The magnitude of the electrostatic force of attraction or repulsion
between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of
the magnitudes of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them. The force is along the straight line joining them.
If the two charges have the same sign, the electrostatic force between
them is repulsive; if they have different signs, the force between them
is attractive. In the equilibrium stateholds even within atoms, correctly
describing the force between the positively charged atomic nucleus and
each of the negatively charged electrons. This simple law also correctly
accounts for the forces that bind atoms together to form molecules and
for the forces that bind atoms and molecules together to form solids and
liquids. Generally, as the distance between ions increases, the force of
attraction, and binding energy, approach zero and ionic bonding is less
favorable. As the magnitude of opposing charges increases, energy increases
and ionic bonding is more favorable. Coulomb's law, or Coulomb's inversesquare
law, is an experimental law of physics that quantifies the amount of
force between two stationaries, electrically charged particles. The electric
force between charged bodies at rest is conventionally called electrostatic
force or Coulomb force. The quantity of electrostatic force between
stationary charges is always described by Coulomb's law. The law was first
published in 1785 by French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, and
was essential to the development of the theory of electromagnetism, maybe
even its starting point, because it was now possible to discuss quantity of
electric charge in a meaningful way.
