A positively charged particle is moved from point A to point B in the electric field of the massive, stationary, positively charged object in Figure 25. 12.

(a) Is the electrostatic work done on the particle positive, negative, or zero?

(b) How is the electrostatic work done on the particle along the straight path from A to B different from the electrostatic work done on the particle along a path from \(\mathrm{A}\) to \(\mathrm{B}\) via \(\mathrm{C}\) ?

Data from Figure 25. 12

E A C B