Electric Charge and Fields 3.

The SI unit of charge is the Coulomb

(C)
Recall that a. e = +1.6 x 10-19 C (proton)
b. e = -1.6 x 10-19 C (electron)
a. If an object has an excess negative charge, the net charge
will be indicated by negative sign (-)
b. If an object has an excess positive charge, the net charge Transfer of electrons
will be indicated by positive sign (+)
c. If an object has equal charges, it is said to be neutral 1. Charged by conduction
- A charged object (the rod) is placed in contact with
Example another object (the sphere)
1. If the charge of particle A is 5 and particle B is -6. What is the net - Some electrons on the rod can move to the sphere
- When the rod is removed, the sphere is left with a charge
charge of the particles?
-
- So we have 2 particles with different charges
- The object being charged is always left with a charge
(particle A= +5 ; particle B= -6)
having the same sign as the object doing the charging
- In order to obtain net charge, we must subtract
the charges between particles
a. Particle A + Particle B = (+5) +
(-6)
=-1
The net charge is -1 or negative charge

Properties of Charge

I. Nature’s basic carrier of negative charge is the electron 2.

- Gaining or losing electrons is how an object
becomes charged
- Electric charge is always conserved
- Charge is not created, only exchanged
- Objects become charged because negative
charge is transferred from one object to
another
II. Charge is quantized
- All charge is a multiple of a fundamental unit
of charge, symbolized by e
- Quarks are the exception
1. Electrons have a charge of –e
2. Protons have a charge of +e
Charged by induction
- A negatively charged object is placed near a neutral object,
causing the electrons to move. (A)
- The neutral object is grounded, allowing the repelled
electrons in the neutral object to escape to the ground. The
neutral object loses electrons. (B)
- The ground is removed, leaving the ball with a positive
charge. ( C)
-
 o

- If electrons
move from the
neutral object
through the wire to the ground (object loses
electrons), the object becomes positively
charged.
- If electrons move from the ground through the
wire toward the object (object gains electrons),
the object becomes negatively charged.

Electric Field

Electric Field

 Electric force, like gravitational force, is a field force

 The lines for a negative charge point towards the charge
o Remember: Field forces can act through space even when
there is no physical contact between the objects involved

o A charged object has an electric field in the space around

it

 Electric Field Lines point in the direction of the electric field

o The number and spacing of field lines is proportional to

the electric field strength

o The electric field is strong where the field lines are close
 This diagram shows the electric field lines for two equal and
together and weaker when they are far apart opposite point charges
 The lines for a positive charge point away from the charge o Notice that the lines begin on the positive charge and end
on the negative charge
 Calculating Electric Field Strength

 The equation for the electric field produced by a point charge is:

kcq
E=
r2
 9 2 2
Kc=9x10 Nm /C ,r is the distance from the charge and q is the
charge producing the field
 This diagram shows the electric field lines for two positive point
 The unit for E is N/C
charges

o Notice that the same number of lines emerges from each  Electric field strength is a vector!!
charge because they are equal in magnitude o If q is positive, then E is directed away from q

o If q is negative, then E is directed toward q

If a charged object is placed in an electric field, we can calculate the force

acting on it from the electric field

Sample F = qE
1. An electric field of 2.0 x 104 N/C is directed along the positive x-
axis
 If the charges are unequal, then the number of lines emerging from
them will be different a. What is the electric force on an electron in this field?
 Notice that the positive charge has twice as many lines b. What is the electric force on a proton in this field?

Given
Electric Field = 2.0 x 104 N/C
Charge of Electron = 1.6x10-19
Charge of Proton = same as electron
Unknown
 A. Electric force of electron

B. Electric Force of proton

Formula
F= qE
Solution 2. Find the electric field at a point midway between two charges of
F= qE +30 nC and 60 nC separated by a distance of 30.0 cm
= (2.0 x 104 N/C)( 1.6x10-19)
= 3.2 x 10 -15 N for both the electron and the proton
Direction of electric field
A. Electron

a. The electric field is pointing along the positive x axis (to

the right) which means there’s a positive charge to the left Given:
Q1 = 30 nC (nano coulombs) = 30 x 10-9 C
Q2 = 60 nC= 60 x 10-9 C
Distance = 30 cm
k = 9.0 x 10^9
*since given ang distance, at ang given formula ay radius (r).
B. Proton isolve ang radius

a. Since there’s a positive charge causing the electric field to So r = 0.15 m (convert to M)
point towards the right, an electron would feel attracted to
Formula:
the positive charge. Therefore, the force acting on it is
toward the left

kcq
Recall niyo lang ung dalawang charges sa coulombs E=
law (principle of superposition) na kung san pag may
dalawang positive charges lagi sila magkatabi at
r2
nagrerepel to each other
Solution
For Q1
 KcQ
E= 2
r
ACTIVITY (3 per group)
(30 x 10−9 )(9 x 109 ) Answer the following problems
E=
( 0.15 )2
1. Draw electric field lines if the charge of particle A is -4c and the
270 particle b is +8c
E=
0.0225 2. Draw electric field line if the charge of Particle A is -5c and
particle b is 5c
E=12000 N
3. An electric field of 5.3 x 106 N/C is directed along the negative
For Q2
axis.
KcQ ( 60 x 10−9 ) ( 9 x 109 ) a. Find the force and direction of electron
E= E=
r2 ( 0.15 )2
b. Find the force and direction of proton
540
E= 4. A -4x10-12C charge Q is placed at the origin. What is the
0.0225 magnitude and direction of the electric field produced by Q if a test
charge were placed at x = -0.2 m ?
E=24000 N

At the midway point (x), the 30nC charge’s field strength is 12000 N/C
toward the 60 nC charge and the 60 nC charge’s field strength is 24,000 N/C
toward the 30 nC charge.
So
@ midpoint = 24000 N (which is grteater) – 12000N
= 12000 N towards the 30 nC