Section 1 Electric Charge

Chapter 16

TEKS The student is expected to:

5E characterize materials as conductors or insulators

based on their electrical properties

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Preview
• Objectives
• Properties of Electric Charge
• Transfer of Electric Charge

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Objectives
• Understand the basic properties of electric charge.

• Differentiate between conductors and insulators.

• Distinguish between charging by contact, charging

by induction, and charging by polarization.

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Properties of Electric Charge

• There are two kinds of electric charge.
– like charges repel
– unlike charges attract

• Electric charge is conserved.

– Positively charged particles are called protons.
– Uncharged particles are called neutrons.
– Negatively charged particles are called electrons.

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Electric Charge
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Visual Concept

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Properties of Electric Charge, continued

• Electric charge is quantized. That is, when an object
is charged, its charge is always a multiple of a
fundamental unit of charge.

• Charge is measured in coulombs (C).

• The fundamental unit of charge, e, is the magnitude

of the charge of a single electron or proton.
e = 1.602 176 x 10–19 C

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

The Milikan Experiment

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Milikan’s Oil Drop Experiment

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Visual Concept

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Transfer of Electric Charge

• An electrical conductor is a material in which
charges can move freely.

• An electrical insulator is a material in which charges

cannot move freely.

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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Transfer of Electric Charge, continued

• Insulators and conductors can be charged by contact.

• Conductors can be charged by induction.

• Induction is a process of charging a conductor by

bringing it near another charged object and
grounding the conductor.

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 Visual Concepts
Chapter 16

Charging by Induction
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 Section 1 Electric Charge
Chapter 16

Transfer of Electric Charge, continued

• A surface charge can be
induced on insulators by
polarization.

• With polarization, the

charges within individual
molecules are realigned
such that the molecule
has a slight charge
separation.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

TEKS The student is expected to:

5A research and describe the historical development

of the concepts of gravitational, electromagnetic,

weak nuclear, and strong nuclear forces

5C describe and calculate how the magnitude of the

electrical force between two objects depends on their

charges and the distance between them

5D identify examples of electric and magnetic forces

in everyday life

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Preview
• Objectives
• Coulomb’s Law
• Sample Problem

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Objectives
• Calculate electric force using Coulomb’s law.

• Compare electric force with gravitational force.

• Apply the superposition principle to find the resultant

force on a charge and to find the position at which the
net force on a charge is zero.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Coulomb’s Law
• Two charges near one another exert a force on one
another called the electric force.

• Coulomb’s law states that the electric force is propor-

tional to the magnitude of each charge and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance between
them.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Coulomb’s Law, continued

• The resultant force on a charge is the vector sum of
the individual forces on that charge.

• Adding forces this way is an example of the principle

of superposition.

• When a body is in equilibrium, the net external force

acting on that body is zero.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Superposition Principle
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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem
The Superposition Principle
Consider three point
charges at the corners of a
triangle, as shown at right,
where q1 = 6.00  10–9 C,
q2 = –2.00  10–9 C, and
q3 = 5.00  10–9 C. Find the
magnitude and direction of
the resultant force on q3.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

The Superposition Principle
1. Define the problem, and identify the known
variables.
Given:
q1 = +6.00  10–9 C r2,1 = 3.00 m
q2 = –2.00  10–9 C r3,2 = 4.00 m
q3 = +5.00  10–9 C r3,1 = 5.00 m
 = 37.0º
Unknown: F3,tot = ? Diagram:

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

The Superposition Principle
Tip: According to the superposition principle, the resultant
force on the charge q3 is the vector sum of the forces
exerted by q1 and q2 on q3. First, find the force exerted on
q3 by each, and then add these two forces together
vectorially to get the resultant force on q 3.
2. Determine the direction of the forces by analyzing
the charges.
The force F3,1 is repulsive because q1 and q3 have the
same sign.
The force F3,2 is attractive because q2 and q3 have
opposite signs.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

The Superposition Principle
3. Calculate the magnitudes of the forces with
Coulomb’s law.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

The Superposition Principle
4. Find the x and y components of each force.
At this point, the direction each component must be taken
into account.
F3,1: Fx = (F3,1)(cos 37.0º) = (1.08  10–8 N)(cos 37.0º)
Fx = 8.63  10–9 N
Fy = (F3,1)(sin 37.0º) = (1.08  10–8 N)(sin 37.0º)
Fy = 6.50  10–9 N
F3,2: Fx = –F3,2 = –5.62  10–9 N
Fy = 0 N

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

The Superposition Principle
5. Calculate the magnitude of the total force acting
in both directions.

Fx,tot = 8.63  10–9 N – 5.62  10–9 N = 3.01  10–9 N

Fy,tot = 6.50  10–9 N + 0 N = 6.50  10–9 N

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

The Superposition Principle
6. Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the magni-
tude of the resultant force.

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

The Superposition Principle
7. Use a suitable trigonometric function to find the
direction of the resultant force.
In this case, you can use the inverse tangent function:

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 Section 2 Electric Force
Chapter 16

Coulomb’s Law, continued

• The Coulomb force is a field force.

• A field force is a force that is exerted by one object on

another even though there is no physical contact
between the two objects.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

TEKS The student is expected to:

5C describe and calculate how the magnitude of the

electrical force between two objects depends on their

charges and the distance between them

5E characterize materials as conductors or insulators

based on their electrical properties

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Preview
• Objectives
• Electric Field Strength
• Sample Problem
• Electric Field Lines
• Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Objectives
• Calculate electric field strength.

• Draw and interpret electric field lines.

• Identify the four properties associated with a

conductor in electrostatic equilibrium.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Electric Field Strength

• An electric field is a region where an electric force on
a test charge can be detected.

• The SI units of the electric field, E, are newtons per

coulomb (N/C).

• The direction of the electric field vector, E, is in the

direction of the electric force that would be exerted on
a small positive test charge.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Electric Fields and Test Charges

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Electric Field Strength, continued

• Electric field strength depends on charge and
distance. An electric field exists in the region around
a charged object.

• Electric Field Strength Due to a Point Charge

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Calculating Net Electric Field

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem
Electric Field Strength
A charge q1 = +7.00 µC is
at the origin, and a charge
q2 = –5.00 µC is on the x-
axis 0.300 m from the
origin, as shown at right.
Find the electric field
strength at point P,which is
on the y-axis 0.400 m from
the origin.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
1. Define the problem, and identify the known
variables.
Given:
q1 = +7.00 µC = 7.00  10–6 C r1 = 0.400
m
q2 = –5.00 µC = –5.00 Tip:
10Apply
–6
C the principle
r2 = 0.500
of m
 = 53.1º superposition. You must first
calculate the electric field produced
by each charge individually at point
Unknown: P and then add these fields together
as vectors.
E at P (y = 0.400 m)

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
2. Calculate the electric field strength produced by
each charge. Because we are finding the magnitude
of the electric field, we can neglect the sign of each
charge.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
3. Analyze the signs of the
charges.
The field vector E1 at P due
to q1 is directed vertically
upward, as shown in the
figure, because q1 is positive.
Likewise, the field vector E2
at P due to q2 is directed
toward q2 because q2 is
negative.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
4. Find the x and y components of each electric field
vector.

For E1: Ex,1 = 0 N/C

Ey,1 = 3.93  105 N/C

For E2: Ex,2= (1.80  105 N/C)(cos 53.1º) = 1.08  105 N/C
Ey,1= (1.80  105 N/C)(sin 53.1º)= –1.44 
105 N/C

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
5. Calculate the total electric field strength in both
directions.

Ex,tot = Ex,1 + Ex,2 = 0 N/C + 1.08  105 N/C

= 1.08  105 N/C

Ey,tot = Ey,1 + Ey,2 = 3.93  105 N/C – 1.44  105 N/C

= 2.49  105 N/C

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
6. Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the
magnitude of the resultant electric field strength
vector.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
7. Use a suitable trigonometric function to find the
direction of the resultant electric field strength
vector.
In this case, you can use the inverse tangent
function:

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Sample Problem, continued

Electric Field Strength
8. Evaluate your answer.
The electric field at point P is pointing away from the
charge q1, as expected, because q1 is a positive
charge and is larger than the negative charge q2.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Electric Field Lines

• The number of electric
field lines is proportional
to the electric field
strength.

• Electric field lines are

tangent to the electric
field vector at any point.

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Rules for Drawing Electric Field Lines

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Rules for Sketching Fields Created by Several

Charges
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Visual Concept

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 Section 3 The Electric Field
Chapter 16

Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium

• The electric field is zero everywhere inside the
conductor.

• Any excess charge on an isolated conductor resides

entirely on the conductor’s outer surface.

• The electric field just outside a charged conductor is

perpendicular to the conductor’s surface.

• On an irregularly shaped conductor, charge tends to

accumulate where the radius of curvature of the
surface is smallest, that is, at sharp points.

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