Coulomb's Law
The electric force between two charged objects is described by Coulomb's Law:
* F = k * (q1 * q2) / r²
Where:
* F is the electric force
* k is Coulomb's constant (a proportionality constant)
* q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges
* r is the distance between the charges
The Effect of Halving the Distance
When you halve the distance (r) between the two charges, the following happens:
* The denominator of the equation (r²) becomes four times smaller. Since you're squaring the distance, halving it results in a quarter of the original value.
* The electric force (F) becomes four times greater. Because the denominator is smaller, the entire fraction becomes larger, resulting in a stronger force.
In Summary
Halving the distance between two positively charged objects quadruples the electric force between them.
