Online electrostatic force simulations allow us to visualize how this important force of nature is generated and to calculate its value by applying Coulomb’s Law.
Electrostatic force is a fundamental force in nature that arises from the interaction between electric charges. It is a force of an electrical nature that acts at a distance and can be attractive or repulsive, depending on the properties of the charges involved.
Electrostatic force is governed by Coulomb’s Law, formulated by the French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb. According to this law, the magnitude of the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their charge magnitudes and inversely proportional to the square of the distance separating them. Mathematically, it is expressed as:
Electrostatic force = (k x q₁ x q₂) / r².
Where:
Electrostatic force is the magnitude of the force between charges.
k is the Coulomb constant, which depends on the medium in which the charges are located and has a value of approximately 9 × 10^9 N-m²/C² in vacuum.
q₁ and q₂ are the magnitudes of the charges involved.
r is the distance between the charges.
The electrostatic force is fundamental to many aspects of physics and has numerous applications in everyday life and technology. For example, it is responsible for the interaction between electrons and nuclei in atoms, maintaining the stability of matter. It also determines the structure and properties of chemical compounds.
In the field of electricity and electronics, electrostatic force is essential for the operation of electrical devices, such as capacitors, which store energy in the form of charges separated by a potential difference. It is also the force behind electrostatic phenomena, such as the attraction of charged objects by rubbing or the repulsion between electrically charged balloons.
Electrostatic force is also applied in technologies such as electrodynamics, electricity generation and distribution, and touch screen technology. In addition, it has implications in fields such as astrophysics, where electrostatic interactions are studied in the behavior of stars and galaxies.
Explore the exciting STEM world with our free, online simulations and accompanying companion courses! With them you'll be able to experience and learn hands-on. Take this opportunity to immerse yourself in virtual experiences while advancing your education - awaken your scientific curiosity and discover all that the STEM world has to offer!
- Force
- Coulomb I
- Coulomb II
Coulomb’s Law II
Visualize the electrostatic force that two charges exert on each other. Notice how changing the sign and magnitude of the charges and the distance between them affects the electrostatic force.
File
Physics courses
![free AP® physics 1 essentials course free AP® physics 1 essentials course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/73d9af3d-6f6d-4aeb-ba96-bc8dac9a9a00-20e10c23a15a.small.jpg)
![RICE RICE](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/RICE-1.webp)
AP® Physics 1
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free AP® physics exam preparation course free AP® physics exam preparation course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/33bd63e4-61be-48b6-b334-1d5a57461088-70fda4d387d0.small.jpg)
![RICE RICE](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/RICE-1.webp)
AP® Physics 1 – Part 4: Exam Prep
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free rotational motion course free rotational motion course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/39a1338e-8036-4249-8973-54a26c7950e4-cc641909ba76.small.jpg)
![RICE RICE](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/RICE-1.webp)
AP® Physics 1 – Part 2: Rotational Motion
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free electrical circuits course free electrical circuits course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/04318dba-8392-47ae-912c-5aa9846e074c-04831b1498ec.small.png)
![NUS NUS](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/NUS.webp)
Circuits for Beginners
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free electric systems modeling course free electric systems modeling course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/27b8385a-520e-429c-96a1-1a4060b2390f-fba14444961e.small.jpeg)
![MIT MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MIT.webp)
Principles of Modeling, Simulations, and Control for Electric Energy Systems
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free electric circuits course free electric circuits course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/06fd4a4d-2fc7-4fd8-a987-0d180c3015ac-d984c436cb90.small.jpg)
![TSI TSI](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TSI.webp)
Principles of Electric Circuits | 电路原理
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free introductory electrotechnique course free introductory electrotechnique course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/621a5698-dfed-4d32-b216-bb196f8bfe33-c0ee6dab1cee.small.jpg)
![EPF EPF](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EPF.webp)
Electrotechnique I
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free EMC course free EMC course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/14e2d0d2-94e2-49e2-abee-319cd1bf6490-39b93abd6789.small.png)
![TUG TUG](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TUG.webp)
Electromagnetic Compatibility Essentials
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
Other courses
![free online probability foundations course free online probability foundations course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/97f16f83-5e8a-496c-9086-5634c8edccbb-95970686ef9b.small.jpg)
![HAR Harvard University](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HAR.webp)
Fat Chance: Probability from the Ground Up
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free electrical circuits course free electrical circuits course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/04318dba-8392-47ae-912c-5aa9846e074c-04831b1498ec.small.png)
![NUS NUS](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/NUS.webp)
Circuits for Beginners
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free sustainable energy course free sustainable energy course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/3ee3be46-26a9-4594-bd90-1a91386c534a-ccf0b9afbb2c.small.jpg)
![HAR Harvard University](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HAR.webp)
Energy Within Environmental Constraints
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free engineering calculus course free engineering calculus course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/ef5dcb87-b65b-46a6-bb2a-c5a3f7807845-3fe3fc846683.small.jpg)
![UHK UHK](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/UHK.webp)
Engineering Calculus and Differential Equations
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free fiber optic course free fiber optic course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/0eec57b5-71b0-43ea-89b0-8c3661c5bdd9-626d4b9d827c.small.png)
![PUR PUR](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PUR.webp)
Fiber Optic Communications
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free chemical thermodynamics course free chemical thermodynamics course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/5b57b66b-1ea5-467a-a643-b93ad2f0f34c-33ead18774b5.small.jpeg)
![MIT MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MIT.webp)
Chemical Thermodynamics I: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
![free introductory hydroclimate course free introductory hydroclimate course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/8d384724-c109-45d4-9a92-7920d3f74ef5-4e859aa4bd33.small.jpg)
![TUD TUD](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/TUD-1.webp)
Introduction to Water and Climate
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)
![free advanced chemical thermodynamics course free advanced chemical thermodynamics course](https://prod-discovery.edx-cdn.org/media/course/image/ff4f8b7a-d7f2-452f-bc85-ce65ff097908-fc94d2321eb1.small.png)
![MIT MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MIT.webp)
Chemical Thermodynamics II: Equilibrium and Kinetics
![](https://stemonline.tech/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EdX_logo.png)