Final answer:
Coulomb's law can be used to approximate the electric force between a moving charge and a stationary charge if the moving charge's velocity is slow. It provides an electrostatic force calculation based on charge magnitudes and distance between them, but it normally applies to static charges.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering whether Coulomb's law can be used to calculate the electric force between a moving charge and a stationary charge, it is essential to understand the contexts in which Coulomb's law applies. Coulomb's law states that the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the two charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance that separates them. However, this law is traditionally used for charges at rest relative to each other. Since one of the charges is moving in this scenario, we should be cautious when applying Coulomb's law directly.
Despite this, if the velocity of the moving charge is relatively slow compared to the speed of light and does not result in significant electromagnetic effects (such as magnetic forces or radiation), Coulomb's law can offer a reasonable approximation for the force. The basic formula given by Coulomb's law is F = (k * q1 * q2) / r^2, where k is Coulomb's constant (8.99 × 10^9 Nm^2/C^2), q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between the charges.
The direction of the force is along the line joining the centers of the two charges. If the charges are of opposite signs, the force is attractive; if the charges are of the same sign, the force is repulsive. It is important to remember that as the moving charge changes position, the distance r in the equation will also change, which in turn affects the magnitude of the force. Therefore, if the charges are moving, more complex physics may come into play, and the force must be recalculated as the charges move relative to each other.