Coulomb's Constant Calculator

Coulomb’s Constant Calculator helps determine the electrostatic force between two point charges. This force is computed using Coulomb's law, which states that the magnitude of the force between two charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Background on Coulomb’s Law

Coulomb’s law was formulated by Charles-Augustin de Coulomb in 1785. It is one of the fundamental principles governing electrostatic interactions. The law is used extensively in fields such as physics, engineering, and chemistry to model the behavior of charged particles.

Formula and Calculation

The electrostatic force (F) is calculated using:

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

Where:

• \( F \) is the electrostatic force in Newtons (N)
• \( k_e \) is Coulomb's constant \( (8.9875517923 \times 10^9 \, \text{N·m²/C²}) \)
• \( q_1 \) and \( q_2 \) are the magnitudes of the charges in Coulombs (C)
• \( r \) is the distance between the charges in meters (m)

Example Calculation

If charge 1 is \( 2 \times 10^{-6} \, C \), charge 2 is \( -3 \times 10^{-6} \, C \), and the distance is 0.5 meters, the electrostatic force would be:

\[ F = (8.9875517923 \times 10^9) \cdot \frac{(2 \times 10^{-6}) \cdot (-3 \times 10^{-6})}{(0.5)^2} \approx -0.2157 \, \text{N} \]

Common FAQs

1. What does a negative force indicate?

   • A negative value indicates an attractive force between the charges, while a positive value indicates a repulsive force.

2. Why is Coulomb's constant so large?

   • Coulomb’s constant is large because it reflects the strength of electrostatic forces, which are much stronger than gravitational forces at the atomic scale.

This calculator is useful for physics students, researchers, and engineers who need quick and accurate calculations of electrostatic forces between charged particles.