Electrostatic Force

Electrostatic force is the force exerted by stationary or moving electric charges on other charges. It is a fundamental force of nature and is responsible for the attraction and repulsion of charged particles.

Key Concepts

• Coulomb's Law: Describes the magnitude of the electrostatic force between two point charges.
• Electric Field: A region around a charged particle where another charged particle experiences a force.
• Conservation of Charge: States that the total charge in an isolated system remains constant over time.

Study Guide

1. Coulomb's Law

Coulomb's Law describes the electrostatic force between two point charges. It is given by the equation:

F = k * (|q1 * q2|) / r²

Where:

• F is the magnitude of the force between the charges,
• k is Coulomb's constant (~8.9875 x 10⁹ N m² C^-2),
• q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and
• r is the distance between the charges.

2. Electric Field

An electric field is a region around a charged particle where another charged particle experiences a force. The electric field strength (E) at a point is defined as the force per unit charge experienced by a positive test charge at that point:

E = F / q

Where:

• E is the electric field strength,
• F is the electrostatic force on the test charge, and
• q is the magnitude of the test charge.

3. Conservation of Charge

The principle of conservation of charge states that the total charge in an isolated system remains constant over time. In other words, charge can neither be created nor destroyed, but it can be transferred from one object to another.

Practice Questions

1. State Coulomb's Law and explain its significance in understanding electrostatic force.
2. Calculate the electrostatic force between two point charges of +3.0 μC and -5.0 μC separated by a distance of 2.0 m.
3. Describe the behavior of electric field lines around a positive and a negative point charge.
4. Discuss how the principle of conservation of charge applies to everyday electrical phenomena.