1. What is Coulomb's Law?

Definition: Coulomb's Law describes the electrostatic force between two charged particles. The force is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Purpose: This fundamental law helps in understanding and calculating electric forces in electrostatics, essential for Class 12 Physics students.

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)
• \( q_1 \) — First charge (Coulombs)
• \( q_2 \) — Second charge (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 Coulomb's Law

Details: Understanding this law is crucial for grasping electrostatics concepts, atomic structure, and electromagnetic phenomena in physics.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both charges in Coulombs (can be positive or negative), distance in meters (must be > 0), and k value (default is 8.987551787×10⁹ N·m²/C²).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the direction of the electric force?
A: Like charges repel, opposite charges attract. The calculator gives magnitude only.

Q2: Why is distance squared in the formula?
A: This inverse-square law relationship comes from the geometry of electric field lines spreading in 3D space.

Q3: What units should I use?
A: Use Coulombs for charge, meters for distance, and the force will be in Newtons.

Q4: Does this work for point charges only?
A: The formula is exact for point charges and approximately valid for spherical charges when r is much larger than their size.

Q5: What's the value of k in a vacuum?
A: Approximately 8.987551787 × 10⁹ N·m²/C², which is the default value in the calculator.