Coulomb's Law
Source lecture(s): SC134 Lec1-2
Physical Meaning
Electrostatic force between point charges.
Variable Definitions
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| \(q_1,q_2\) | point charges |
| \(r\) | separation |
| \(\varepsilon_0\) | permittivity of free space |
Assumptions
Point charges or spherically symmetric distributions; vacuum.
Derivation
Experimental law from torsion-balance measurements.
Applications
Molecular forces, Millikan oil drop, electrostatic precipitators.
Connections to Other Equations
- electric-field
- electric-force