Coulomb's Law Calculator mechanism

Model scope

The physics formula is standard under the stated SI, vacuum, electrostatic, point-charge assumptions, but the specification needs an explicit signed-force convention, a positive-distance constraint, unit handling, and a clear vacuum/point-charge limitation before it can receive PASS.

• The standard magnitude formula is F=|kq1q2|/r²; the supplied F=kq1q2/r² is a signed scalar unless a sign convention is explicitly defined. Direction must be reported separately as repulsive for like signs and attractive for unlike signs.
• The expression k=1/4πε0 requires explicit denominator parentheses: k=1/(4πε0).
• The formula applies to point charges in vacuum or air-like conditions; the specification does not state the medium or point-charge approximation.

Units and conventions

• q1 and q2 are signed charges in coulombs (C), with microcoulomb and nanocoulomb inputs converted using 1 μC=10^-6 C and 1 nC=10^-9 C.
• r is the positive separation distance in metres (m), with centimetre inputs converted using 1 cm=10^-2 m.
• F is in newtons (N).
• Use vacuum permittivity and k=8.9875517923×10^9 N·m²/C².
• For these vectors, signed F means sign(q1q2) times the force magnitude; positive denotes repulsion and negative denotes attraction.

Inspectable vector

One of 4 source-bound review vectors:

{
  "inputs": {
    "q1": 2,
    "q1_unit": "μC",
    "q2": 3,
    "q2_unit": "μC",
    "r": 0.5,
    "r_unit": "m"
  },
  "expected_outputs": {
    "F_N": 0.2157012430152,
    "direction": "repulsive"
  },
  "working": "q1=2×10^-6 C; q2=3×10^-6 C. q1q2=(2×10^-6)(3×10^-6)=6×10^-12 C². r²=(0.5)²=0.25 m². F=8.9875517923×10^9×(6×10^-12)/0.25=8.9875517923×10^9×2.4×10^-11=0.2157012430152 N. Both charges have the same sign, so the force is repulsive."
}

Failure boundary

BREAK_CLAIMED · SELF_FLAGGED

The zero-separation input produces an undefined result and must be rejected. The specification also leaves unit conversion, signed-versus-magnitude force reporting, and the zero-force direction convention unspecified.

Other records

Sources and evidence

These pointers bind the page to evidence. They do not grant authority or collapse verification into deployment.

• VERIFIED_LEDGER.json
• evidence-tranche5/tranche5-results.json
• BOUNDARY_HAZARD_CATALOG.json