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The figure shows the electric field lines of four point charges A, B, C and D. Which charge has the maximum magnitude?

Asked in GUJCET 2023 · Electric field lines

Figure: Electric field lines
Answer: (2) B charge

Step-by-step solution

Idea: in a field-line picture the number of lines leaving (or ending on) a charge is proportional to the magnitude of the charge; the length and direction of the lines do not matter.

Count the lines in the figure: A: 6, B: 12, C: 8 (pointing inward, so C is negative), D: 4.

So |q_B| : |q_C| : |q_A| : |q_D| = 12 : 8 : 6 : 4.

So B has the maximum magnitude.

Why the other options are wrong

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