Like Charges Repel - Electric Fields, Electrostatics & Capacitors Step by Step

Two charges with matching signs push away from each other. The force arrows are equal in size and opposite in direction.

electrostatics Matching charge signs make the force pair point away from the space between the charges.

Example

Two charges with matching signs push away from each other. The force arrows are equal in size and opposite in direction. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

Both charges are positive

Put a positive 2 coulomb charge on the left and a positive 3 coulomb charge on the right.

q_{\text{left}} = +2\ \text{C}\qquad q_{\text{right}} = +3\ \text{C}

Matching signs repel

Because the signs match, the left charge is pushed left and the right charge is pushed right. The arrows point away from the space between the charges.

+ \text{ with } + \Rightarrow \text{repel}

The force pair has equal size

The left force and the right force have the same size, 6 newtons, but opposite directions. The helper checks that pair before the diagram can render.

F_{\text{left}} = F_{\text{right}} = 6\ \text{N}

Equal size survives every allowed size

The diagram draws the 6 newton row. Other exact rows keep the same contract: left and right force sizes match, while the arrows point away from the middle.

\begin{array}{c|c}F_{\text{left}}&F_{\text{right}}\\4\ \text{N}&4\ \text{N}\\6\ \text{N}&6\ \text{N}\\8\ \text{N}&8\ \text{N}\\\end{array}