ELECTROSTATICS

Lecture-1

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Charge: Charge is the property associated with matter due to which it produces and experiences electrical and magnetic
effects. The study of electrical effects of charge at rest is called electrostatics. Charge is the additional
property (other than mass) of matter. It is not an independent entity.

Two kinds of charges: Positive charge and negative charge

Properties of charges:
1. Charge is a scalar quantity.
2. Like charges repel and unlike charges attract each other.
3. Charge is transferable.
4. Quantization of charge: The principle of quantization of electric charge states that "in nature there is a smallest
amount of charge and all other charges are integral multiples of this smallest unit ". the magnitude of charge on
the proton or an electron is called elementary charge e.

19
10 6 . 1

= e Coulomb
Since the electrons and protons are the only charged particles constituting the matter thus charge on an object
must be integral multiple of e . Thus q ne =
this nature of the charge is known as quantization of charge. the charge is quantized, which means that the charge
exists in the form of discrete packets.
5. Conservation of charge: the total amount of charge in an isolated system remains constant. Charge can neither
be created nor be destroyed; it is transferred from one body to the other. For example, Uranium (
92
U
238
) can decay
by emitting an alpha particle (
2
He
4
nucleus) and transforming to thorium (
90
Th
234
).


92
U
238

90
Th
234
+
2
He
4

Total charge before decay = +92e, total charge after decay = 90e + 2e. Hence, the total charge is conserved. i.e. it remains constant.
6. Additive nature of charge: the total charge on an object is equal to the algebraic sum of all the electric charges
distributed on the different parts of the object.
+ + + =
3 2 1
q q q q _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
While taking the algebraic sum, the sign of the electric charges must be taken.
7. In charging, the mass of a body changes: if electrons are removed from the body, the mass of the body will
decrease and the body will become positively charged. On the other hand, if electrons are added to a body, the
mass of the body will increase and the body will acquire a net negative charge.
8. Charge is invariant: charge on a body does not change whatever be its speed.
9. Electromagnetic theory has established that a charged particle at rest produces only electric field in the space
surrounding it.
10. If the charged particle is in unaccelerated motion, it produces both electric and magnetic fields.

0
2

4
v r
B q
r

t

=
11. If the motion of charged particle is accelerated. It not only produces electric and magnetic fields but also radiates
energy in the space surrounding the charge in the form of electromagnetic waves.

Difference between charge and mass:

CHARGE MASS
1. In SI unit charge is derived physical quantity.

2. Charge can not exist without mass.

3. Charge of two type +ve and ve.

1. Mass is a fundamental physical quantity.

2. Mass can exist without charge.
3. Mass is only one type.
4. Mass is not conserved (
2
c m E = )
ELECTROSTATICS
Lecture-1

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4. Charge is conserved.

5. Charge is invariant.

6. Accelerated charge radiates energy.


5. Mass is variant
2
0
1
|
.
|

\
|

=
c
v
m
m
6. Accelerated mass does not radiate energy.



Forms of charges: (a) Free charge
(b) Induced charge
(c) Excess charge
(d) Localized charge

(a) Free charge: in the case of metals the valence electrons are so loosely bounded to the parent nucleus that it can
freely move inside the body of metal. Free electrons are responsible for good conduction in the metals. In the case
of solutions, the same role is played by free ions.

(b) Induced charge: Induction is redistribution of charge. When we bring a positively charged glass rod close to a
spherical conductor the free electron on its surface is attracted by it. Finally the two regions of positive and
negative charge is developed. These charges are called induced charges. This process is called charging by
induction.
- Inducing body neither gains nor loses charge.
- The nature of induced charge is always opposite to that of inducing
charge.
- If we remove the glass rod and take it back to large distance then the
sphere will again become neutral.
- Induced charge can be lesser or equal to inducing charge (but never
greater)
And its maximum value is given by:

|
.
|

\
|
=
K
q q
1
1
'

Where q is the inducing charge and K is the dielectric constant of the material of the uncharged body.
For metals, in electrostatics, K= and so
q q =
'

i.e. in metals induced charge is equal and opposite to inducing charge.
- After induction attraction takes place. Therefore, attraction is not a sure test of electrification.
- The sure test of electrification is repulsion.

(c) Excess charge: It is the extra charge given to the body by the help of some external agent.








(d) Localized charge: If we put some charge at a particular
location of an insulator. This charge can not move to the other
Inducing
charge
Induced
charge
Excess charge
Insulator
Localized
charge
ELECTROSTATICS
Lecture-1

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location so it is localized at a given location. This charge is
called localized charge.




Method of charging of a body:
(a) Charging by friction
(b) Charging by conduction
(c) Charging by induction

Types of charge densities: there are three types of charge densities
a) Linear charge density
dq
d
=



b) Surface charge density
dq
dA
o =



c) Volume charge density
dq
dV
=
Average charge densities
The total charge divided by the length, surface area, or volume will be the average charge densities: