Electrical Force Calculator

Coulomb's Law:

\[ F = k \frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2} \]

Electrical Force (F):

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1. What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law describes the electrostatic interaction between electrically charged particles. It states that the magnitude of the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law:

\[ F = k \frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2} \]

Where:

\( F \) — Electrical force (N)
\( k \) — Coulomb's constant (8.99 × 10⁹ N m²/C²)
\( q_1 \) — First charge (C)
\( q_2 \) — Second charge (C)
\( r \) — Distance between charges (m)

Explanation: The force is attractive if charges have opposite signs and repulsive if charges have the same sign.

3. Importance of Electrical Force Calculation

Details: Calculating electrical forces is fundamental in electromagnetism, helping understand atomic structure, chemical bonding, and designing electrical systems and devices.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter charges in coulombs (C) and distance in meters (m). Distance must be greater than zero. The calculator will determine the magnitude of the electrical force.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the value of Coulomb's constant?
A: Coulomb's constant k is approximately 8.99 × 10⁹ N m²/C² in vacuum.

Q2: How does distance affect the electrical force?
A: The force decreases with the square of the distance - doubling the distance reduces the force to one-quarter.

Q3: What are typical charge values in everyday situations?
A: Everyday static electricity involves charges around 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁹ C, while fundamental charges (electrons) are about 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C.

Q4: Does the calculator account for charge signs?
A: The calculator computes the magnitude of force. The direction (attractive/repulsive) depends on whether charges have the same or opposite signs.

Q5: Is Coulomb's Law valid for all distance scales?
A: Coulomb's Law works well for macroscopic distances and is fundamental to classical electromagnetism, though quantum effects become significant at atomic scales.