector sum of all the individual electrostatic forces acting on that charge.

Therefore, it can be said that the principle of superposition can be applied to both electric fields and the electrostatic forces.

Hence, Option C is the correct answer.

Note: It is important to consider that the individual force due to a single charged particle can be known or calculated using Coulomb’s Law. This law is used to find out the force acting when two bodies are exerting either attractive or repulsive force on each other.