Like charges repel and unlike charges

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of opposite charges attracting and whether it falls under Newton's Third Law. The speaker mentions not being able to ask their lecturer and raises questions about the nature of the repelling force. The summary concludes that the Coulomb force is a real force and it is applicable to N3L.
  • #1
flyingpig
2,579
1

Homework Statement




Unlike charges attract. Now here is my question, is this a phenomenon of Newton's third Law? I couldn't ask my lecturer because I had to run to another class for a quiz. It's friday and I don't want to ruin his friday.

The "repelling" force is a real right?
 
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  • #2
flyingpig said:

Homework Statement




Unlike charges attract. Now here is my question, is this a phenomenon of Newton's third Law? I couldn't ask my lecturer because I had to run to another class for a quiz. It's friday and I don't want to ruin his friday.

The "repelling" force is a real right?

The application of N3L in this case would be the idea that both charges experience an equal force in antiparallel directions; it doesn't really comment on WHY opposite charges attract and like charges repel.
 
  • #3
But the repel must have a force right? Or is it one of those "fictitious forces"?
 
  • #4
Am I right though?
 
  • #5
The Coulomb force (attracting or repelling) is a real force.
 
  • #6
But it is under Newton's Third Law?
 

1. Why do like charges repel and unlike charges attract?

Like charges repel each other because they have the same type of charge, either positive or negative. This results in a force of repulsion between them. On the other hand, unlike charges attract because they have opposite charges, resulting in a force of attraction between them.

2. What is the scientific explanation behind the concept of like charges repelling and unlike charges attracting?

The concept of like charges repelling and unlike charges attracting is based on the fundamental principle of electricity, also known as Coulomb's law. This law states that the force between two charged objects is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Therefore, like charges repel because they have the same charge and unlike charges attract because they have opposite charges.

3. How does the distance between two charged objects affect the force of repulsion or attraction?

The force of repulsion or attraction between two charged objects is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance between the two objects increases, the force of repulsion or attraction decreases. This is why we can observe a stronger force between two charged objects when they are closer together.

4. Can two objects with the same type of charge ever attract each other?

No, two objects with the same type of charge will always repel each other. This is because like charges always repel each other according to Coulomb's law. In order for two objects to attract each other, they must have opposite charges.

5. How does the concept of like charges repelling and unlike charges attracting apply to everyday objects?

The concept of like charges repelling and unlike charges attracting can be observed in everyday objects that have static electricity. For example, when you rub a balloon on your hair, the balloon becomes negatively charged and your hair becomes positively charged. Since like charges repel, the negatively charged balloon will repel the negatively charged hair, causing it to stand up. This is also why a balloon can stick to a wall after being rubbed on hair, as the opposite charges of the balloon and wall attract each other.

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