Chapter 18.

1: Coulomb’s Law

PHY 108/202
Spring 2021
 Exploration of Static Electricity
Download the Activity 18.1 file and do the activity.
 Two Charge Model of Electricity
The matter encountered in everyday life is primarily composed of two kinds
of elementary particles:
• baryons, such as protons and neutrons
• charged leptons, mainly electrons
We can understand some of the behaviors of baryons and charged leptons
by hypothesizing that they have a property, which we call electric charge.
We can understand the electrical behavior by hypothesizing two kinds,
which we call positive and negative.
• proton – a baryon that is positively charged with magnitude e.
• electron – a lepton that is negatively charged with magnitude e.
Electrically charged particles interact via the electrical fundamental force.
 Coulomb’s Law
q1 q2
Fe21 = ke 2
r
The direction is given based on the sign of the charges:

charges of the same sign repel

charges of opposite sign attract
 Checkpoint
Two charges q = + 1 μC and Q = +10 μC are placed near each other
as shown in the figure.

Which of the following diagrams best depicts the forces acting on

the charges:
a
b
c
 Checkpoint
Consider the two cases shown below. In
both cases a central charge q has two
charges of equal magnitude at equal
distances above and below it. In Case 1
the signs of the two outer charges is
opposite, and in Case 2 they are both
positive. You are not told the sign of the
charge in the center q.

In which Case is the magnitude of the net

force on the center charge bigger?
a. Case 1
b. Case 2
c. They are the same
d. The answer depends on the sign of the
charge in the center q
 Example
A point charge q1 = -2.2 μC is located at the origin of a co-ordinate
system. Another point charge q2 = 6.5 μC is located along the x-axis at a
distance x2 = 6.4 cm from q1.

1. What is F12,x, the value of the x-component of the force that q1 exerts on q2?
F12

q1 q2 2.2 ´10 -6 ´ 6.5 ´10 -6

F12 = ke 2 = 8.99 ´10 ´
9
= 31.39 [ N ]
r ( 0.064 ) 2

Þ F12 x = -31.39 [ N ]
2. Charge q2 is now displaced a distance y2 =
2.6 cm in the positive y-direction. What is the
new value for the x-component of the force
that q1 exerts on q2?

= 6.908 [ cm ]
F12 1/2
r12 = éë 6.4 2 + 2.6 2 ùû

q1 q2 2.2 ´10 -6 ´ 6.5 ´10 -6

F12 = ke 2 = 8.99 ´10 ´
9
= 26.94 [ N ]
r ( 0.06908 )2

® F12 x = -24.96 [ N ]
3. A third point charge q3 is now positioned
halfway between q1 and q2. The net force on
q2 now has a magnitude of F2,net= 8.99 N and
points away from q1 and q3. What is the value
(sign and magnitude) of the charge q3?

F2net = -F12 + F32

Þ 8.99 = -26.94 + F32 Þ F32 = 35.93

q3 q2
F32 = ke 2
r32

-6
6.5 ´10 q3
35.93 = 8.99 ´10 9 2
Þ q3 = 0.734 [ mC ]
0.03454
 Checkpoint
A positive charge Q is placed at the origin. Four other positive charges are
placed on a circle in the x-y plane centered on Q as shown. The top charge
is located on the y axis and has a magnitude of 3q. The three bottom
charges are symmetric about the y axis as shown and each has magnitude
q.

Which of the following

statements best describes FX,
the x component of the net
force on the charge at the
origin
a. FX > 0
b. FX = 0
c. FX < 0
 Example
Three charges (q1 = 7.7 μC, q2 = -4.5 μC, and
q3 = 1.3μC) are located at the vertices of an
equilateral triangle with side d = 6.4 cm as
shown.
1. What is F3,x, the value of the x-component of
the net force on q3?

7.7 ´10 -6 ´1.3 ´10 -6

F13 = 8.99 ´10 9
= 21.97
0.064 2

F13x = F13 cos ( 60 ) = 21.97 cos ( 60 ) = 10.98

4.5 ´10 -6 ´ 1.3 ´ 10 -6

F23 = 8.99 ´ 10 9
= 12.84
0.064 2
F23x = 12.84 cos ( 60 ) = 6.42

F3x = 10.98 + 6.42 = 17.4 [ N ]

2. What is F3,y, the value of the y-component of
the net force on q3?

F13y = F13 sin ( 60 ) = 21.97sin ( 60 ) = 19.03

F23y = 12.84 sin ( 60 ) = 11.12 ® -11.12

F3y = 19.03 -11.12 = 7.91[ N ]

A charge q4 = 1.3 μC is now added as shown.

3. What is F2,x, the x-component of the new

net force on q2?

F32 x = -F23x = -6.42

F42 x = F32 x = -6.42

7.7 ´10 -6 ´ 4.5 ´10 -6

F12 = 8.99 ´10 9
2
= 76.05
0.064
F12 x = -76.05
F2 x = F12 x + F32 x + F42 x
= -76.05 - 6.42 - 6.42 = -88.89 [ N ]