Experiment 6: Coulomb’s Law

INTRODUCTION

The phenomenon we recognize as “static electricity” has been known since ancient times.
It was later found that there is a physical quantity known as electric charge that can be transferred
from one object to another. Charged objects can exert forces on other charged objects and also
on uncharged objects. How charged objects interact with each other is governed by Coulomb’s
law.
In this experiment, the magnitude of the force between small charged objects are
measured. The force between them will be measured in two ways, (Part A) varying the distance
between them, and (Part B) varying the charge of object B.

OBJECTIVES

After performing this experiment, you should be able to determine the relationship between the
magnitude electric force and

a) Distance between two charged objects, and

b) Product of the charges.

EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS NEEDED

• http://ophysics.com/f4.html

THEORY

Coulomb’s Law states that the magnitude of the electric force |𝑭 ⃗ | between two point
charges is (a) directly proportional to the magnitude of the product the two charges, 𝑄1 and 𝑄2 ,
and (b) inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. In mathematical terms

⃗ | = 𝑘 |𝑄1𝑄2 2|
|𝑭 Eq. (1)
𝑅

𝑁.𝑚2
where k is a constant of proportionality, called Coulomb’s constant, k = 8.99 x 109 .
𝐶2

The absolute value bars are used because the charges, 𝑄1 and 𝑄2 , can either be positive
or negative, while the magnitude of the force is always positive. The directions of the forces the
two charges exert on each other are always along the line joining them. When the charges have
the same sign, both positive or both negative, the forces are attractive. When signs are different,
one positive and the other negative, the forces are repulsive. The force each charge experience
obey Newton’s third Law of Motion. They are always equal in magnitude and opposite in direction
even when the charges are not equal in magnitude.

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PROCEDURE

Part A. Electric Force F versus Distance

In this part of the experiment, you will keep the charge objects A (red) and B (blue)
constant and measure the force by varying the distance of the charged objects.

1. Open the internet browser and go to https://ophysics.com/k8.html.

2. Set the following initial

conditions:

Charge on object A: 𝑞1 = 10𝑥10−4 𝐶

Charge on object B: 𝑞2 = −10𝑥10−4 𝐶

Distance between objects: 𝑟 =10 m

3. Record the magnitude of the electrical force 𝐹 in Table 1.

4. Now, change the distance to 9 m by dragging object A one cell (1 m) closer toward object
B. Record the value of the force. Repeat this step for other distances (8 m, 7 m, 6 m, 5 m,
and 4 m).

5. Calculate the product |𝑞1 𝑞2 |, the square of distance, 𝑟 2 and the reciprocal of the square of
1
distance 𝑟2 .

1
6. Graph A: Plot 𝐹 against 𝑟2
. Determine the slope of the graph.

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Part B. Electric Force F versus Charges

In this part of the experiment, you will keep the distance constant and measure the force
of varying product of charges.

7. Set the following initial conditions:

Charge on object A: 𝑞1 = 10𝑥10−4 𝐶

Charge on object B: 𝑞2 = −10𝑥10−4 𝐶

Distance between objects: r = 10 m

8. Record the magnitude of the electrical force 𝐹 in Table 2.

9. Now, change the quantity of charge in object A to 9𝑥10−4 𝐶 by using the Charge on object
A slider. Record the magnitude of the force 𝐹 in Table 2. Repeat this step using the other
charges on object A (8𝑥10−4 𝐶 , 7𝑥10−4 𝐶, 6𝑥10−4 𝐶, 5𝑥10−4 𝐶 and 4𝑥10−4 𝐶).

10. Calculate the product |𝑞1 𝑞2 | for each entry in Table 2.

11. Graph B: Plot 𝐹 against |𝑞1 𝑞2 | . Determine the slope of the graph.

References

Gregg Wolfe et. al., https://openstax.org/details/books/college-physics-ap-courses

Coulomb’s Law – Vernier from https://www.vernier.com/experiment/pep-18_coulombs-law/

Static Charge and Coulomb’s Law from http://people.physics.tamu.edu/mcintyre/

courses/phys208H/labs/Lab_1.pdf

Tom Walsh, https://ophysics.com/

University Physics by Young and Freedman 14th Ed

Wilson, J. (1994). Physics Laboratory Experiments. MA: D.C. Heath and Company.

Young and Freedman (2020). University Physics with Modern Physics 15th ed.

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Name___________________________ Date Performed____________________
Subject__________________________ Schedule__________________________

Experiment 6. Coulomb’s Law

Table 1. Relationship Between Electric Force and Distance Between Two Charged
Objects

Charge on Object A: 𝑞1 =_____________𝐶

Charge on Object B: 𝑞2 =_____________𝐶
Product of 𝑞1 and 𝑞2 : |𝑞1 𝑞2 | = ____________ 𝐶 2

Force, 𝑭 Distance Square of Reciprocal of

between Objects distance, 𝒓𝟐 square of
A and B, 𝒓 𝟏
distance, 𝒓𝟐
𝟏
𝑵 𝒎 𝒎𝟐
𝒎𝟐

Graph A here:

𝟏
1. What relationship exists between 𝐹 and in Graph A?
𝒓𝟐

2. What is the slope of the graph? What is the significance of the slope?

3. Calculate the Coulomb’s constant using the slope of the graph.

4. What is then the relationship between 𝐹 and 𝑟?

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 Table 2. Relationship between Electric Force and the Product of Two Charges

Charge on Object B: 𝑞2 =_____________𝐶

Distance between Objects A and B: 𝒓 = ______________
Product of 𝑞1 and 𝑞2 : |𝑞1 𝑞2 | = ____________ 𝐶 2

Force, 𝑭 Charge on Object A, Product of 𝒒𝟏 & 𝒒𝟐 ,

𝒒𝟏 |𝑞1 𝑞2 |
𝑵
𝒎 𝒎𝟐

Graph B here:

5. What relationship exists between 𝐹 and |𝑞1 𝑞2 | in Graph B?

6. What is the slope of the graph? What is the significance of the slope?

7. Calculate the Coulomb’s constant using the slope of the graph.

8. Two point charges, QA = +8.0 μC and QB = −5.0 μC, are separated by a distance
r = 0.10 m. What is the magnitude of the electric force?
𝑁𝑚2
Use the Coulomb’s constant k = 8.99 x 109 .
𝐶2

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 9. Three charged particles are arranged in a line as shown in the figure below.
Charge QA = −5 μC, charge QB = +10 μC and charge QC = −12 μC. Calculate the net
electrostatic force on particle B due to the other two charges.

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