According to Coulomb's Law, what happens to the attraction between unlike charges as they move closer together?

Prepare for the TExES Science 7-12 Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Coulomb's Law states that the force of attraction or repulsion between two charged objects is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. As two unlike charges, such as a positive charge and a negative charge, move closer together, the distance between them decreases. This reduction in distance increases the strength of the electrostatic force according to the inverse square relationship described by Coulomb's Law.

When the distance between the charges is halved, for example, the force of attraction becomes four times stronger (since force is proportional to 1/distance squared). Therefore, as unlike charges approach one another, the attraction between them intensifies, resulting in a stronger interaction. The understanding of this principle is fundamental in electrostatics and helps predict the behavior of charged particles in various situations.

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