Coulomb's Charge Calculator

Coulomb's Law Equation:

\[ Q = \frac{F \cdot r^2}{k \cdot q} \]

Calculated Charge (Q):

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1. What is Coulomb's Law?

Coulomb's Law describes the electrostatic interaction between electrically charged particles. It states that the magnitude of the electrostatic force of attraction or repulsion between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law equation:

\[ Q = \frac{F \cdot r^2}{k \cdot q} \]

Where:

\( Q \) — Calculated charge (Coulombs)
\( F \) — Force between charges (Newtons)
\( r \) — Distance between charges (meters)
\( k \) — Coulomb's constant (9 × 10⁹ N·m²/C²)
\( q \) — Test charge (Coulombs)

Explanation: This equation calculates the unknown charge based on the measured force between two charges, the distance between them, and the known test charge.

3. Importance of Charge Calculation

Details: Calculating electric charge is fundamental in electromagnetism and has applications in various fields including electronics, particle physics, and electrical engineering. It helps in understanding electrostatic interactions and designing electrical systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter force in Newtons, distance in meters, and test charge in Coulombs. All values must be positive numbers greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Coulomb's constant?
A: Coulomb's constant (k) is approximately 9 × 10⁹ N·m²/C² and represents the proportionality constant in Coulomb's law.

Q2: What are typical charge values?
A: Elementary charge is about 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C. Most macroscopic charges are multiples of this fundamental unit.

Q3: How does distance affect the force?
A: The electrostatic force decreases with the square of the distance between charges (inverse square law).

Q4: What is the difference between this and the standard Coulomb's law?
A: This is a rearranged form of Coulomb's law to solve for an unknown charge rather than the force between charges.

Q5: Can this calculator be used for point charges only?
A: Yes, the equation is specifically derived for point charges. For distributed charges, more complex calculations are needed.