
Electric force is an important concept in physics, governing everything from the motion of electrons in atoms to the chemical and structural properties of matter. It can be attractive or repulsive, depending on the charges of the particles involved. To calculate the electric force between two electrons, we can use Coulomb's law, which takes into account the magnitude of the charges and the distance between them. This law is a fundamental principle in physics, used to determine the force between charged particles. By applying this formula, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of the interactions between electrons and the resulting forces that govern the behaviour of matter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electric force exerted by charges at rest or moving slowly | Electrostatic force |
| Charges moving with uniform velocity | Electrostatic force and magnetic force |
| Force between two electrons at a distance of 1x10^-10 m | 2.304x10^-8 N |
| Electric force between two electrons | 2.8x10^-19 C |
| Coulomb constant | 9x10^9 N |
| Elemental charge | 1.6x10^-19 C |
| Distance between two electrons in interstellar space | 0.82 cm |
| Other characteristics | N/A |
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What You'll Learn

Coulomb's law
According to Coulomb's law, the magnitude of the attractive or repulsive force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically, this can be represented as:
> {\displaystyle \mathbf {F} _{1}={\frac {q_{1}q_{2}}{4\pi \varepsilon _{0}}}{{\hat {\mathbf {r} }}_{12} \over {|\mathbf {r} _{12}|}^{2}}}
In this equation, F1 represents the force, q1 and q2 are the quantities of each charge, and r is the distance between the charges. The force acts along the line joining the charges.
Coulomb's experimental work involved using a torsion balance to study the repulsion and attraction forces between charged particles. By observing the behaviour of charged balls and the twisting of a fibre that held them, he was able to derive his inverse-square proportionality law. Coulomb's law is applicable to elementary particles and small charged objects, as long as their sizes are much smaller than the distance between them.
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Electrostatic force
The electrostatic force is a type of electric force that occurs when charges are at rest or moving very slowly. It is a fundamental concept in physics, governing chemistry, the strength of materials, and the production of light. Electrostatics, a branch of classical electromagnetic theory, studies the interactions between static charged objects.
The electric force between two electrons can be calculated using Coulomb's law, which states that the magnitude of the electric force (F) between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The formula for the total electric force acting on a particle with a charge q1, due to particles with charges q2, q3, and q4, is:
F1 = F21 + F31 + F41 = -(keq1q2/r12^2) (r12/r12) - (keq1q3/r13^2) (r13/r13) - (keq1q4/r14^2) (r14/r14)
Where ke is the Coulomb constant, q represents the charges of the particles, and r represents the distance between them.
For example, let's assume we have two electrons with a separation of 1 x 10^-10 m. The Coulomb constant is 9 x 10^9 N·m^2/C^2, and the charge of an electron is 1.6 x 10^-19 C. By substituting these values into the formula, we can calculate the electric force between the two electrons, which turns out to be approximately 2.304 x 10^-8 N.
It's worth noting that the electric force between two electrons is repulsive because they have the same charge. On the other hand, the gravitational force between particles is always attractive, while the electric force can be attractive, repulsive, or zero, depending on the charges of the particles involved.
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Electric charge
The electric force between two charged objects can be attractive or repulsive, depending on the charges of the particles. Like charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract. This is in contrast to gravitational force, which is always attractive. The electric force between two electrons is, therefore, repulsive since electrons carry a negative charge.
To calculate the electric force between two electrons, we can use Coulomb's law. Coulomb's law states that the magnitude of the electric force (F) between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically, Coulomb's law can be expressed as:
> F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2
Where:
- F is the electric force between the charges
- K is Coulomb's constant (approximately 9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2)
- Q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges
- R is the distance between the charges
By substituting the values of the charges and the distance into this formula, we can determine the electric force between two electrons. For example, if we assume a separation of 1 x 10^-10 meters between two electrons, the electric force between them can be calculated as follows:
> F = (9 x 10^9) * ((1.6 x 10^-19) * (1.6 x 10^-19)) / (1 x 10^-10)^2
> F = 2.304 x 10^-8 N
This calculation demonstrates how Coulomb's law can be applied to find the electric force between two electrons, considering their charges and the distance between them.
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Electric force magnitude
The electric force between two charged particles is calculated using Coulomb's law, an experimental law of physics formulated in the 18th century and first published in 1785 by French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb. Coulomb's law states that the magnitude of the attractive or repulsive electrostatic force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
Mathematically, Coulomb's law can be expressed as:
F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2
Where:
- F is the magnitude of the electrostatic force between the two charges
- K is Coulomb's constant, a proportionality constant
- Q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the two charges
- R is the distance between the charges
The direction of the electric force is along the line joining the particles. If the charges have the same sign, they repel each other due to the electrostatic force; if they have different signs, they attract each other. This is in contrast to gravitational forces, which are always attractive.
Coulomb's law applies to elementary particles and small charged objects as long as their sizes are much smaller than the distance between them. It also applies when the charges are at rest or moving slowly, in which case the electric force is specifically called the electrostatic force. If the charges are moving with a uniform velocity, they experience both the electrostatic force and a magnetic force.
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Electric force direction
The electric force between two charged particles is described by Coulomb's law, which states that the magnitude of the force is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The direction of the force is along the line joining the particles.
Coulomb's law is an experimental law of physics that calculates the electric force between two electrically charged particles at rest, known as the electrostatic force or Coulomb force. The law was first published in 1785 by French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, who used a torsion balance to study the attraction and repulsion forces of charged particles.
The direction of the electric force between two charged particles depends on the signs of their charges. If the charges have the same sign, the electrostatic force between them causes them to repel each other. On the other hand, if the charges have different signs, the force between them causes them to attract each other. This is in contrast to gravitational forces, which always result in attraction.
The electric force between electrons specifically can be either repulsive or attractive depending on the charges of the particles involved. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons, and the attractive force between them is exactly canceled out by the repulsive force. However, on a macroscopic scale, the gravitational force dominates due to the presence of neutral objects with an equal number of protons and electrons.
The electric force exerted by charges at rest or moving slowly is the electrostatic force. If the charges are moving with a uniform velocity, they experience both the electrostatic force and a magnetic force. The presence of external charges can also influence the electric force between charges, as seen in the example of a metal sphere gaining a negative charge due to the redistribution of free electrons when a positively charged rod is placed nearby.
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Frequently asked questions
To calculate the electric force between two electrons, you need to use Coulomb's law, which states that the magnitude of the electric force F between two point charges is given by: F = keq1q2/r122. The force will be repulsive as both electrons have the same charge.
The electric force between two electrons at a distance of 1x10^-10 m is approximately 2.304x10^-8 N.
Assuming a distance of 0.82 cm between two electrons in interstellar space, the electric force between them is repulsive and approximately 2.8 x10^-19 C.










































