Science Common Sense

1686 - What is the potential energy of the Coulomb force?

The potential energy of the Coulomb force is the energy that an object has because of the electric force between it and another object. It's like the energy you have when you're on top of a hill - as you roll down the hill, your potential energy turns into kinetic energy.

For the Coulomb force, the potential energy can be calculated using a simple formula:

U = (1/4πε₀) × (q₁ × q₂) / r

where: - U is the potential energy - q₁ and q₂ are the charges on the two objects - r is the distance between the objects - ε₀ is a special number called the electric constant

Think of it like this: if you have two objects with opposite charges (like + and -), they're attracted to each other. The potential energy is like the "stretch" in a rubber band between them. If they move closer together, the potential energy gets bigger and bigger, until... snap! They combine and release all that energy!