Charged particles exert forces on each other through the electromagnetic interaction, which is one of the fundamental forces in nature. This interaction is mediated by the exchange of virtual particles called photons.
According to the theory of electromagnetism, developed by James Clerk Maxwell and further refined by Albert Einstein, charged particles create an electric field around them. This electric field extends into space and interacts with other charged particles in its vicinity.
When two charged particles are present, they experience a force between them. This force is known as the electric force or the Coulomb force. The magnitude of the force depends on the charges of the particles and the distance between them. The force between two charged particles can be attractive or repulsive, depending on the sign of the charges. Like charges (e.g., positive-positive or negative-negative) repel each other, while opposite charges (e.g., positive-negative) attract each other.
The electric force between charged particles can be mathematically described using Coulomb's law, which states that the force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
F = (k * |q1 * q2|) / r^2
where F is the magnitude of the force, q1 and q2 are the charges of the particles, r is the distance between them, k is the Coulomb's constant, and |q1 * q2| denotes the product of the magnitudes of the charges.
It's important to note that charged particles not only exert electric forces but also experience magnetic forces when they are in motion. The combination of electric and magnetic forces is described by the more comprehensive theory of electromagnetism known as Maxwell's equations.