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 calculator helps determine the magnitude of the electric force between two point charges.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law formula:

Where:

• \( F \) — Electric force (Newtons)
• \( k \) — Coulomb's constant (8.98755×10⁹ N·m²/C²)
• \( q_1, q_2 \) — Electric charges (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 their separation distance.

3. Importance of Coulomb's Law

Details: Understanding electric forces is crucial in electromagnetism, electronics, and understanding atomic structure. It helps predict interactions between charged particles.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the two charges in Coulombs (can be positive or negative), the distance between them in meters (must be > 0), and Coulomb's constant (default is 8.98755×10⁹ N·m²/C²).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Q2: Why is distance squared in the formula?
A: The electric field spreads out radially in three dimensions, making the force follow an inverse-square law.

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: Yes, for non-point charges you'd need to integrate over their distributions.

Q5: What's the value of Coulomb's constant in a vacuum?
A: Approximately 8.98755×10⁹ N·m²/C², which is the default value in the calculator.