1. What is Coulomb's Law?

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

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law equation:

Where:

• \( F \) — Electric force (N)
• \( k \) — Coulomb's constant (9×10⁹ N m²/C²)
• \( q_1 \) — First charge (C)
• \( q_2 \) — Second charge (C)
• \( r \) — Distance between charges (m)

Explanation: The equation calculates the magnitude of force between two point charges. The force is attractive if charges have opposite signs and repulsive if they have the same sign.

3. Importance of Electric Force Calculation

Details: Understanding electric forces is fundamental in electromagnetism, helping design electrical systems, analyze atomic interactions, and explain many physical phenomena.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter charges in Coulombs (can be positive or negative), distance in meters. Distance must be greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the value of Coulomb's constant?
A: Approximately 8.9875517923×10⁹ N·m²·C⁻², often rounded to 9×10⁹ N·m²·C⁻² for calculations.

Q2: Does the calculator account for charge signs?
A: The calculator gives the magnitude of force. Remember opposite charges attract, like charges repel.

Q3: What are typical charge values?
A: Elementary charge is ~1.602×10⁻¹⁹ C. Macroscopic objects typically have charges in microcoulombs (µC) to millicoulombs (mC).

Q4: What if distance approaches zero?
A: The equation breaks down at very small distances where quantum effects dominate.

Q5: How does medium affect the force?
A: In other media, divide by the relative permittivity (εᵣ) of the material.