Electric Charge and Coulomb’s Law 0– -e = an electron = -1.

60 x 10-19 C
Two types of charge 1– +e = a proton = +1.60 x 10-19 C
1. Positive Charge: A shortage of electrons  An object that has a net charge of 8.0 x 10-19 C
2. Negative Charge: An excess of electrons has a net charge of what multiple of e? Hint:
Elementary Charge: The charge on one proton. (unit of How many electrons would need to be removed
charge is Coulomb [c] ) to create this charge?
» The net charge would be +5e, 5
Electric Forces electrons were removed
» Like Charges – Repel  The distance between a proton and an electron
» Unlike Charges - Attract in a hydrogen atom is 5.3 x 10-11 m. Find the
Coulomb’s Law – Gives the electric force between two force between the two particles.
point charges. »
q1 q2 Electric Force
F=k » This is a non-contact force (like the gravitational
r2 force except instead of two masses exerting
K = coulomb’s constant = 9.0x10⁹ Nm²/C² force on each other the two objects charges
q1 = charge on mass 1 exert a force of repulsion or attraction).
q2 = charge on mass 2 » ANY charged object can exert the electric force
r = the distance between the two charges upon other objects- both charged and
uncharged objects.
Example 1 ANY charged object, whether positively charged or
Suppose that two point charges, each with a charge of negatively charged, will have an ATTRACTIVE
+1.00 Coulomb are separated by a distance of 1.00 interaction with a neutral object.
meter. Determine the magnitude of the electrical force of
repulsion between them. » A balloon when rubbed on your head becomes
charged by picking up extra electrons from your
hair.
» That same balloon, because it is charged, will
attract a neutral object like pieces of paper.
Charging
» Items may be charged by friction
» Electrons are moved from one object to
another by being scraped away
» Items may be charged by contact
» Electrons are moved without being
Example 2 scraped off
Two balloons are charged with an identical quantity and
type of charge: -6.25 nC. They are held apart at a On two occasions, the following charge interactions
separation distance of 61.7 cm. Determine the between balloons A, B and C are observed. In each
magnitude of the electrical force of repulsion between case, it is known that balloon B is charged negatively.
them. Based on these observations, what can you conclude
about the charge on balloon A and C for each situation.

Example 3
Two balloons with charges of +3.37 µC and -8.21 µC
attract each other with a force of 0.0626 Newton.
Determine the separation distance between the two
balloons.

What happens to your hair when you rub a balloon on

your head?
Electric Charge and Electric Field » The balloon, after being rubbed and then pulled
Charges can ONLY be in multiples of e away, removes some of the electrons in your
Remember:
hair which give each strand a positive charge.
Like charges want to repel and each strand is Which of the diagrams below best represents the
repelling from the others and “sticking up.” charge distribution on a metal sphere when a
Getting Shocked positively charged plastic tube is placed nearby?
– As you walk across a carpet, electrons are
transferred from the rug to you.
– Now you have extra electrons.
– Touch a door knob (conductor) and ZAP!
– The electrons move from you to the knob.
Charging by Induction
» Induction - The charging of an object without Law of Conservation of Charge
direct contact - Charges within a closed system may be
transferred from one object to another, but
charge is neither created nor destroyed.
Objects are electrically charged In one of three ways:
- Friction: when electrons are rubbed from one
object to another
- Contact: when electrons are transferred through
direct contact without rubbing
- Induction: when electrons are gathered or
dispersed by the presence of a nearby charge
» Grounding – Allowing charges to move freely (without physical contact)
along a connection between a conductor and the Electric Field Vector, E
ground (sketch c) Electric Field is designed as follows
- E = F/ qo
- qo , positive test charge
- E is a vector quantity
» Direction indicated by small + test
charge
- Unit: N/C
Induction and Lightning Another equation for E
- The bottom of the negatively charged cloud - The electric field strength is not dependent upon
induces a positive charge at the surface of the the quantity of q
ground below - Substitute Coulomb’s Law in F below
Objects that tend to give up electrons and become
positive:
- Glass
- Nylon
- Fur
- Hair
- Wool
Objects that tend to attract electrons and become
negative:
- Rubber
- Polyester
- Styrofoam
- Saran wrap
- Pvc

Insulators and Conductors

- Different materials hold electrons differently.
- Insulators don’t let electrons move around within
the material freely.
» Ex. Cloth, Plastic, Glass, Dry Air, Wood, Problem
Rubber 1. A charge of 3µC is used to test the electric field
- Conductors do let electrons move around within of a central charge of 6C that causes a force of
the material freely. 800N. What is the magnitude of the electric
» Ex. Metals- Silver, Copper, Aluminum field?
A charged plastic rod is brought close a neutral Hint… Which charge ‘tests’ the field
metal sphere. How would the distribution of Answer: 2.7 x108 N/C
charges be in the metal sphere? Electric Field
- Space around a charge.
- Have a magnitude and direction  Work = Force x Distance
Field Lines  W=Fxh
 = mgh
Electric Force [F] – the actual force felt by a charge at  → U=mgh
some location
- Potential energy may be released and converted
Electric Field [E] – found for a location only – tells what
into other forms (such as kinetic energy)
the electric force would be if a charge were located there
» Work is done, increasing the potential
Both are vectors, with magnitude and direction. Add x & energy
y components. - Potential energy difference is the only thing that
matters – not the reference (or zero) level
Problem 1 » For example, applying conservation of
A test charge of +3µC is located 5m to the east of a -4µC energy to a mechanics problem:
charge.  Final energy = Initial energy
A) Find the electric force felt by the test charge.
B) Find the electric field at that location. KE final + PE final =KEinitial + PE initial
Answer: 4.32x10-3 N, 1.44 x 103 N/C along the –x axis. KE final=KE initial +(PE initial−PE final)
Problem 2 - Potential energy difference doesn’t depend on
If a test charge is moved to a location three times as far the path – only on the two points A and B
as its original location, how does the electric field » e.g. moving a charge through an electric
change? field…
Answer: Inverse-Square Law says… 1/9 Electric Potential

Problem 3 - Potential difference ∆ V is work needed to move

Calculate the electric field felt by a positive test charge 1C of charge: W =q ∆ V
located half way between a charge of +1C and a charge - Equate: q ∆ V =−qE ∆ x
of -3C, that are 2m apart. - Electric field is the gradient of potential
−∆ V
E=
Answer: 3.6 x 1010 N/C (toward the -3C charge) ∆x
- Positive charges feel a force from high to low
What does it mean when it says “1.5 Volts” on the potential
battery? - Negative charges feel a force from low to high
- The electric potential difference between the potential
ends if 1.5 volts
- Gravitational potential difference exerts force on
Electric Potential
mass
- The electric potential difference ∆V in volts
between two points is the work in Joules needed - Electric potential difference exerts force on
to move 1 C of charge between those points charge
- W =q × ∆ V - The dashed lines are called equipotentials (lines
» W = work done [in J] of constant V)
» q = charge [in C] - Electric field lines are perpendicular to
» ∆ V = potential difference [in V] equipotentials
- It takes no work to move a charge along an
» ∆V is measured in volts [V] : 1 V = 1 J/C
equipotential (work done =
- The electric potential difference ∆ V in volts
between two points is the work in Joules needed dW =⃗ F.⃗ dx=q ⃗ E .⃗
dx =0)
to move 1 C of charge between those points - Electric field is the potential gradient
» The 1.5 V battery does 1.5 J of work for V
» E=
every 1 C of charge flowing round the d
circuit - Work W to move charge q from –ve to +ve plate
» w=qV
Potential Energy
link to Potential Energy
- Potential energy crops up everywhere in physics
- Potential energy U is the energy stored in a - The electric potential difference ∆ V between two
system (when work is done against a force) points is the work needed to move 1 C of charge
» E.g force of gravity: between those points
 F = mg » W =q × ∆ V
- This work is also equal to the potential energy
difference ∆ U between those points
» ∆ U =q × ∆ V
- Potential V = potential energy per unit charge
U/q

Electric Potential

- Work = Force x Distance

kQq
- Potential energy U =
r
U kQ
- Electric potential V = =
q r
Summary

- Electric potential difference V is the work done

when moving unit charge: W =qV
- The electric potential energy is therefore also
given by: U =qV
- The electric field is the gradient of the potential:
−∆ V
E=
∆x
- Charges feel a force from high electric potential
to low potential

Electric Potential