Physics 12.2.1a - Coulomb`s Law

An explanation of Coulomb's Law. From the physics course by Derek Owens. The distance learning course is available at http://www.derekowens.com

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Physics
• charge
• electric charge
• Coulomb
• Coulombs Law
• Coulomb`s Law
• inverse square
• inverse square law
• electrostatic
• electrostatic force
• electric force
• Charles Coulomb
• homeschool
• distance learning
• Derek Owens

[Arnold34251]

so if we are electrically neutral whats going on when somebody is being electrocuted?? would that just be YOUR electrons that make you up being increased inside you???

[derekowens]

@Arnold34251 When someone is electrocuted, it is because of electric *current*. In other words, not just charge, but the *flow* of charge. The electrons move through you. Specifically, electrons go in you somewhere, and out of you somewhere else, at the same time, and the electrons in your body are moving. Very bad for you, especially if the current is large.

[derekowens]

@Arnold34251 Yes. A lot of the same electrons are probably still there, but some have left, others have arrived, and most of them have moved.

[SuperFinGuy]

My question is (seems no one else is asking it), what are charges?! How can a force act on a charge since the force is the product of a charge?! What is the definition of a charge?! Why opposite charges attract?! If those questions are answered we can easily understand this.

[derekowens]

@SuperFinGuy I think the best we can say is that charge is a property of matter. Just any material has certain physical properties, certain optical properties, etc., particles also have certain electrical properties, one of which we call "charge". And saying that opposites attract, F is proportional to Q, etc, is how we mathematically describe this property. Your question probes the fundamental realities of matter.

[derekowens]

@moneefiction Yes, the gravity of the moon does affect people. There is a small gravitational pull on you from the moon. It's not enough to feel, but it is there. Some people believe that it changes people's behavior, especially when the moon is full, which is why the word "lunatic" is linguistically related to the word "lunar".

[derekowens]

@abcdefghijklmn4445 Yes, charge is a property that some particles have, such as protons being positively charges and electrons being negatively charged. Charge in measured in Coulombs. Electric current is the flow of charge, and current is measured in Amperes. If 1 Coulomb of charge flows through a wire each second, then the current in the wire is 1 Ampere. An Ampere is defined as one Coulomb per second.

Hope that helps,

DO

[Bob3Tim]

@Panicatthebusstop "k" is the electro-static constant...which is 9x10 to the power of 9

[Bob3Tim]

He added one extra zero at 5:40. He said there is ten but he drew eleven...

[MrLopsided0reo]

I wasted 10 hours in lecture and still didn't learn this until now. You sir, are a genius, or my teacher is terribad. He uses a shitton of analogies to explain the simplest of things.

[Bruinboi16]

I used to want to be an engineer. Then I took physics E&M.

[Arnold34251]

@Arnold34251 i c thanks for taking time n explaining this to me i appreciate it

[Arnold34251]

@derekowens so could you say that after being electrocuted your body has new electrons, or the electrons you had before are mixed up in different places of your body?