COULOMB’S LAW

Coulomb’s Law – Gives the electric force

between two point charges.
q1q2
F k 2 Inverse Square

r Law

k = Coulomb’s Constant = 9.0x109 Nm2/C2

q1 = charge on mass 1
q2 = charge on mass 2
r = the distance between the two charges

The electric force is much stronger than the

gravitational force.
Example 1
Two charges are separated by a distance r and have a force
F on each other. qq
F k 1 2
2
r
F q2 F
q1
r

If r is doubled then F is : ¼ of F

If q1 is doubled then F is : 2F

If q1 and q2 are doubled and r is halved then F is : 16F

Example 2
Two 40 gram masses each with a charge of 3μC are
placed 50cm apart. Compare the gravitational force
between the two masses to the electric force between the
two masses. (Ignore the force of the earth on the two
masses)

3μC 3μC
40g 40g

50cm
 m1m2
Fg  G 2
r
(.04)(.04) 13
 6.67 10 11
2
 4.27 10 N
(0.5)

q1q2
FE  k 2
r
6 6
(3  10 )(3  10 )
 9.0 10 9
 0.324 N
(0.5) 2
The electric force is much greater than the
gravitational force
Example 3

Three charged objects are placed as shown. Find the net

force on the object with the charge of -4μC.
q1q2
F k
- 5μC r2
45º
(5 106 )(4 106 )
F1  9 10 9
 4.5N
202  202  28cm (0.20) 2
20cm

(5 106 )(4 106 )

F2  9 109
2
 2.30 N
F1 45º (0.28)
5μC - 4μC
20cm F2

F1 and F2 must be added together as vectors.

 F1 2.3cos45≈1.6 - 2.9
45º θ
29º
2.3sin45≈1.6 - 1.6
F2 3.31

F1 = < - 4.5 , 0.0 > Fnet  2.9 2  1.6 2  3.31N

+ F2 = < 1.6 , - 1.6 >   1.6 
  tan  1
  29 

Fnet = < - 2.9 , - 1.6 >   2.9 

3.31N at 209º
Example 4 (Balloon Lab)
Two 8 gram, equally charged balls are suspended on earth
as shown in the diagram below. Find the charge on each
ball.

20º
10º 10º
L = 30cm L = 30cm

FE 30sin10º FE
q q
r
r =2(30sin10º)=10.4cm

2
q1q2 q
FE  k 2  k 2
r r
Draw a force diagram for one charge and treat as an
equilibrium problem.
T sin 80  .08


.08
T 
 .081N
T sin 80
Tsin80º
FE 80º
q
Tcos80º FE  T cos 80
Fg = .08N q2
k  (. 081) cos 80 

.104 2
.014
q 
2
(.104) 2
k
q  1.3 10 7 C