Two charges are brought together This results in a corresponding increase in potential energy What can you say about the sign of the two charges please explain?

Answer 1

If the process of bringing them together increased their potential energy, that

means that if you let go of them, they would decrease their potential energy by

flying apart again. That image, in turn, tells you that in order to bring them

together, you had to push. They preferred not to get any closer, and in order to

make it happen, you had to put in some work. In fact, the work you put in is the

source of the increase in potential energy. All of this says that the charges have

the same sign ... either both positive or both negative ... and their natural reaction

to each other is to be repelled.

Answer 2

The sign of the charges must be opposite, one positive and one negative. When charges of opposite signs are brought together, they experience an attractive force that results in an increase in potential energy. This indicates that the charges are interacting with each other in a way that requires work to be done to bring them together against their natural tendency to repel each other.