Why do two separated charged particles both accelerate from rest?

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Immediately after two separated charged particles are released from rest, both increase in speed. What happens to the charge of the particles?
 
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burgess said:
Immediately after two separated charged particles are released from rest, both increase in speed. What happens to the charge of the particles?
The question writer probably intended to say that after release each particle is seen to undergo continuously-increasing* speed.

I say this because any non-zero speed after standstill constitutes an increase in speed. As written, the question says nothing more than immediately after release, the particles move. (Any movement at all representing an increase in speed from zero.)