Electrostatic attraction

Definition

Electrostatic attraction is the force that draws two oppositely charged particles towards each other. It arises due to the interaction between electric charges.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Electrostatic attraction follows Coulomb's Law, which states that the force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between charges and directly proportional to the product of their magnitudes.
2. The electrostatic force is a central concept in understanding electric fields and potentials.
3. Unlike gravitational forces, electrostatic forces can be both attractive and repulsive depending on the nature of the charges involved.
4. The strength of electrostatic attraction decreases with increasing distance between the two charges.
5. Electrostatic attraction plays a crucial role in many physical phenomena, including chemical bonding and intermolecular interactions.

Review Questions

• What law governs the magnitude of electrostatic attraction?
• How does the distance between two charged particles affect their electrostatic attraction?
• Can electrostatic forces be both attractive and repulsive? Explain.

Related terms

Coulomb's Law: A fundamental principle stating that the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their magnitudes and inversely proportional to the square of their separation distance.

Electric Field: A vector field around a charged particle that represents the magnitude and direction of the electric force exerted per unit charge at any point in space.

Electric Potential: $\text{The potential energy per unit charge at a point in an electric field}$, $\text{representing how much work would be required to move a charge from one point to another within this field}$.