1. The problem asks whether the force exerted by charge $q_1$ on charge $q_2$ is negative. 2. The force between two point charges is given by Coulomb's law: $$F = k \frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2}$$ where $k$ is Coulomb's constant, $q_1$ and $q_2$ are the charges, and $r$ is the distance between them. 3. The sign of the force depends on the product $q_1 q_2$: - If $q_1 q_2 > 0$, the force is positive, meaning repulsive. - If $q_1 q_2 < 0$, the force is negative, meaning attractive. 4. Therefore, the force from $q_1$ on $q_2$ is negative if and only if the charges have opposite signs. 5. In plain language, if one charge is positive and the other is negative, the force between them is attractive (negative in this context). If both charges have the same sign, the force is repulsive (positive). Final answer: The force of $q_1$ on $q_2$ is negative if $q_1$ and $q_2$ have opposite signs.