Relationship between electric forces

In summary, the force between two charges calculated by Coulomb's law and the force applied by a field on a charge are equivalent. This is because the force acting on a charge is related to the electric field, which is defined using Coulomb's law. This definition of the electric field is crucial for understanding electrostatics and Maxwell's electromagnetic theory.
  • #1
malco97
9
0
I am wondering if there is some way for the force between two charges (calculated by Coloumb's law) and the force applied by a field on a charge.

Thanks in advance
 
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  • #2
malco97 said:
I am wondering if there is some way for the force between two charges (calculated by Coloumb's law) and the force applied by a field on a charge.

Thanks in advance
Could you rephrase your question?
 
  • #3
Sorry,

What I am trying to do is find out how the electric potential of a radial field equation is derived. I have found a derivation by using Coulomb's Law and the equations for electric force, work etc however I do not understand the equation completely. This is because I do not know if the force between two charges (Coulomb's Law) and the force exerted on a charge by a field can be compared.

Thanks.
 
  • #4
They are equivalent. The force acting on a charge is related to the electric field by [itex]\vec F = q \vec E[/itex]. In fact, that's how electric fields were defined.
 
  • #5
Take Coulombs's law, separate a q, call the rest an electric field E defined by [tex]E = \frac{kQ}{r^2}[/tex].

That's pretty much all there is to it. Once E is defined in this way, it paves the way for all of electrostatics. The same E then contributes to describe Maxwell's electromagnetic theory in its entirety.
 
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Related to Relationship between electric forces

1. What is the relationship between electric forces and electric charges?

The relationship between electric forces and electric charges is that electric charges exert forces on each other. These forces can be attractive or repulsive depending on the type of charge. Like charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract each other.

2. How do electric forces affect the motion of charged particles?

Electric forces can accelerate charged particles and change their direction of motion. This is because the charged particles experience a force in the presence of an electric field. The direction of the force depends on the direction of the electric field and the charge of the particle.

3. What is the difference between electric forces and gravitational forces?

The main difference between electric forces and gravitational forces is that electric forces act between charged particles, while gravitational forces act between any two objects with mass. Additionally, electric forces can be either attractive or repulsive, while gravitational forces are always attractive.

4. How does the distance between charged particles affect the strength of electric forces?

The strength of electric forces decreases as the distance between charged particles increases. This is because the electric force between two charged particles is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. As the distance increases, the force decreases exponentially.

5. Can electric forces act through a vacuum?

Yes, electric forces can act through a vacuum. This is because electric forces are a type of non-contact force, meaning they do not require direct contact to act between two objects. As long as there is a charged particle, an electric force can act on it even if there is empty space between the particles.

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