Electrostatics at the Molecular Level

Electrostatic forces are essential for the hierarchical structure of matter: electrons are bound to the atomic nucleus by electrostatic forces; atoms carry (partial) charges and ions with opposite charges attract and form (chemical) bonds. Small residual electrostatic forces between molecules allow them to form macroscopic structures such as crystals. Electrostatics at the Molecular Level begins with the basics and then dives deeper into the topic, with the aim to familiarize the reader with electrostatic forces at the atomic and molecular level. The purpose of this text is not to find the most accurate calculation of bond length and binding energies. It focusses, rather, on a discussion of appropriate scales (for mass, time and length, among others).