Final answer:
The statement indicates that the force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges (Q₁ * Q₂) and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between them.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Coulomb's law in electrostatics, the force (F) between two point charges Q₁ and Q₂ is given by the formula F = k * |Q₁ * Q₂| / r², where k is the Coulomb constant and r represents the separation distance between the charges.
The law states that the force acting between two charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges (Q₁ * Q₂). If the charges are of the same sign, there will be a repulsive force, while opposite charges will exert an attractive force on each other. Additionally, the force is inversely proportional to the square of the separation distance between the charges. This means that as the distance between the charges increases, the force decreases significantly due to the squared term in the denominator.
Mathematically, doubling the distance between charges would result in the force becoming one-fourth of the original force, while reducing the distance by half would increase the force by a factor of four. This inverse square law demonstrates how changes in the distance between charges profoundly impact the force they exert on each other. Thus, the statement encapsulates Coulomb's law and the fundamental principles governing the interaction between point charges, providing insights into the nature of electric forces in physics.