Coulomb's Law Calculation

Coulomb's Law Formula:

\[ F = k \times \frac{q_1 \times q_2}{r^2} \]

Charge 1 (q₁):

Charge 2 (q₂):

Distance (r):

Coulomb's Constant (k):

N·m²/C²

Electrostatic Force (F):

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1. What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law describes the electrostatic interaction between electrically charged particles. It states that the magnitude of the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law formula:

\[ F = k \times \frac{q_1 \times q_2}{r^2} \]

Where:

\( F \) — Electrostatic force (Newtons)
\( k \) — Coulomb's constant (8.9875517873681764×10⁹ N·m²/C²)
\( q_1 \) — Magnitude of first charge (Coulombs)
\( q_2 \) — Magnitude of second charge (Coulombs)
\( r \) — Distance between charges (meters)

Explanation: The force is attractive if charges have opposite signs and repulsive if charges have the same sign.

3. Importance of Coulomb's Law

Details: Coulomb's Law is fundamental to understanding electrostatics and forms the basis for many concepts in electricity and magnetism. It helps predict the behavior of charged particles in various configurations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter charge values in Coulombs, distance in meters, and Coulomb's constant (default value is provided). Distance must be greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the value of Coulomb's constant?
A: The exact value is 8.9875517873681764×10⁹ N·m²/C², which is approximately 9×10⁹ N·m²/C² for most calculations.

Q2: Does the calculator account for charge signs?
A: The calculator uses absolute values of charges. The direction (attractive/repulsive) must be determined based on the actual signs of the charges.

Q3: What are typical charge values?
A: Elementary charge is 1.602×10⁻¹⁹ C. Most practical charges are in microcoulombs (μC) or nanocoulombs (nC).

Q4: Are there limitations to Coulomb's Law?
A: Coulomb's Law applies to point charges at rest. For moving charges or complex charge distributions, additional electromagnetic principles apply.

Q5: How does distance affect the force?
A: Force decreases with the square of the distance. Doubling the distance reduces the force to one-quarter of its original value.