If we replace \(m\) and \(G\) in Equation 10-2 with \(q\) and \(k\), we see that Equation 16-1 is identical to Equation 10-2 for the gravitational force, but with an important difference: The electric force is attractive (like the gravitational force) if the two charges \(q_1\) and \(q_2\) have opposite signs (one negative and the other positive), but repulsive if \(q_1\) and \(q_2\) have the same sign (either both positive or both negative).