Physics 12 Honors/Regular Notes Electrostatics V2.

0 (KWP) Page 1 of 6

For more information, refer to.
1. Giancoli - Physics: Principles with Applications (5th Edition): Chapter 16 Electric Charge
and Electric Field
as well as other resources.

Data Table
Charge on proton/electron q
p
/ e ()1.60 10
19

Coulombs constant k 9.0 10
9
Nm
2
/C
2

Permittivity of free space
0
= (1/
2

0
) 8.85 10
12
C
2
/Nm
2

Electron rest mass

9.11 10
31
kg
Proton rest mass

1.6726 10
27
kg
Neutron rest mass

1.6749 10
27
kg

Forces between charged particles
The electrostatic force between two charged particles is dependent on
(1) The amount of charge on each particle ( F
1
,
2
)
(2) The distance between the charges (F
1

2
)

Coulombs Law

=
|
1
||
2
|

2


where k is Coulombs constant = 9.0 10
9
Nm
2
/C
2

Q
1
and Q
2
are charges on particles 1 and 2 respectively, measured in C (Coulombs)
1 e
-
(electron) has a charge 1.610
-19
C
r is the distance between particles, measured in m.
We can determine the direction force by remember that



Question





Calculate the electrostatic force which
a) Q
1
acts on Q
2
+ -
Q
1
=+1C
10
6

Q
2
=-2 C
5cm
Physics 12 Honors/Regular Notes Electrostatics V2.0 (KWP) Page 2 of 6

b) Q
2
acts on Q
1

Solution:
a) & b)

=
|
1
||
2
|

=
9.0 10
9
Nm
2
/C
2
|+1 10
6
||2 10
6
|
(0.05)
2
= 7.2


a) Force that Q
1
acts on Q
2
F
21
= 7.2 N left

b) Force that Q
2
acts on Q
1

F
12
= 7.2 N right

Electrostatic attraction

(c) If the positively charged particle was fired and the negatively charged particle has a mass of
1.68 10
-5
kg, calculate the acceleration of the negatively charged particle.

= => =
7.2
1.68 10
5

= 4.29 10
5

2
()

Question






Determine where electron would have a net force of zero (i.e. equilibrium position).
We could solve it through a system of equations.
Solution: According to the Coulombs Law,

=
|
1
||
2
|

=
|
1
||
2
|

2

In this case


Since the electron has a net force of zero, F
1
=F
2





Moreover, we know that

1
+
2
= 0.04
Newtons third law
+
-
Q
1

Q
2

+ +
4cm
e F
1
F
2

2C
3C
e=-1.610
-19
C

1
=
|
1
|||

1
2

2
=
|
2
|||

2
2

|
1
|||

1
2
=
|
2
|||

2
2
=>
2

1
2
=
3

2
2
=> 2
2
2
= 3
1
2
=>
1
2
=
2
2
2
3



1
=
2

2
3
=>
1
=
6
2
3

Physics 12 Honors/Regular Notes Electrostatics V2.0 (KWP) Page 3 of 6

Substituting equation (1) into (2), we obtain,



Electric field lines









A few other electric field lines diagrams Note their differences!
















6
2
3
+
2
= 0.04 => (
3 +6
3
)
2
= 0.04

2
= 0.0220 = 2.20

1
= 0.04 0.0220 = 0.0180 = 1.80

+
Stronger field
strength

Weaker field
strength field
lines further apart

+
+
+
Use test charge (always positive +) to
determine the direction of the field, E

.

Electric Field is the force acting in the field.
+
+
E

=
F

Electric field is measured in N/C.
q is the charge
of a charged
particle in the
field.
Around a point charge,
the electric field E is
not constant.

-
+
+
Test charge

Test
charge

- +
Fixed Charge

+
+
+
+
+
+
Fixed Charge
+
+
+
*Field lines NEVER intersect.

Physics 12 Honors/Regular Notes Electrostatics V2.0 (KWP) Page 4 of 6















Charged Parallel Plates











The electric field strength, E

, acting upon a particle with a charge, q is given by:

Defines E (General)
so

- +
-
+
-
+
-
+
- +
q
Uniform field (E

is constant)
Constant acceleration (Constant F

)
means we can use the kinematics
equations to solve problems in this
field.

+
+
+
+
Fixed
(+)
charges

(+)


Fixed
(-)
charges

(+)


Since field lines are parallel and
equally spaced, the electric field
is constant.
Be careful that youre consistent
in how you note your E.
E

, E

,
+
+
+
-
-
-
Parallel Field Lines

e
+

Uniform field (E

is
constant)

Constant acceleration
(Constant F

)

+ -
F

= E

=
F

Compare with F

=
where q is the charge of the particle
placed in the electric field.
Physics 12 Honors/Regular Notes Electrostatics V2.0 (KWP) Page 5 of 6

Electric field due to a point charge source

=>


Electric field strength, E has units N/C (or as we will soon see later on, V/m)

Example
1. Where would I place an electron in the charge set up below so that it would remain in
equilibrium? (Draw a free body diagram of the electron.) Assume Q
1
and Q
2
are fixed charges
here.
Solution:



For equilibrium,









Quadratic Equation:



E

2

Vector

Compare with g =

2

+
-
(Fixed) Q
1
=1C
(Fixed) Q
2
=-2C
0.05m x
F
2
<- e
-
-> F
1

F = 0
|
2
| = |
1
|

|
2
|||

2
2
=
|
1
|||

1
2

vector
|
2
|||

2
2
=
|
1
|||

1
2

+

1

e
Q
1

e
-> F
1

F
2
<-
-
Q
2

2

(2 10
6
)
( +5 10
2
)
2
=
(1 10
6
)

2

(2 10
6
)
2
= (1 10
6
)( +5 10
2
)
2

2
2
=
2
+(1 10
1
) + 25 10
4

2
+(1 10
1
) + 25 10
4
= 0
=

2
4
2

=
(1 10
1
) (1 10
1
)
2
4(1)(25 10
4
)
2 (1)

= +0.1207 m or = 0.0207 m
Physics 12 Honors/Regular Notes Electrostatics V2.0 (KWP) Page 6 of 6

In this case the negative value would be rejected. As a result, the electron should be placed
0.1207m away from the positive charge, and 0.1707 m away from the negative charge in
order to remain in equilibrium.
Question









(a) Solution:






(b) Solution:






+ -
e
An electron is placed within a pair of opposing charged
plates. Given that the uniform electric field between the
plates is 50 N/C, calculate
(a) The acceleration of the electron (Magnitude and
direction)
(b) The time it takes for the electron to move from one
plate to the other if the plates are 1.0 cm apart and the
electron starts from rest.
E

=
F

But since F

= a ,
E

=
a

a =
E

=
(50

) ( 1.6 10
19
)
(9.11 10
31
)
= 8.8 10
12
/
2
,
=

+
1
2

2


=

=
2 1.0 10
2

8.8 10
12
/
2
= 4.8 10
8

0