Question

At equilibrium between Mg²⁺ and O^2-   in MgO :

        (1) The net force is zero and the total energy is minimum.

        (2) The net force is zero and the total energy is zero.

        (3) The net force is minimum and the total energy is minimum.

        (4) The net force is zero and the total energy is maximum.

        (5)   The net force is maximum and the total energy is maximum.

Answer 1

Here net force is zero because Mg have charge of +2 and oxygen have a chare of -2 and thus both cancel each other to make net force zero .

And once the net force is zero implies that a system is stable and hence for a stable system the energy is minimum

So option (1) is correct .