3 min read•january 6, 2023
Daniella Garcia-Loos
Daniella Garcia-Loos
Electric force results from the interaction of one object that has an electric charge with another object that has an electric charge.
a. Normal force, friction, and tension are forces on a macroscopic scale you have heard of but truly stem from microscopic electric forces.
b. Electric forces can attract or repel, depending on the charge of the objects.
Name: Electric Force
Units: Newtons
Math Relation: Inverse Square Law
Fundamental Property: Charge
Pioneer: Charles Coulomb
Force Type: Attractive or Repulsive
Now let's look at the forces between charged objects and a charged object in an electric field.
The electric force is a fundamental force of nature that arises between charged particles. It is an important force in the study of electromagnetism, which is the branch of physics that deals with the interactions between electricity, magnetism, and light.
The electric force can be either attractive or repulsive, depending on the type of charges involved. Opposite charges, such as positive and negative, experience a force of attraction, while like charges, such as positive and positive or negative and negative, experience a force of repulsion.
The strength of the electric force is determined by the magnitude of the charges and the distance between them. According to Coulomb's law, the electric force between two charged particles is given by the equation:
F = k * q1 * q2 / r^2
where F is the electric force, k is a constant known as the Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between the charges.
The electric force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, along with the gravitational force, the weak nuclear force, and the strong nuclear force. It is responsible for the behavior of charged particles and the interaction between charged objects, such as the attraction between a charged balloon and a piece of paper.
Object 1 | Object 2 | Force Type |
Positive | Positive | Repulsive |
Negative | Negative | Repulsive |
Positive | Negative | Attractive |
Negative | Positive | Attractive |
Direction of the E Field | Charge | Direction of Force |
Left | Positive | Left |
Right | Negative | Left |
Up | Neutral | No Force |
Down | Positive | Down |
Into the page | Negative | Out of the page |
Out of the page | Neutral | No Force |
Example Problem:
Two point charges are placed a certain distance apart in a vacuum. One charge has a positive charge of 3 Coulombs, while the other has a negative charge of 4 Coulombs. Qualitatively, what is the expected direction of the electric force between the charges? Quantitatively, what is the magnitude of the electric force between the charges, according to Coulomb's law?
Solution:
To answer this question qualitatively, you would need to consider the fact that opposite charges experience a force of attraction, while like charges experience a force of repulsion. Based on this information, you could conclude that the electric force between the two charges in this example would be attractive.
To answer the question quantitatively, you would need to use Coulomb's law to calculate the electric force between the charges. Using the equation provided in the previous answer, you would plug in the values for the charges (q1 = 3 Coulombs, q2 = -4 Coulombs) and the distance between them (r) to determine the magnitude of the electric force.
Charge
: Charge refers to the fundamental property of matter that determines how it interacts with electric and magnetic fields. It can be positive or negative, and like charges repel each other while opposite charges attract.Coulomb's Constant
: Coulomb's constant, denoted by k, is a proportionality constant that appears in Coulomb's law. It relates the magnitude of electrostatic force between two charged objects to their charges and the distance between them.Electromagnetism
: Electromagnetism refers to the branch of physics that deals with the interaction between electricity and magnetism. It explains how electric currents create magnetic fields and how changing magnetic fields can induce electric currents.Repulsive Force
: Repulsive force is a force that pushes objects away from each other. It occurs when two objects have the same type of charge (either both positive or both negative) and they repel each other.3 min read•january 6, 2023
Daniella Garcia-Loos
Daniella Garcia-Loos
Electric force results from the interaction of one object that has an electric charge with another object that has an electric charge.
a. Normal force, friction, and tension are forces on a macroscopic scale you have heard of but truly stem from microscopic electric forces.
b. Electric forces can attract or repel, depending on the charge of the objects.
Name: Electric Force
Units: Newtons
Math Relation: Inverse Square Law
Fundamental Property: Charge
Pioneer: Charles Coulomb
Force Type: Attractive or Repulsive
Now let's look at the forces between charged objects and a charged object in an electric field.
The electric force is a fundamental force of nature that arises between charged particles. It is an important force in the study of electromagnetism, which is the branch of physics that deals with the interactions between electricity, magnetism, and light.
The electric force can be either attractive or repulsive, depending on the type of charges involved. Opposite charges, such as positive and negative, experience a force of attraction, while like charges, such as positive and positive or negative and negative, experience a force of repulsion.
The strength of the electric force is determined by the magnitude of the charges and the distance between them. According to Coulomb's law, the electric force between two charged particles is given by the equation:
F = k * q1 * q2 / r^2
where F is the electric force, k is a constant known as the Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between the charges.
The electric force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, along with the gravitational force, the weak nuclear force, and the strong nuclear force. It is responsible for the behavior of charged particles and the interaction between charged objects, such as the attraction between a charged balloon and a piece of paper.
Object 1 | Object 2 | Force Type |
Positive | Positive | Repulsive |
Negative | Negative | Repulsive |
Positive | Negative | Attractive |
Negative | Positive | Attractive |
Direction of the E Field | Charge | Direction of Force |
Left | Positive | Left |
Right | Negative | Left |
Up | Neutral | No Force |
Down | Positive | Down |
Into the page | Negative | Out of the page |
Out of the page | Neutral | No Force |
Example Problem:
Two point charges are placed a certain distance apart in a vacuum. One charge has a positive charge of 3 Coulombs, while the other has a negative charge of 4 Coulombs. Qualitatively, what is the expected direction of the electric force between the charges? Quantitatively, what is the magnitude of the electric force between the charges, according to Coulomb's law?
Solution:
To answer this question qualitatively, you would need to consider the fact that opposite charges experience a force of attraction, while like charges experience a force of repulsion. Based on this information, you could conclude that the electric force between the two charges in this example would be attractive.
To answer the question quantitatively, you would need to use Coulomb's law to calculate the electric force between the charges. Using the equation provided in the previous answer, you would plug in the values for the charges (q1 = 3 Coulombs, q2 = -4 Coulombs) and the distance between them (r) to determine the magnitude of the electric force.
Charge
: Charge refers to the fundamental property of matter that determines how it interacts with electric and magnetic fields. It can be positive or negative, and like charges repel each other while opposite charges attract.Coulomb's Constant
: Coulomb's constant, denoted by k, is a proportionality constant that appears in Coulomb's law. It relates the magnitude of electrostatic force between two charged objects to their charges and the distance between them.Electromagnetism
: Electromagnetism refers to the branch of physics that deals with the interaction between electricity and magnetism. It explains how electric currents create magnetic fields and how changing magnetic fields can induce electric currents.Repulsive Force
: Repulsive force is a force that pushes objects away from each other. It occurs when two objects have the same type of charge (either both positive or both negative) and they repel each other.© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
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