Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 16 - Electric Charge and Electric Field - Questions - Page 467: 10

Answer

Both laws are inverse square laws. Gravity is attractive whereas electric forces can be repulsive or attractive.

Work Step by Step

Similarities: Both Coulomb’s law and Newton’s law are inverse square laws, where the force diminishes as the inverse square of the distance. Newton’s law shows that the gravitational force is proportional to the product of the two masses, and Coulomb’s law shows that the electrical force is proportional to the product of the two charges. Differences: Gravity is always an attractive force. However, the electric force can attract or repel, because there are two types of electrical charge.
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