Coulomb interaction

Definition

Coulomb interaction is the electrostatic force between two charged particles. It is described by Coulomb's law, which states that the force is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The formula for Coulomb's law is $F = k_e \frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2}$, where $k_e$ is Coulomb's constant ($8.99 \times 10^9 \text{Nm}^2/\text{C}^2$).
2. Coulomb interaction can be attractive or repulsive depending on the signs of the charges involved.
3. In biological systems, Coulomb interactions play a crucial role in processes like protein folding and DNA structure stabilization.
4. The strength of Coulomb interaction diminishes rapidly with increasing distance between charges.
5. Coulomb's law applies only to point charges or spherical charge distributions.

Review Questions

Related terms

Electric Charge:

A fundamental property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. Charges are either positive or negative.

Electric Field:

A field around a charged particle that exerts force on other charged particles. It is represented by vectors indicating direction and magnitude.

Electrostatic Force:

The force exerted between static electric charges due to their electric fields. This can be described by Coulomb's law.