Final answer:
The statement 'like charges repel and opposite charges attract' refers to electric forces, a key concept in physics dealing with the interaction between charged particles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'like charges repel and opposite charges attract' describes the concept of electric forces. This is a fundamental principle in physics that explains the interaction between charged particles. When two charges carry the same type of charge, be it positive or negative, they will exert a repulsive force on each other, known as electrostatic repulsion. Conversely, when the charges are opposite, they will attract each other. The attractive or repulsive force is part of what we call the electromagnetic force, which is generated around a charged object, creating an electric field. This concept is essential to understanding phenomena such as static cling or how ink-jet printers work, where electric charges control the positioning of ink droplets on paper.