1. What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law describes the electrostatic force between two charged objects. The force is 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:

Where:

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

Explanation: The force is attractive if charges have opposite signs and repulsive if they have the same sign. The calculator gives the magnitude of the force.

3. Importance of Electric Force Calculation

Details: Understanding electric forces helps explain many everyday phenomena like static electricity, how atoms bond together, and how electrical devices work.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both charges in Coulombs (1 electron = 1.6×10⁻¹⁹ C) and distance in meters. Distance must be greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Coulomb's constant?
A: It's a proportionality constant (9 × 10⁹ N m²/C²) that makes the units work out in the equation.

Q2: Does the force depend on charge signs?
A: The magnitude doesn't, but the direction does. Opposite charges attract, like charges repel.

Q3: What if the charges are very close?
A: As distance decreases, the force increases rapidly (inverse square law). But real charges can't occupy the same point.

Q4: How does this relate to gravity?
A: Both follow inverse-square laws, but electric force is much stronger and can be attractive or repulsive.

Q5: Can I use this for multiple charges?
A: For multiple charges, you'd need to calculate pairwise forces and add them as vectors.