Coulombvoima

Coulomb's Law, named after French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, is a fundamental principle in electromagnetism that describes the force between two point electric charges. The law states that the magnitude of the electrostatic force (F) between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges (q1 and q2) and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between them. Mathematically, this is expressed as F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2, where k is Coulomb's constant, approximately equal to 8.9875 × 10^9 N m^2/C^2.

Coulomb's Law is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. The direction of the force is along the line connecting the two charges, and the force is repulsive if the charges have the same sign and attractive if they have opposite signs. This law is crucial in understanding various phenomena in physics, including the behavior of electric fields, capacitors, and the interaction of charged particles.

The law was first formulated by Coulomb in 1785, based on his torsion balance experiments. It laid the groundwork for the development of classical electromagnetism and has been extensively verified through numerous experiments. Coulomb's Law is also a key component in Maxwell's equations, which form the basis of classical electrodynamics.

In modern physics, Coulomb's Law is still widely used, although it is often supplemented by more advanced theories such as quantum electrodynamics, which provide a more accurate description of electromagnetic interactions at very small scales. Despite its classical nature, Coulomb's Law remains an essential tool in understanding and predicting the behavior of electric charges and their interactions.