Question

Electrostatic potential energy can be negative.

(a) True

(b) False

This question was posed to me in final exam.

My enquiry is from Potential Energy in an External Field in section Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance of Physics – Class 12

Answer 1

Correct choice is (a) True

For explanation I would say: If the charge ‘q’ is negative, the sign should be considered in the equation. Therefore, a system consisting of negative and positive point charges will have negative potential energy. A negative potential energy means that work must be done against the electric field in order to move the charges apart.