Electric Force: Solving the Mystery of Coulomb's Law

In summary, the conversation discusses applying Coulomb's law to a problem on Electric Force, specifically regarding the separation of an electron and proton in a hydrogen atom and calculating the electric force, orbital speed, and centripetal acceleration. It is mentioned that both the proton and electron are charged particles and the equations for Coulomb force and centripetal acceleration are brought up.
  • #1
pete1667
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0
Electric Force!

I am uncertain how to apply Coulomb's law, if this is even the right way to go about it, to this problem on Electric Force because I am not given two charges. The question is: On average, the electron and proton in a hydrogen atom are separated by a distance of 5.3x10^-11 m. Assuming the orbit of the electron to be circular, (a) what is the electric force on the electron? () What is the electron's orbital speed? (c) What is the magnitude of the electron's centripetal acceleration in units of q?Thank you for your help
 
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  • #2
Of course you are given two charges. Both the proton and electron are charged particles. (They have the same magnitude of charge, but different signs; look up the charge on the electron.)
 
  • #3
What is the equation for the Columb force? What is the equation for centriptal acceleration in uniform circular motion?
 

Related to Electric Force: Solving the Mystery of Coulomb's Law

1. What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law is a fundamental law in physics that describes the electric force between two charged objects. It states that the force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. How is Coulomb's Law related to the concept of electric force?

Coulomb's Law mathematically represents the relationship between electric force and the variables that affect it, such as the magnitude of the charges and the distance between them. It helps us understand and predict the strength of the electric force between charged objects.

3. What is the unit of measurement for electric force?

The unit of measurement for electric force is the Newton (N). This is the same unit used to measure other types of forces, such as gravity or friction.

4. How is Coulomb's Law used to solve problems?

Coulomb's Law can be used to solve problems involving the electric force between two charged objects. By plugging in the values for the charges and distance, we can calculate the force between them. It can also be used to determine the magnitude of an unknown charge or the distance between two charged objects.

5. Are there any real-world applications of Coulomb's Law?

Yes, Coulomb's Law has many real-world applications. It is used in the design of electrical systems, such as circuits and capacitors. It also helps us understand and predict the behavior of static electricity, lightning, and the forces between molecules in chemical reactions.

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