CharlesaugustininCoulomb (1736-1806) was a French physicist known for the mathematical formulation of the Coulomb's law. Coulomb's law states that the force of attraction, or repulsion, between two particlesloaded it is directly proportional to the magnitude of their loads and inversely proportional to the distance that separates them.
Biography
Coulomb was born in June 14, 1736, in the city of Angoulême, in France, the son of successful parents from an aristocratic family. He studied engineering at Royal Engineering School of Mézières and then he joined the army, where he could apply his knowledge of mechanics to the construction of torsion scales.
In the 20 years following his egress, Coulomb moved constantly, but he spent about 9 years in India as a military engineer of the army. At that time, the French engineer was responsible for building a fort in Martinique.
THE retirement de Coulomb came with the beginning of RevolutionFrench, when he moved to Blois, a town in the French countryside. After he retired, he devoted himself to scientific research. However, since his stay in India, he suffered from chronic diseases, so he was very ill in the last years of his life, until his death, on August 23, 1806.
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Main works by Charles Coulomb
Torsion balance
Coulomb showed great interest in the research carried out by the cleric Joseph Priestley, which was studying the repulsion between electrical charges and, therefore, decided to study this phenomenon. To do so, the engineer developed an extremely sensitive measuring apparatus, capable of of measuring the electrical force present between two electrically charged spheres. This apparatus, known as a torsion balance, consisted of a rod suspended by a wire, with two metallic spheres at its ends.
Torsion balance scheme developed by Coulomb
Determination of Coulomb's Law
After several very accurate measurements made with his torsion balance, Coulomb was able to determine that the electric force exerted between charges was inversely proportional to the square of the distance separating them. In addition, Coulomb also noted that the electrical force between charges was proportional to the product of their charges, so he was able to determine the law that is now known as Coulomb's law:
“The force of attraction between electrical charges is proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance separating them"
Coulomb's Law
Coulomb's law is defined through the mathematical formula shown below, check it out:
F – electric force
k0 – electrostatic constant
Q and what – electrical charges
d – distance between electrical charges
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scientific legacy
In addition to his contributions to the study of electrical force, Coulomb studied phenomena such as friction, viscosity of fluids, elasticity of metallic fibers, repulsion between magnetic poles, torsion balances and, finally, the development of the mathematical law responsible for explaining the repulsion force between electric charges.
In 1773, Coulomb published a work for the Paris Academy of Science, in which work he explained the influenceof theforces friction and molecular cohesion for the study of statistical problems.
Later, in 1774, he was recognized by the Paris Academy of Science for his mathematical skills. related to the use of calculus to resolve various discrepancies in problems faced by the engineering.
Coulomb published, in 1777, the article in which he explained the development of his balanceintwist, being awarded a award for his genius. Between 1785 and 1791, Coulomb wrote seven important memos in which he dealt with various aspects. pertinent to electrical and magnetic phenomena, such memorandums helped to drive the development of the electromagnetism.
In 1785, using his torsion balance, Coulomb produced his most notorious work: Coulomb's law. Such law established that loadselectric punctuals should attract or repel each other, according to their charge, with intensities inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. His ingenuity and mathematical ability contributed greatly to the advancement of studies in theoryelectromagnetic.
By Me. Rafael Helerbrock
