3D Electric Charge Simulation

Place positive and negative charges in a 3D space and observe attraction, repulsion, and particle motion.

What this tool does

This interactive physics visualization demonstrates Coulomb's Law with red positive charges and blue negative charges. Like charges repel and opposite charges attract; the simulated force changes with charge magnitude, distance, and the strength setting.

The live 3D canvas shows the particles moving inside a bounded space while the status display reports the charge count, positive and negative totals, elapsed time, and simulation state.

Who this is for

• Students and educators reviewing electric charge interactions and inverse-square behavior
• Physics learners who want to vary parameters and see a qualitative result
• Developers and makers prototyping a simple particle-force visualization

How to use this tool

1. Read the instructions, then choose Add +q or Add -q and click in the 3D view to place a charge.
2. Adjust Next Charge |q| before placing the next particle.
3. Change force strength (k), damping, minimum distance, simulation speed, and particle mass with the sliders.
4. Use Start Sim, Pause/Resume, and Reset Sim to control the run. Orbit, pan, and zoom the 3D view with mouse or touch.
5. Use Export Image for a PNG view, or Export Sim and Import Sim for JSON simulation state.

Inputs

Inputs include positive or negative charge placement, charge magnitude, Coulomb force strength, damping, minimum distance, simulation speed, particle mass, and an imported JSON simulation file.

Outputs

The output is a live 3D particle visualization and status summary. You can download a PNG snapshot of the current view or export the simulation state as JSON for later import. It is an educational model, not a precision engineering or laboratory measurement tool.

Example use cases

• Compare attraction and repulsion by changing the signs or magnitudes of charges
• Observe how damping and minimum distance affect particle motion
• Save a setup for a classroom discussion, repeatable demonstration, or later comparison

Frequently asked questions