Objectives:

• Calculate electric force using Coulomb’s Law.

• Compare electric force with gravitational force.

• Apply the superposition principle to find the resultant

force on a charge and to find the position at which the
net charge is zero.
 Coulomb’s Law: Electric Force

F = k(q q )
e 1 2
2
r
9 2
k = Coulomb constant = 8.99x10 Nm or
C2
q1 = charge of charge 1 (C)
q2 = charge of charge 2 (C)
r = distance between charge 1 & charge 2 (m)
 Comparison of forces

Gravitational (Fg) Electric (Fe)

Fg = G m1m2 Fe = k q1q2
r2 r2
G = gravitational constant = 6.67x10-11 Nm2/kg2
k = Coulomb’s constant = 8.99x109 Nm2/C2
 Practice Problem
1. Two charges 5 C and 15 C are
separated by 10 cm. What is the
electric force between them?
2. In fission, a nucleus of uranium-238,
which contains 92 protons, divides into
smaller spheres, each having 46
protons and a radius of 5.9x10-15 m.
What is the magnitude of the electric
force pushing the two spheres apart?
 Practice Problem
3. Figure shows three
point charges that
lie in the x-y plane in
a vacuum. Find the
magnitude and
direction of the net
electrostatic force
on q1.
 Practice Problem
4. In Bohr’s model of the hydrogen atom,
the electron is in a circular orbit about the
nuclear proton at a radius of 5.29x10-11
m. Determine the speed of the electron.