The mathematical formula for the electrostatic force is called Coulomb’s law after the French physicist Charles Coulomb (1736–1806), who performed experiments and first proposed a formula to calculate it. Coulomb’s Law size 12 {F=k { {q rSub { size 8 {1} } q rSub { size 8 {2} } } over {r rSup { size 8 {2} } } } } {} 18.3