electrostatic force
nounUK /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈstætɪk fɔːs/
US /ɪˌlɛktroʊˈstætɪk fɔːrs/
The push or pull between tiny bits of electricity that are not moving.
When you rub a balloon on your hair, the electrostatic force makes the balloon stick to the wall.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The force between charged particles that are at rest, described by Coulomb's law.
The electrostatic force between two protons decreases as the square of the distance between them.
3. A force that attracts or repels objects because of built-up electric charge on their surfaces.
Dust clings to a TV screen because of the electrostatic force.
4. The interaction that holds electrons near atomic nuclei in a stationary arrangement.
The electrostatic force keeps the negatively charged electrons bound to the positively charged nucleus.