Coulomb's Law: Exploring Point Charges

In summary, Coulomb's Law states that the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This law is only applicable to point charges, but can be used to find the force between charge distributions by assembling forces in pairs. The mathematical expression for Coulomb's Law is F=Kq1q2/r*r, where F is the force, K is a constant, q1 and q2 are the charges, and r is the distance between them.
  • #1
supreabajaj
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Coulomb's Law...

Can anyone please tell me why is Coulomb's Law applicable only to the point charges?
 
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  • #2


Write down Coulomb's Law. What do the symbols in the equation mean?
 
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Statement- The electrostatic force of interaction between any two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the two charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.


Mathematical Expression- F=Kq1q2/r*r
 
  • #4


Let us consider an extended body having a charge(known as charge density). We could approximate by assuming that the extended body is made out of many point-like charges(more point like charges=better approximation).

Then consider another charged body(pointlike or non pointlike. for simplification, try point-like). Then, apply Couloumb's law through summation.

Then take the limit and see what happens.
 
  • #5


supreabajaj said:
Statement- The electrostatic force of interaction between any two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the two charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.


Mathematical Expression- F=Kq1q2/r*r

There is your answer. Coulomb's Law, the way you have written it, involves two charges and two charges only. But if you know how to write the force between two charges, you can find the force between charge distributions by assembling forces in pairs, but that's not Coulomb's Law, but an application of it.
 

FAQ: Coulomb's Law: Exploring Point Charges

What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law is a mathematical equation that describes the electrostatic force between two point charges. It states that the force is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

How is Coulomb's Law used in science?

Coulomb's Law is used to calculate the force between two charged particles in many scientific fields, including physics, chemistry, and engineering. It is also used to understand the behavior of electric fields and to design electrical circuits and devices.

What are point charges?

Point charges are hypothetical particles with a single positive or negative charge, with no physical size or shape. They are used in Coulomb's Law to simplify calculations and represent the electrostatic force between two objects.

What is the significance of the distance in Coulomb's Law?

The distance between two point charges is a crucial factor in Coulomb's Law because it affects the strength of the electrostatic force. As the distance between charges increases, the force between them decreases, following an inverse square relationship.

Can Coulomb's Law be applied to objects other than point charges?

In most cases, Coulomb's Law can only be applied to point charges or objects that can be approximated as point charges. However, it can also be used to calculate the force between larger objects by breaking them down into smaller point charges and summing up the individual forces between each pair.

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