I.

II.

III.

Chapter 21 The Electric Field: Discrete Charge Distributions

Electric Charge
A.
Electrostatics interactions between electric charges at rest
B.
charged particle can either attract or repel another charged particle
C.
all charges are integer multiples of e = 1.60 x 10-19 C
D.
charge cannot be created or destroyed
E.
two kinds of electric charge (+/-)
Conductors and Insulators
A.
conductor allows electrons to flow freely
B.
insulator resists the flow of electrons
C.
examples
1.
conduction touch a piece of metal with a charged conductor and some electrons will
flow to the metal
2.
induction
a.
bring positively charged object close to a conductor
b.
electrons in conductor will be attracted towards positive object
c.
electrons gather at the left while protons stay away towards the right

Coulombs Law
A.
electrostatic force force between motionless charged objects (+/-)
B.
Force between two point charges
kq q
F= 12 2
r

1.
2.
3.

q1 and q2 = charge values, r = distance between q1 and q2

Direction

a.
b.

C.

Examples

Like charges repel

Opposite charges attract

IV.

The Electric Field

A.
caused by a distribution of charges
B.
Magnitude
kq
E= 2
1.
r
F0 =q0 E
2.

C.

3.
q = charge that is creating the electric field
4.
q0 = charge affected by the electric field
5.
F0 = force on q0
Direction
1.
Positive charge
a.
Electric field is pointed away from charge

2.

D.

Negative charge
a.
Electric field is points towards charge

Electric field for two positive charges

E.

Electric field for two opposite charges

F.

Examples

V.

Electric Field Lines

A.
starts on positive charge and ends at negative charge
B.
electric field vectors tangent to electric field lines
C.
electric field vectors at a point = direction of electric field at that point
D.
denser lines stronger electric field
E.
field lines never cross

F.

Problem Solving
1.
Look for symmetries and short cuts
a.
By symmetry the y components of E1 and E2 cancel

2.

VI.

Choose coordinate system to simplify our work

Action of the Electric Field on Charges

A.
Motion of point charges in an electric field

F =m a
1.

2.
B.

F =q
E

Kinematic equations
1 2
x=V x t+ a t
1.
2
0

2.
3.

V
( 0) + 2 a x
V 2=
V =V 0 + at
2

VII. Electric Dipoles in Electric Fields

A. Electric dipole can create its own internal electric field
B. Also responds to external electric field
C. Dipole moment (p)
1. Two equal but opposite charges
2. Separated by a distance d
3. Dipole points from negative to positive charge
p=q d
4.
D.

Torque
1.
When placed in an external electric field
=p x
E= pEsin ( )
2.
=d x
F =d x q
E =rFsin ( )
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

9.

E.
F.
G.

= angle between electric field and dipole axis or dipole moment

d = distance between positive and negative charge
p = dipole moment

E = external electric field

q = magnitude of the charge
Use right hand rule to determine direction

Potential Energy
U=p
E =pEcos ( )
1.
Work
W =U= pEcos ( 2 ) pEcos ( 1 )
1.
Electric field due to a dipole
2 kp
Edipole = 3
r
2.
r = distance between center of the dipole and the point charge

1.