How do electromagnetic forces work?

1 Answer
Mar 26, 2017

Electromagnetic forces are non-contact forces between two electrically charged objects.

Explanation:

Electromagnetic forces follow Newton third law meaning that electromagnetic forces come in "pairs", acting upon different objects and their vectors are of opposite direction ( F' = -F)

The can either be repulsive when the objects are similarly charged ( either both have negative or positive charge)
and their vectors will be "facing away" from each other

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or attractive when objects have opposite charges
and they will be facing towards each other

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For their calculation we use Coulomb's law equation:

#Fc = (k * Q1 * Q2) / d^2 #

k represents Coulomb's law constant ( # 9 * 10^9 (N * m^2) / s^2) #

Q1 and Q2 the charges of the objects

d the distance between the two obects