Law of Electrical Force

Charles-Augustin Coulomb
(1785)
" The repulsive force between two small spheres
charged with the same sort of electricity is in the
inverse ratio of the squares of the distances
between the centers of the spheres"

q1 q2 q1q2
F 2
r r
 What We Call
The force from
Coulomb's Law 1 acting on 2
q1 q2
 1 q1q2
r12 F12  rˆ12
4 0 r12
2

MKS Units:
• r in meters
• q in Coulombs
 1 = 9 · 109 N-m2/C2
40

• F in Newtons We call this group of constants “k”
as in:  qq
• r̂12 is a unit vector F  k 1 22
r
pointing from 1 to 2
• This force has same spatial dependence as the gravitational force,
BUT there is NO mention of mass here!!
• The strength of the force between two objects is determined by the
charge of the two objects, and the separation between them.
 Coulomb Law Qualitative
q1 q2

• What happens if q1 increases?

F (magnitude) increases

•What happens if q1 changes sign ( + - )?


The direction of F is reversed

• What happens if r increases?

F (magnitude) decreases
1
• A charged ball Q1 is fixed to a horizontal Q2
surface as shown. When another massive Q2
charged ball Q2 is brought near, it achieves
an equilibrium position at a distance d12 d12 d23
directly above Q1. g
• When Q1 is replaced by a different charged Q1 Q3
ball Q3, Q2 achieves an equilibrium position
at distance d23 (< d12) directly above Q3.

1a: A) The charge of Q3 has the same sign of the charge of Q1

B) The charge of Q3 has the opposite sign as the charge of Q1
C) Cannot determine the relative signs of the charges of Q3 & Q1

1b: A) The magnitude of charge Q3 < the magnitude of charge Q1

B) The magnitude of charge Q3 > the magnitude of charge Q1
C) Cannot determine relative magnitudes of charges of Q3 & Q1
• A charged ball Q1 is fixed to a horizontal Q2
surface as shown. When another massive
charged ball Q2 is brought near, it achieves Q2
an equilibrium position at a distance d12 d12
directly above Q1. d23
g
• When Q1 is replaced by a different charged Q1
ball Q3, Q2 achieves an equilibrium position Q3
at distance d23 (< d12) directly above Q3.
1a: A) The charge of Q3 has the same sign of the charge of Q1
B) The charge of Q3 has the opposite sign as the charge of Q1
C) Cannot determine the relative signs of the charges of Q3 & Q1

• To be in equilibrium, the total force on Q2 must be zero.

• The only other known (from 111) force acting on Q2 is its weight.
• Therefore, in both cases, the electrical force on Q2 must be directed
upward to cancel its weight.
• Therefore, the sign of Q3 must be the SAME as the sign of Q1
• A charged ball Q1 is fixed to a horizontal Q2
surface as shown. When another massive
charged ball Q2 is brought near, it achieves Q2
an equilibrium position at a distance d12 d12
directly above Q1. d23
g
• When Q1 is replaced by a different charged Q1 Q3
ball Q3, Q2 achieves an equilibrium position
at distance d23 (< d12) directly above Q3.

1b: A) The magnitude of charge Q3 < the magnitude of charge Q1

B) The magnitude of charge Q3 > the magnitude of charge Q1
C) Cannot determine relative magnitudes of charges of Q3 & Q1

• The electrical force on Q2 must be the same in both cases … it just

cancels the weight of Q2 .

• Since d23 < d12 , the charge of Q3 must be SMALLER than the charge
of Q1 so that the total electrical force can be the same!!
 Gravitational vs. Electrical Force

q1 F F q2
m1 m2
r
1 q1 q2


Felec = 1
40 r 2 Felec q1q2 4 0
m1m2 Fgrav =
m1 m2 G
Fgrav =G
r2

For an electron:
* |q| = 1.6  10-19 C
m = 9.1  10-31 kg  Felec 
Fgrav
4.17  10
+ 42

* smallest charge seen in nature!

 Notation For Vectors
  and Scalars
ˆ rˆ
Vector quantities are written like this : F, E, x,
To completely specify a vector, the magnitude (length) and
direction must be known.

For example, the following equation shows F specified in
terms of r̂, q1, q2, and r :  q1q2
F  k 2 rˆ
r
  q1q2
The magnitude of F is F  F  k 2 ; this is a scalar quantity
r

The vector F can be broken down into x, y, and z components:

F  Fx xˆ + Fy yˆ + Fz zˆ
Where Fx, Fy, and Fz (the x, y, and z components of F ) are scalars.

A unit vector is denoted by the caret “^”. It indicates only a direction

and has no units. r
rˆ 
r
 Vectors: an Example
q1 and q2 are point charges, y (cm)
 q2 = +3 mC. q1 is
q1 = +2mC and
located at r1  (2cm,1cm
 ) and 3
r
q2
q2 is located at r2  (4cm,3cm) 2
1 q1

Find F12 (the magnitude of the 1 2 3 4 x (cm)

force of q1 on q2).

q1q2
To do this, use Coulomb’s Law: F12  k 2
r
 
where r  r1  r2  ( x1  x2 ) 2 + ( y1  y2 ) 2

Now, plug in the numbers.

r  8 cm  2.828 cm F12 = 67.52 N

 Vectors: an Example continued
y (cm)
Now, find Fx and Fy, the x 3 q2
and y components of the r
force of q1 on q2. 2
q
1 q1

1 2 3 4 x (cm)

Symbolically Now plug in the numbers

x x 2
Fx  F12 cosq cosq  2 1 cosq   .7071 Fx = 47.74 N
r 2

y2  y1 2
Fy  F12 sin q sin q  sin q   .7071 Fy = 47.74 N
r 2
 What happens when you
consider more than two charges?
• If q1 were the only other charge, we
would know the force on q due to q1 .  +q1
F1
• If q2 were the only other charge, we
would know the force on q due to q2 . 
q F
• What is the force on q when both q1 and q2 are
present?? 
F 2 +q2
– The answer: just as in mechanics, we have the
Law of Superposition:
• The TOTAL FORCE on the object is just
the VECTOR SUM of the individual
forces.

   2
F = F1 + F2
• Two balls, one with charge Q1 = +Q and the +Q +2Q
Q1 Q2
other with charge Q2 = +2Q, are held fixed at a
3R
separation d = 3R as shown.

• Another ball with (non-zero) charge Q3 is +Q +2Q

introduced in between Q1 and Q2 at a Q1 Q3 Q2
distance = R from Q1.
R 2R
• Which of the following statements is
true?
(a) The force on Q3 can be zero if Q3 is positive.
(b) The force on Q3 can be zero if Q3 is negative.
(c) The force on Q3 can never be zero, no matter what
the (non-zero!) charge Q3 is.
• Two balls, one with charge Q1 = +Q and the other +Q
with charge Q2 = +2Q, are held fixed at a separation Q1 Q2
d = 3R as shown. 3R
• Another ball with (non-zero) charge Q3 is
introduced in between Q1 and Q2 at a distance = R
from Q1. +Q
– Which of the following statements is true? Q1 Q3 Q2
R 2R
(a) The force on Q3 can be zero if Q3 is positive.
(b) The force on Q3 can be zero if Q3 is negative.
(c) The force on Q3 can never be zero, no matter what the
(non-zero) charge Q3 is.

The magnitude of the force on Q3 due to Q2 is proportional to (2Q Q3 /(2R)2)

The magnitude of the force on Q3 due to Q1 is proportional to (Q Q3 /R2)
These forces can never cancel, because the force Q2 exerts on Q3 will
always be 1/2 of the force Q1 exerts on Q3!!
 Another Example
y (cm)
qo, q1, and q2 are all point charges 4
where qo = -1mC, q1 = 3mC, and 3 qo
q2 = 4mC. Their locations are 2
shown in the diagram.
1
 q1 q q2
What is the force acting on qo ( F0 ) ?
1 2 3 4 5 x (cm)

We have F0  F10 + F20 What are F0x and F0y ?

  
Find F10 and F20 Decompose F20 into its x and y
components

qq q0 q 2 F20  F20 cosqxˆ  F20 sin qyˆ
F10  k 0 2 1 F20  k
r10 r202
x2  x0 y0  y 2
  cosq  sin q 
r20 r20
F10   F10 yˆ F20   F20 rˆ20
 Another Example continued
y (cm)
4
qo, q1, and q2 are all point charges
3 qo 
where qo = -1mC, q1 = 3mC, and  F20
2 F10
q2 = 4mC. Their locations are 
F0
shown in the diagram. 1
q1 q2
1 2 3 4 5 x (cm)

 
Now add the components of F10 and F20
to find F0 x and F0 y

F0 x  F10 x + F20 x F0 y  F10 y + F20 y

F0 x  F20 cosq F0 y   F10  F20 si n q

 Another Example continued
y (cm)
qo, q1, and q2 are all point charges 4
where qo = -1mC, q1 = 3mC, and 3 qo 
 F20
q2 = 4mC. Their locations are 2 F10 
shown in the diagram. 1 F0
q1 q2
1 2 3 4 5 x (cm)
Let’s put in the numbers . . .

cosq  0.8 F0 x  11.52 N F0 y  38.64 N


r10  3cm r20  5cm The magnitude of F0 is

F10  30 N F20  14.4 N F0  F02x + F02y  40.32 N

 Electric field, introduction
One problem with the above simple description
of forces is that it doesn’t describe the finite
propagation speed of electrical effects.
In order to explain this, we must introduce the
concept of the electric field.

What is a Field?
A FIELD is something that can be defined anywhere in space
•A field represents some physical quantity
(e.g., temperature, wind speed, force)
•It can be a scalar field (e.g., Temperature field)
•It can be a vector field (e.g., Electric field)
•It can be a “tensor” field (e.g., Space-time curvature)
 A Scalar Field
77 73 72
75
82 71
84 77
80 68 64 73
83 82 88 55
66 80 88
88 75
92 83 90 91

These isolated temperatures sample the scalar field

(you only learn the temperature at the point you choose,
but T is defined everywhere (x, y)
 A Vector Field
It Itmay
maybe
bemore
moreinteresting
interesting to
to know
know which
which way
way the
thewind
windisisblowing...
blowing…

77 73 72
75
82 71
84 77
80 68 64
83 57 56 55 73
66 88
75 80
88
83 90
92 91

That would require a vector field

(you learn both wind speed and direction)
 Summary
• Charges come in two varieties
– negative and positive
– in a conductor, negative charge means extra mobile
electrons, and positive charge means a deficit of mobile
electrons
 1 q1q2
• Coulomb Force F12  rˆ12
– bi-linear in charges 4 o r12
2

– inversely proportional to square of separation

– central force

• Law of Superposition   
F = F1 + F2

• Fields
 Appendix A: Electric Force Example
• Suppose your friend can push their arms apart with a
force of 100 lbs. How much charge can they hold
outstretched?
2m
F= 100 lbs = 450 N
kQ 2
F 2
r +Q -Q
F 450 N
Qr  2m 
k 9 109 Nm 2 / C 2
= 4.47•10-4 C

1e
4.47 10-4C  19
 2.8  1015
e
1.6 10 C
31
9.1  10 kg
2.8 1015 e 
e
 2.54 1015 kg
That’s smaller than one cell in your body!
Appendix B: Outline of physics 212

• Coulomb’s Law gives force acting on charge Q1

due to another charge, Q2.  1 QQ
F12  1 2
rˆ12
4 o r2
12

– superposition of forces from many charges

 1 Qn
Ftotal  Q1  rˆ1n
n 4 o r1n
2

– Electric field is a function defined throughout space

 
Ftotal  Q1 Etotal
– here, Electric field is a shortcut to Force
r̂12
– later, Electric field takes on a life of it’s own! Q2

Q1
r̂13 Q3