Electric Charge and Current

Electric Charge

1. There are only two kind of electric charge, namely the positive charge and the
negative charge.
2. Like charge repel each other.
3. Unlike charge attract each other.
4. The SI unit of electric charge is Coulomb (C).

Unit of Charge

The SI unit of electric charge is Coulomb (C)

1Coulomb (C) = 1 Ampere Second (As)

Example

• Charge of 1 electron = -1.6 × 10-19 C

• Charge of 1 proton = +1.6 × 10-19 C

Formula - Total Charge

1.25×1019 electrons are added into an object. Find the nett charge of the object in the unit
of Coulomb. [Charge of 1 electron = -1.6×10-19]

Answer:

Number of electrons, n = 1.25×1019

Charge of 1 electron, e = -1.6×10-19
Total charge, Q = ?

Q = ne
Q = (1.25×1019)(-1.6×10-19) = -2C
Current

An electric current I is a measure of the rate of flow of electric charge (Q) through a
given cross-section of a conductor.

Direction of Current

Conventionally, the direction of the electric current is taken to be the flow of positive
charge.

The electron flow is in the opposite direction to that of the conventional current.

Unit of Current

The SI unit for current is the ampere (A).

Therefore, we can say that a current of one ampere is a flow of charge at the rate of one
coulomb per second. (Note: This is not a definition of ampere.)
Formula of Current

If 30 C of electric charge flows past a point in a wire in 2 minutes, what is the current in
the wire?

Answer:

Charge, Q = 30C
Time taken for the charge flow, t = 2 minutes = 120s
(Since the unit of current, Ampere (A) is also equal to Coulomb per second (Cs-1), the
unit of time must be changed to second)
Current, I = ?

Electric Field

An electric field exists in a region of space where a small positive charge experiences an
electric force.

Line of force
 1. The direction of the field is defined as the direction of the force on a small
positive charge.
2. Lines of force are used to represent the direction of an electric field.
3. The lines of force are directed outwards for a positive charge and inwards for a
negative charge.

Strength of Electric Field

The strength of the electric field is indicated by how close the field lines are to each
other. The closer the field lines, the stronger the electric field in that region.
Field Pattern of 2 Point Sources
Ping Pong Ball in an Electric Filed
The ball will still remain stationary. This
is because the force exert on the ball by
the positive plate is equal to the force
exerted on it by the negative plate.
 If the ping pong ball is displaced to the
right to touch the positive plate, it will
then be charged with positive charge and
will be pushed towards the negative
plate.

When the ping pong ball touches the

negative plate, it will be charged with
negative charge and will be pushed
towards the positive plate. This process
repeats again and again, causes the ping
pong ball oscillates to and fro
continuously between the two plates.

Candle in an Electric Field

The heat of the candle flame
removes electrons from the air
molecules around it, and therefore
ionised the molecule.

If the candle is placed in between 2

plates connected to a Extra High
Tension (E.H.T.) power supply, the
positive ions will be attracted to the
negative plate while the negative
ions will be attracted to the positive
plate.
Electrical Potential

The electric potential V at a point in an electric field is the work done to bring a unit ( 1
Coulomb) positive charge from infinity to the point.

Potential Difference (Voltage)

The potential difference (p.d.) between two points is defined as the energy converted
from electrical to other forms when one coulomb of positive charge passes between the
two points.

Unit of Potential Difference

The SI unit of potential difference is the same as that for e.m.f., i.e. the volt. We define
the volt as follows:

The potential difference (p.d.) between two points in a conductor is 1 volt if 1 joule of
energy is converted from electrical to other forms when 1 coulomb of positive charge
flows through it.

Formula of Potential Difference

How much energy had been transfer when 5 C charges moved across a potential
difference of 10V?

Answer:

The charge, Q = 5C
Potential difference, V = 10V
Energy, E = ?
Ohm's Law

The current flowing in the metallic conductor is directly proportional to the potential
difference applied across it’s ends, provided that the physical conditions ( such as
temperature ) are constant.

Formula:

Any other conductors, other than metallic conductors, which obey Ohm’s Law are
described as Ohmic conductors.

What is the current through an 8Ω toaster when it is operating on 240V?

Answer:

(In this question, 2 physical quantities are given, they are the "240V" and "80Ω". The
question doesn't tell what quantites they are. However we can recognise these quantities
from its unit. Ω is the unit of resistance whereas V is the unit of potential difference.)

Resistance, R = 80Ω
Potential difference, V = 240V
Current, I = ?

V = IR
(240) = I(80)
I = 3A

Resistance

The resistance R of a material is defined as the ratio V : I, where V is the potential

difference across the material and I is the current flowing in it.
Unit:

The SI unit of resistance is the ohm (Ω). One ohm is the resistance of a material through
which a current of one ampere flows when a potential difference of one volt is
maintained.

Resistivity

The resistance R of a given conductor depends on the:

length l,
Longer wire - Higher Resistance

cross-sectional area A,
Thicker wire - Lower Resistance

temperature
Higher temperature - Higher Resistance

the type of material

copper has resistance lower than iron

Superconductor

Superconductors are materials where their electrical resistance is exactly zero at some
relatively low temperature.

Application of Superconductor

1. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

2. Magnetic-Levitation Train (MagLev)
3. Electric generators