Otis Singleton
Electric force, or electrostatic force, is the interaction between two electric charges. It is one of the fundamental forces in nature, and it can be attractive or repulsive. The force depends on the sign of the charges, the magnitude of the charges, and the distance between them. The SI unit of electric force is Newton (N). This unit is used to describe the magnitude of the force between two charges, which can be calculated using Coulomb's law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The repulsive or attractive interaction between any two charged bodies |
| Discovery | Experimentally established by Charles Coulomb in 1785 |
| Formula | \(\vec{F}\,\) is the electric force directed between two charged bodies |
| Formula | \(F = k\dfrac{{{q_1}{q_2}}}{{{r^2}}}\) |
| Formula | \(F = k\frac{\mid{q}_1q_2\mid}{r^2}\) |
| Constant | \(k = 9 \times10^9 \dfrac{\text{ Nm}^2}{\text{C}^2}\) |
| Constant | \(k = 8.987\ 551\ 7862(14)\times 10^{9}\ \mathrm {N{\cdot }m^{2}{\cdot }C^{-2}}\) |
| Constant | \(k = 8.988\times10^9\frac{\text{N}\cdot\text{m}^2}{\text{C}^2}\) |
| Unit | Newton (N) |
| Direction | Along the straight line joining the two charges |
| Nature | One of the fundamental forces in nature |
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What You'll Learn
Electric force is measured in Newton units
Electric force is a fundamental force in nature that describes the interaction between two electric charges. It is one of the many forces that act on objects, and its impact and effects on a given body are described by Newton's laws of motion.
The electric force is conventionally known as the electrostatic force or Coulomb force. It was first discovered by French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb in 1785. Coulomb's law, an experimental law of physics, calculates the amount of force between two electrically charged particles at rest.
Coulomb's law states that the magnitude of the attractive or repulsive electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The law also states that bodies with like electrical charges repel each other, while those with opposite charges attract.
The electric force, like other forces, is generally measured in Newton units. The SI unit of electric force is Newton (N). The SI unit of force is always Newton. The magnitude of the electric force between two charges can be calculated using the equation:
\F = k\frac{{q_1q_2}}{{r^2}}
Where k is the Coulomb constant, and q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges. The constant k converts force to the proper units of Newtons.
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It is one of the fundamental forces in nature
Electric force, also known as the electrostatic force or Coulomb force, is the attractive or repulsive interaction between two charged bodies. It is one of the various forces that act on objects and is generally measured in Newton units.
The four fundamental forces of nature are gravity, electromagnetism, weak interaction, and strong interaction. These forces are at the root of every interaction in the universe, from playing basketball to launching a rocket into space.
Gravity is the most familiar of the fundamental forces and acts between all objects with mass or energy. It is the force that causes apples to fall from trees and determines the orbits of planets around the sun.
Electromagnetism is responsible for some of the most commonly experienced phenomena, such as friction, elasticity, and the normal force that keeps a book on top of a table. It is also the force that allows planes and birds to fly.
The weak interaction and strong interaction forces govern nuclear interactions inside atoms and produce forces at subatomic scales. The strong force is considered the most powerful force in nature, followed by electromagnetic, weak, and gravitational forces.
While these four forces are the most well-known, some scientists hypothesize that a fifth force may exist, but this remains speculative.
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It is calculated using Coulomb's law
The unit of electric force is Newton (N). It is a force that acts between two charged bodies and is dependent on the distance and charge of the bodies. The electric force is calculated using Coulomb's law, which was first published in 1785 by French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb.
Coulomb's law is an experimental law of physics that calculates the amount of force between two electrically charged particles at rest. The law states that the magnitude, or absolute value, of the attractive or repulsive electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance between the charges increases, the force decreases, and vice versa.
The formula for the electric force between two charges, ${q_1}$ and ${q_2}$, separated by a distance $r$, is given by Coulomb's law as:
$$F = k\frac{{{q_1}{q_2}}}{{{r^2}}}$$
Where $k = \frac{1}{{4\pi {\varepsilon _0}}}$ is the Coulomb constant, also known as the vacuum electric permittivity. This constant takes into account the medium between the charges, which can affect the force.
The electric force calculated using Coulomb's law is also known as the electrostatic force or Coulomb force. It is important to note that the electric force is not constant; it varies with the separation distance between the charges. If either the test charge or the source charge moves, the distance ($r$) changes, and therefore the force also changes.
Coulomb's law is similar to Isaac Newton's inverse-square law of universal gravitation, but with a key difference. Gravitational forces always result in attraction, while electrostatic forces can result in attraction or repulsion depending on the charges. Electrostatic forces are also much stronger than gravitational forces.
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It depends on the sign of the charges
The unit of electric force is Newton (N). The SI unit of force is always Newton. The electric force is the interaction between two electric charges. It depends on the sign of the charges, the magnitude of the charges, and the distance between them.
If the two charges have the same sign, they repel each other, and if they have different signs, they attract each other. This relationship is described by Coulomb's law, which states that the magnitude of the attractive or repulsive electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The electric force formula can be obtained from Coulomb's law as follows:
\[\vec{F}\,\, is \,\,the \,\,electric \,\,force \,\,directed\,\,between\,\,two \,\,charged\,\,bodies.\]
K is the constant of proportionality. The electric force between two electrons is equal to the electric force between two protons when placed at equal distances. This shows that the electric force depends on the quantity of electric charge and not on the mass of the object.
The magnitude of the electric force between two charges, q1 and q2, with their centres separated by a distance r, is given by the following equation:
\Fonq_1byq_2 = \Big|{k}q_1q_2|/r^2;; k=9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2
The constant k converts force to the proper units of Newtons. The force increases linearly with the magnitude of each charge but decreases as the inverse of the distance squared. Thus, the force weakens quickly as the charges separate.
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It depends on the magnitude of the charges
The unit of electric force is Newton (N). This is because the electric force depends on the magnitude of the charges and the distance between them.
Coulomb's law, an experimental law of physics, calculates the amount of force between two electrically charged particles at rest. The law states that the magnitude of the attractive or repulsive electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The magnitude of the electric force between two charges, q1 and q2, with their centres separated by a distance r, is given by the following equation:
\[F_{\text{on}q_1\text{by}q_2}= \Big|\dfrac{kq_1q_2}{r^2}\Big|;\; k=9 \times10^9 \dfrac{\text{ Nm}^2}{\text{C}^2}\]
The constant k converts force to the proper units of Newtons. The force increases linearly with the magnitude of each charge but decreases as the inverse of the distance squared. Thus, the force weakens quickly as the charges separate.
The electric force can also be viewed through current electricity, like copper wiring that carries power to buildings.
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Frequently asked questions
The SI unit of electric force is Newton (N).
The repulsive or attractive interaction between any two charged bodies is called electric force. It is one of the various forces that act on objects.
The force increases linearly with the magnitude of each charge, but decreases as the inverse of the distance squared. Thus, the force becomes weak quickly as the charges separate.
The magnitude of the electric force between two charges q1 and q2, with their centers separated by a distance r, is given by the following equation:
F = k * |q1*q2| / r^2
