What principle is Coulomb's Law based on?

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 describes the force between two charged objects and is fundamentally based on the principle that the force of attraction or repulsion between the charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This is expressed mathematically as ( F = k \frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2} ), where ( F ) is the force between the charges, ( q_1 ) and ( q_2 ) are the amounts of the charges, ( r ) is the distance between the centers of the two charges, and ( k ) is a constant known as Coulomb's constant.

This principle highlights how an increase in either charge results in a greater force, while an increase in distance diminishes the force, illustrating the key aspects of electrostatic interaction. Understanding this relationship is crucial for analyzing various phenomena in electrostatics and plays a significant role in more advanced topics in physics.

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