Practice portal › Electric Potential and Capacitance › Electrostatic Potential Energy

Six charges +q, -q, +q, -q, +q and -q are fixed at the corners of a hexagon of side d as shown in the figure. The work done in bringing a charge q₀ to the centre of the hexagon from infinity is : (ε₀ - permittivity of free space)

Asked in Re-NEET 2022 · Work done in moving a charge

• (1) (-q²)/(4πε₀d)(6-1/(√2))
• (2) Zero
• (3) (-q²)/(4πε₀d)
• (4) (-q²)/(4πε₀d)(3-1/(√2))

Step-by-step solution

Why the other options are wrong

• (1) No single slip gives this; each corner is d from the centre and the six charges sum to zero, so the potential there, and the work, is zero.
• (3) Written with q² rather than qq₀; and the potential at the centre is exactly zero, since all six charges are at distance d and they sum to zero.
• (4) No single slip gives this; the work on q₀ is q₀V_centre, and V_centre=0.

Reading this solution needs no sign-in. You only sign in to practise against the clock and keep your progress.