Coulombs Law | Explanation Statement Formulas Principle

Limitation of Coulombs Law

It was first observed in 600 BC by Greek philosopher Thales of
Miletus, if two bodies are charged with static electricity, they will
either repulse or attract each other depending upon the nature of
their charge. This was just an observation but he did not establish
any mathematical relation for measuring the attraction or repulsion
force between charged bodies. After many centuries, in 1785,
Charles Augustin de Coulomb who is a French physicist, published
the actual mathematical relation between two electrically charged
bodies and derived an equation for repulsion or attraction force
between them. This fundamental relation is most popularly known
as Coulomb's law.
Statement of Coulombs Law

First Law
Like charge particles repel each other and unlike charge particles
attract each other.

Second Law
The force of attraction or repulsion between two electrically charged
particles is directly proportional to the magnitude of their charges
and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between
them.
Formulas of Coulombs Law

According to the Coulombs second law,

Where,
1.
F is the repulsion or attraction force between two charged bodies.
2.
3.
4.

Q1 and Q2 are the electrical charged of the bodies.

d is distance between the two charged particles.
k is a constant that depends on the medium in which charged bodies are
presented. In S.I. system, as well as M.K.S.A. system k=1/4. Hence, the above
equation becomes.

The value of 0 = 8.854 X 10-12 C2/Nm2.

Hence, Coulombs law can be written for medium as,

Then, in air or vacuum r = 1. Hence, Coulombs law can be written

for air medium as,

The value of r would change depends on the medium. The

expression for relative permittivity r is as follows;

Principle of Coulombs Law

Suppose if we have two charged bodies one is positively charged and one is
negatively charged, then they will attract each other if they are kept at a certain
distance from each other. Now if we increase the charge of one body keeping other
unchanged, the attraction force is obviously increased. Similarly if we increase the
charge of second body keeping first one unchanged, the attraction force between them
is again increased. Hence, force between the charge bodies is proportional to the
charge of either bodies or both.

Now, by keeping their charge fixed at Q1 and Q2 if you bring them

nearer to each other the force between them increases and if you
take them away from each other the force acting between them
decreases. If the distance between the two charge bodies is d, it can
be proved that the force acting on them is inversely proportional to
d2.

This development of force is not same for all mediums. As we discussed in the above
formulas, r would change for various medium. So, depends on the medium, creation
of force can be varied.
Limitation of Coulombs Law

1.

Coulombs law is valid, if the average number of solvent

molecules between the two interesting charge particles should
be large.

2.
3.

Coulombs law is valid, if the point charges are at rest.

It is difficult to apply the Coulombs law when the charges
are in arbitrary shape. Hence, we cannot determine the value of
distanced between the charges when they are in arbitrary
shape.