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tags: [physics, electricity]
---

# Coulombs Laws

Coulomb's Laws express the fundamental relationship between electric charge,
force and attraction. They are also known as the **Electrostatic Laws** and
define **the electic force**.

## First Law

> Like charges of electricity repel each other. Unlike charges attract each
> other.

Within the atom we see this at work in the way that negatively charged electrons
are attracted to the positively charged nucleus. This attractive force is
balanced by the centrifugal force caused by the electron's rotation around the
nucleus. This keeps the electrons in orbit. Without it, they would spiral into
the nucleus.

Within circuits, the first law dictates the movement of charge from negatively
charged atoms to positively charged atoms through the conductor.

## Second Law

The attraction or repulsion between charges acts along the line between the two
charges.

## Third Law

The size of the electric force varies inversely as the square of the distance
between the two charges. Thus if the distance between the two charges is
doubled, the attraction or repulsion becomes weaker, decreasing to a quarter of
the original value.

## Fourth Law

The size of the electric force is proportional to the value of each charge
measured in coulombs.
