1. What is the Electric Force Calculator?

Definition: This calculator computes the electrostatic force between two charged particles using Coulomb's Law.

Purpose: It helps students, physicists, and engineers determine the magnitude of electric force between charged objects.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law formula:

Where:

• \( F \) — Electric force (Newtons)
• \( k \) — Coulomb's constant (8.99×10⁹ N m²/C²)
• \( q_1 \) — Charge of first particle (Coulombs)
• \( q_2 \) — Charge of second particle (Coulombs)
• \( r \) — Distance between charges (meters)

Explanation: The force is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

3. Importance of Electric Force Calculation

Details: Understanding electric forces is crucial for designing electrical systems, studying atomic structure, and analyzing electromagnetic phenomena.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the charges in Coulombs (can be positive or negative), distance in meters (must be > 0), and k value (default 8.99×10⁹).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if the charges have opposite signs?
A: The calculator will show a negative force value, indicating an attractive force between the charges.

Q2: What units should I use?
A: Use Coulombs for charge, meters for distance, and the force will be in Newtons.

Q3: Why is distance squared in the formula?
A: This reflects the inverse-square law nature of electric force - it weakens with the square of the distance.

Q4: What's the typical charge magnitude?
A: Elementary charge is 1.6×10⁻¹⁹ C. Macroscopic objects might have charges in microcoulombs (10⁻⁶ C) to millicoulombs (10⁻³ C).

Q5: Does this work for point charges only?
A: The formula is exact for point charges and good approximation for spherical charges when r is much larger than their sizes.