LIMITATIONS OF COULOMB'S LAW IN PHYSICS || COULOMB'S LAW LIMITATIONS CLASS 12TH PHYSICS ||EXAM NOTES

Coulomb's law is a fundamental principle in physics that describes the electrostatic interaction between charged particles. While it is a powerful and useful law in many situations, it also has limitations and assumptions that apply to its applicability. Here are some limitations of Coulomb's law:

1. *Static Charges:* Coulomb's law applies only to static charges. It does not account for the effects of moving charges or changing magnetic fields, which are described by more advanced theories such as Maxwell's equations in classical electromagnetism or quantum electrodynamics.

2. *Point Charges:* The law assumes that charges are concentrated at single points. In reality, most charges are distributed over some volume or area, and the precise distribution can affect the electric field in ways that Coulomb's law does not account for.

3. *Inverse Square Law:* Coulomb's law follows an inverse square relationship, meaning that the force between charges decreases rapidly with distance. This implies that it is most accurate for describing interactions at relatively short distances compared to the scale of the charges involved. At very large distances, other factors such as environmental conditions or the presence of other charges may become significant.

4. *Linear Superposition:* The law assumes that the forces between individual charges simply add up linearly when multiple charges are present. This is known as the principle of superposition. While this is generally true for static electric fields, in certain cases such as in the presence of highly polarizable materials or at very close distances, nonlinear effects can become important.

5. *Absence of Relativistic Effects:* Coulomb's law does not take into account relativistic effects that can occur at very high speeds or energies. For instance, at speeds approaching the speed of light, the concept of simultaneous interactions between charges breaks down, and relativistic corrections become necessary.

6. *Quantum Mechanical Effects:* At the microscopic level, such as when dealing with individual particles like electrons or protons, Coulomb's law needs to be modified to account for quantum mechanical effects. Quantum electrodynamics (QED) provides a more accurate description of electromagnetic interactions at this scale.

Despite these limitations, Coulomb's law remains an essential tool for understanding and calculating electrostatic interactions in many practical situations, such as in electrical engineering, materials science, and various branches of physics. However, when dealing with extreme conditions or very precise measurements, it is important to consider the above limitations and, if necessary, use more advanced theories and models.