What does Coulomb's Law state about electric force?

Prepare for the SACE Stage 2 Physics Exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations. Get ready with precision!

Coulomb's Law describes the behavior of the electric force between two point charges. Specifically, it states that the magnitude of the electric force ( F ) between two charges ( q_1 ) and ( q_2 ) is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance ( r ) between their centers. This relationship can be mathematically expressed as:

[

F = k \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2}

]

where ( k ) is Coulomb's constant.

The direct proportionality to the product of the charges reflects how stronger charges produce a stronger interaction, whereas the inverse square relationship means that as the distance increases, the force sharply decreases. Therefore, understanding that the force gets weaker with increased separation and stronger with increased charge enhances the understanding of how electric forces work, making the given answer accurate and consistent with Coulomb's Law.

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