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When three electric dipoles are near each other, they each experience the electric field of the other two, and the three dipole system has a certain potential energy. Figure below shows three arrangements $(1)$ , $(2)$ and $(3)$ in which three electric dipoles are side by side. All three dipoles have the same magnitude of electric dipole moment, and the spacings between adjacent dipoles are identical. If $U_1$ , $U_2$ and $U_3$ are potential energies of the arrangements $(1)$ , $(2)$ and $(3)$ respectively then

$U_1 > U_2 > U_3$
$U_1 > U_3 > U_2$
$U_1 > U_2 = U_3$
$U_1 = U_2 = U_3$
Solution
$U_1$ will be positive and greatest since all forces among dipoles are repulsive. $U_2$ is negative as potential energy of first & second dipole pair cancels out potential energy of second and third pair, leaving only potential energy of interaction of first and third, that is negative. In $(3)$ , effect of attraction is greatest.