The Coulomb law, named after French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, states that the electrical force between two charged objects is proportional to their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The correct spelling of "Coulomb law" is /kuːˈlɒm ˌlɔː/ in IPA phonetic transcription. It is pronounced "koo-luhm law" in English. This law is one of the fundamental laws of physics and has widespread applications in various fields, including electromagnetism, electronics, and chemistry.
Coulomb's law, also known as Coulomb's inverse square law, is a fundamental law in physics that describes the electrostatic interaction between two charged particles. It states that the force between two charged objects is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This law was first formulated by French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb in the late 18th century.
In mathematical terms, Coulomb's law can be expressed as F = k(q₁q₂/r²), where F is the electrostatic force between the charges q₁ and q₂, r is the distance between the charges, and k is Coulomb's constant. Coulomb's constant is a proportionality factor that depends on the medium in which the charges are present.
The law implies that like charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract. It also reveals that the magnitude of the electrostatic force is directly proportional to the product of the charges involved. Hence, doubling the charges will result in a force that is four times greater, whereas tripling the charges will produce a force nine times greater.
Coulomb's law is crucial in understanding the behavior of electrical phenomena and is widely utilized in various fields of physics, such as electrostatics, electromagnetism, and electrical engineering. It serves as a foundation for understanding the principles behind phenomena like the behavior of electric charges, the operation of electronic devices, and the design of electrical systems.
The term "Coulomb's law" is named after Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, a French physicist who formulated the law in the late 18th century. Charles-Augustin de Coulomb conducted extensive experiments on the electrostatic force of attraction and repulsion between charged particles. His findings were summarized in what is now known as Coulomb's law, which states that the force between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.