PHYS 221 General Physics: Electricity, Lecture 1 Electric Charges & Coulomb’s Law

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Electric Charge Electric Charge

Electric charge is an intrinsic characteristic of the Net charge of a system:

fundamental particles that make up objects.
algebraic sum of all the charges

Positive Charge Negative Charge

+ Law: Conservation of charge

The net charge of a closed system never changes
  Electrically neutral: object contains equal amounts
of positive and negative charges
  Net charge: imbalance in charge

1
Electric Charge Charge of Particles
neutral atom Particles Symbol Charge
Electric charge is quantized
e – Electron e or e- e-
e –
q = ne, n = ±1, ±2, ±3,..... +Ze Proton p e+
e –
• Elementary charge: Neutron n 0
nucleus
e = 1.60602176462(63) x 10–19 C electron
orbits
Coulomb (C): one coulomb is the amount of charge that is Nucleus charge= +Ze, atom with Z electrons is neutral.
transferred through the cross section of a wire in 1 second
when there is a current of 1 ampere in the wire. Proton charge: |e+ | = 1.60 x 10–19 C
Electron charge: |e- | = 1.60 x 10–19 C

Interaction of Charges Conductors versus Insulators

•  Conductors: material in which electric charges can
Charged objects interact by exerting forces on one another. move around “freely.
(metals, tap water, body)

DEMO: 5A-02 Pith Balls •  Insulators: material in which electric charges are
“frozen” in place.
(air, glass, plastic)

•  Semi-conductor: material in which electric charges

can move around but not as freely as in conductors.
(silicon, germanium)
•  Super-conductor: no resistance to the movement of
charge.

2
Interaction of Charges: Insulators Interaction of Charges: Insulators
Force of Repulsion Force of Attraction
• Insulators: material in which electric charges are
“frozen” in place.

Charges with the same Charges with opposite

electrical sign repel electrical signs attract each
each other other.

Mobility of Charge Conductors versus Insulators

•  Conductors: material in which electric charges can •  Demo 5A-04: Charges are more readily
move around “freely. transferred by conductors
•  Negatively charged plastic rod
will attract either end of the
electrically isolated copper rod

•  Reason: charges in copper

rod can redistribute
themselves.

3
Mobility of Charge Charging by Induction
1.  Bring a charged rod
•  Demo: Pie Tins
close to conductor.
3. Break connection to
ground, keeping the
charged rod in place

2. Ground the conductor.

4. Remove
the rod. The
sphere is
charged.

Charge Induction Coulomb’s Law of Electro-static Force

•  Demo: 5A-10 Chimes r
Charged
q1 q2

Conducting The electro-static force of attraction/repulsion has a

thread magnitude:
Grounded
Coulomb’s Law

Insulating where:
1
thread k= = 8.99x10 9 Nm 2 / C 2
4πε o
and the permittivity constant is ε o = 8.55x10 −12 C 2 / Nm 2

4
Coulomb’s Law of Electro-static Force Coulomb’s Law of Electro-static Force
Force exerted by q1 on q2 at a distance r12

q1 q2  kq q q1, q2 in Coulombs (C)

F =k F12 = 12 2 r̂1,2 r12 in meters (m)
r2 r1,2 F12 in Newtons (N)

*Each particle exerts a

force of this magnitude on
the other particle.

F12
*The two forces form an
action-reaction pair.
 
Same sign charges: F12 is in the direction of r1,2 .
 
Opposite sign charges: F12 is in the direction opposite to r1,2 .

Coulomb’s Law Analogous to Newton’s Equation Electro-Static Force versus Newton’s Force of
of Gravitation Gravitational Attraction
q1 q2 m1m2
F =k F =G
r2 r2 DEMO: 2 x 4
Analogous
* k electro-static constant * G gravitational constant
* Inverse Square Law * Inverse Square Law
* Charge * Mass
DIFFERS
*Attractive/repulsive *Always attractive
depending on sign of *One kind of mass
charges *Dominates on large scales
*Two kinds of charges
*Dominates on small scale

5
Principle of Superposition Problem Solving Strategies:
•  When several point charges are put together, the total force
on any one charge is the vector sum of the each of the
separate forces acting on that charge. •  Draw a clear FORCE diagram
•  Exercise: •  Use consistent units (meter, Coulomb,
Newton)
y
F •  Remember that the force is a vector
•  Look for symmetry
F31 F21

R=1m Q1

Q2 600 Q3 Q1=Q2=Q3=1µC
Determine force on Q1 x

Supplemental Material Three charges on a line


Fnet
R net force on q1
  
q1 = +1.60 × 10 −19 C Fnet = F21 + F31
q 2 = +3.20 × 10 −19 C
 kq q
F21 = 22 1 r̂1,2
q 3 = −3.20 × 10 −19 C r1,2
R = 2 × 10 − 2 m  kq q
F31 = 32 1 r̂1, 3
r1,3

6
Keeping subscripts straight and figuring out the directions
Charges not on a line: need to use components
of r̂1,2 and r̂1, 3 is tedious. ⇒ Draw a force diagram.
q1 
 F31
F21 + x Find the force on q1.
Try to avoid the temptation to plug in numbers immediately.
Let Q = 1.60 × 10 −19 C.
Then q1 = +Q Fnet = −F21 + F31 Draw a force diagram:
q2 = +2Q k ⋅ 2Q 2 k ⋅ 2Q 2 2kQ 2 ⎛ 16 ⎞ y
=− + 2 = 2 ⎜
−1 + ⎟ 
q3 = −2Q R 2
⎛ 3 ⎞ R ⎝ 9⎠ F41
⎜⎝ R⎟⎠
4
 θ
Also, r1.2 = R 2kQ 2 ⎛ 7 ⎞ 14kQ 2 F21 + x
= ⎜ ⎟=
R2 ⎝ 9 ⎠ 9R 2
3
r1, 3 = R ≅ 8.96 × 10 −25 N
4

y
 Fnet = −F21 + F41
F41
k ⋅ 2Q 2 k ⋅ 2Q 2
    θ =− +
Fnet = F21 + F41 F21 + x R2 ⎛3 ⎞
2

   ⎜⎝ R⎟⎠
( ) ( ) ( )
4
Fnet x = F21 x + F41 x 2kQ 2 ⎛ 16 ⎞ 2kQ 2 ⎛ 7 ⎞ 14kQ 2
  = −1 + ⎟ = ⎜ ⎟=
( ) ( )
Fnet y = 0 + F41 y =
2 ⎜
R ⎝ 9⎠ R2 ⎝ 9 ⎠ 9R 2
( )
2 7 1.28
14 × 8.99 × 10 9 × 1.60 × 10 −19 14 × 10 9 × 2.56 × 10 −38
   = ≅
(F ) Fnet 2 = (Fnet )2x + (F net )2y ( ) 4 × 10 −4
2
= F21 + F41 cosθ 9 × 2 × 10 −2 2
net x
  ≅ 7 × 1.28 × 10 9 − 38 + 4
(F )
net y = 0 + F41 sin θ
tan θ =
(F1,net ) y
Fnet ≅ 8.96 × 10 −25 N
(F1,net ) x