CHAPTER 21.

ELECTRIC CHARGE AND ELECTRIC FIELD

Physics 72 Arciaga

Review vector addition, geometry and calculus (differentiation and integration) Four fundamental forces: o Gravitational force involves mass o Electromagnetic force involves electric charge o Strong force (or Nuclear force) o Weak force

A. Electric charge Electric charge is a scalar; it has no direction. SI unit of electric charge is coulomb (C) Three properties of electric charge: 1. Dichotomy property The electric charge is either positive (+) or negative (). Like charges repel; opposite charges attract. 2. Conservation property The algebraic sum of all the electric charges in any closed system is constant. In charging, charge is not created nor destroyed; it is only transferred from one body to another. This is a universal conservation law. 3. Quantization property The magnitude of charge of the electron or proton is a natural unit of charge. Basic unit of charge e = 1.60210-19 C a. Charge of 1 proton = +e = 1.60210-19 C b. Charge of 1 electron = e = 1.60210-19 C Every observable amount of electric charge is always an integer multiple of this basic unit. Other keywords: o Electrostatics involves electric charges that are at rest (i.e. speed is zero) in the observers reference frame o Atom composed of electron, proton, and neutron o Neutral atom atom with zero net charge (# of electrons = # of protons) o Positive ion (cation) atom with positive net charge (lost one or more electrons) o Negative ion (anion) atom with negative net charge (gained one or more electrons) o Ionization gaining or losing of electrons B. Types of materials in terms of electric conduction Conductors o Objects that permit the easy movement of electrons through them o Ex: most metals, copper wire, earth o In metals, the mobile charges are always negative electrons sea of free electrons o The earth can act as an infinite source or sink of electrons grounding Insulators o Objects that does NOT permit the easy movement of electrons through them o Ex: most nonmetals, ceramic, wood, plastic, rubber, air o The charges within the molecules of an insulator can shift slightly polarization

Physics 72 Arciaga Semiconductors o Objects with properties between conductors and insulators o Ex: silicon, diodes, transistors Superconductors o Objects with zero resistance against the movement of electrons o Ex: some compounds at very low temperatures

C. Ways of charging a material Charging by rubbing charge of charger changes; electrons transfer Charging by contact charge of charger changes; electrons transfer Charging by induction (without grounding) charge of charger does NOT change Charging by induction (with grounding) charge of charger does NOT change negative charger induces a positive charge (positive charger induces a negative charge) Charging by polarization charge of charger does NOT change charged object can still attract a neutral object by polarization D. Coulombs law The amplitude of the electric force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. qq 1 q1q 2 Mathematically: Fe = k 1 2 2 = 4 o r 2 r ; where Fe = magnitude of the electric force between two point charges q1 and q2 = electric charges of the two point charges r = distance between the 2 point charges k = proportionality constant = 1/4o o = permittivity of free space (permittivity of vacuum) NOTES: 1. The direction of Fe is along the line joining the two point charges. 2. The electric force on q1 by q2 is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the electric force on q2 by q1. [Recall: Newtons third law of motion] 3. It is an inverse square law. [Compare: Newtons law of gravity] 4. k = 1/4o = 8.988109 Nm2/C2 5. o = 8.85410-12 C2/Nm2 6. If there are more than two point charges, use the principle of superposition of forces. Use vector addition (not scalar addition). 7. For atomic particles, the electric force is much greater than the gravitational force. E. Electric field and electric forces Electric field: F E= e q test ; where E = electric field at a particular position qtest = charge of a test charge placed at the particular position Fe = net electric force experienced by the test charge at the particular position NOTES: 1. Electric field is a vector. 2. Electric field is an intermediary for the electric force; an aura of electric charges.

Physics 72 Arciaga 3. A charged body experiences an electric force when it feels an electric field created by other charged bodies. 4. Compare it with the gravitational field. 5. SI unit of electric field is newton per coulomb (N/C). Electric force experienced by a point charge due to a given electric field: Fe = qE ; where Fe = net electric force experienced by a point charge at a particular position q = charge of a point charge placed at the particular position E = electric field at the particular position NOTES: 1. Fe and E are in the same direction if q is positive.

2. Fe and E are in the opposite direction if q is negative. Electric field created by a point charge: 1 q E= r 4 o r 2 ; where E = electric field created by a point charge q = charge of the point charge r = distance from the point charge r = unit vector pointing away from the point charge (i.e. radially outward) NOTES: 1. E points away from a positive charge. 2. E points toward a negative charge. 3. The electric field by a point charge is an inverse-square relation. 4. If there are more than one point charge, use the principle of superposition of electric fields. Use vector addition (not scalar addition). 5. Other keywords: o Source point location of the point charge that creates the electric field o Field points locations at which the electric field are being determined o Vector field infinite set of vectors drawn in a region of space o Uniform field constant vector field (i.e. magnitude and direction are constant) Electric field created by a continuous distribution of charge: 1. Use principle of superposition of electric fields; perform an integration! 2. Imagine the continuous distribution of charge as composed of many point charges. 3. Sometimes symmetry analysis makes the solution easier. 4. Other keywords: o linear charge density [] charge per unit length (C/m) o surface charge density [] charge per unit area (C/m2) o volume charge density [] charge per unit volume (C/m3)

F. Electric field lines (also called lines of force) Electric field lines o imaginary line or curve drawn so that its tangent at any point is in the same direction of the electric field vector at that point o tangent at an electric field line determines direction of the electric field o spacing of electric field lines determines magnitude of the electric field electric field lines are closer together indicates strong electric field electric field lines are farther apart indicates weak electric field o electric field lines never intersect o electric field magnitude can vary along one electric field line

 Physics 72 Arciaga G. Electric dipoles Electric dipole o a pair of point charges with equal magnitude and opposite sign separated by a particular distance o ex: water molecule, polar molecules, TV antenna Electric dipole moment p = qd rp ; where p = electric dipole moment of a dipole q = magnitude of the electric charge (of a charge) in the dipole d = separation distance between the two charges rp = unit vector pointing from the negative to the positive charge NOTE: Electric dipole moment is a vector: a. magnitude = |qd| b. direction = from the negative to the positive charge Torque of an electric dipole in a uniform electric field = pE ; where = torque experienced by an electric dipole in an electric field p = electric dipole moment of a dipole E = electric field NOTE: Torque is a vector [recall Physics 71]: a. magnitude = pE sin ; where = small (tail-to-tail) angle between p and E b. direction = use right-hand rule [recall Physics 71] Potential energy of an electric dipole in a uniform electric field U = p E ; where U = potential energy experienced by an electric dipole in an electric field p = electric dipole moment of a dipole E = electric field NOTE: Potential energy is a scalar [recall Physics 71]: a. magnitude = pE cos ; where = small (tail-to-tail) angle between p and E Equilibrium concepts [recall Physics 71] If both the net force and the net torque on an object are ZERO, then that object is in EQUILIBRIUM; otherwise, that object is NOT in equilibrium. If the potential energy of an object is a MINIMUM, then that object is in STABLE equilibrium. But if the potential energy of an object is a MAXIMUM, then that object is in UNSTABLE equilibrium.