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Week001-Electric Charge, Coulomb's Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux pUb7UF

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux

Week No. 001/ Module 001

Lesson 1 - Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and


Electric Flux

Content of the Module


1. Electric Charge Definition
a. Basic Properties of Electric Charge
b. Charges are Additive in Nature
c. Charge is a Conserved Quantity
d. Quantization of Charge
2. Conductors and Insulators
a. Conductors
b. Insulators
3. Coulomb’s Law
a. Calculations Using Coulomb's Law
4. Electric Forces & Fields
a. Electric Field
b. Lines of force / Electric Forces
c. Electric Fields and Potentials
d. Electric Force & Fields
e. The Force per Charge Ratio
f. Another Electric Field Strength Formula

Electric Charge Definition


Electric Charge is nothing but the amount of energy or electrons that pass from one body
to another by different modes like conduction, induction or other specific methods. This
is a basic electric charge definition. There are two types of electric charges. They are
positive charges and negative charges.
Charges are present in almost every type of body. All those bodies having no charges are
the neutrally charged ones. We denote a charge y the symbol ‘q’ and its standard unit is

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001
Coulomb. Mathematically, we can say that a charge is the number of electrons multiplied
by the charge on 1 electron. Symbolically, it is
Q = ne
where q is a charge, n is a number of electrons and e is a charge on 1 electron (1.6 × 10-
19
C). The two very basic natures of electric charges are
• Like charges repel each other.
• Unlike charges attract each other.

This means that while protons repel protons, they attract electrons. The nature of charges
is responsible for the forces acting on them and coordinating the direction of flow of
them. The charge on electron and proton is same in magnitude which is 1.6 × 10-19 C.
The difference is only the sign that we use to denote them, + and -.

Basic Properties of Electric Charge


There are certain other basic properties that an electric charge follows from the electric
charge definition. They are
• Charges are additive in nature
• Charge is a conserved quantity
• Quantization of charge
Let us now look at these properties in greater detail.

Charges are Additive in Nature


This means that they behave like scalars and we can add them directly. As an example,
let us consider a system which consists of two charges namely q1 and q2. The total charge
of the system will be the algebraic sum of q1 and q2 i.e.q1 + q2. The same thing holds for a
number of charges in a system. Let’s say a system contains q1,q2,q3,q4 ………. qn, then the
net charge of the entire system will be
= q1 + q2 + q3 + q4 + ……. + qn

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Charge is a Conserved Quantity


This implies that charge can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be transferred
from one body to another by certain methods like conduction and induction. Does this
remind you of the law of conservation of mass? As charging involves rubbing two
bodies, it is actually a transfer of electrons from one body to another.
For example, if 5 C is the total charge of the system, then we can redistribute it as 1C,
2C and 2C or in any other possible permutation. For example, sometimes a neutrino
decays to give one electron and one proton by default in nature. The net charge of the
system will be zero as electrons and protons are of the same magnitude and opposite
signs.

Quantization of Charge
This signifies the fact that charge is a quantized quantity and we can express it as integral
multiples of the basic unit of charge (e – charge on one electron). Suppose charge on a
body is q, then we can write it as
q = ne
where n is an integer and not fraction or irrational number, like ‘n’ can be any positive or
negative integer like 1, 2, 3, -5 etc. The basic unit of charge is the charge that an electron
or proton carries. By convention, we take charge on the electron as negative and denote it
as “-e” and charge on a proton is simply “e”.

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001
English experimentalist Faraday was the first to propose the quantization of charge
principle. He did this when he put forward his experimental laws of electrolysis. Millikan
in 1912, finally demonstrated and proved this principle.
1 A Coulomb of charge contains around 6 × 1018 electrons. Particles don’t have a high
magnitude of charge and we use micro coulombs or milli coulombs in order to express
charge of a particle.
• 1 μC = 10-6 C
• 1 mC = 10-3 C

We can use the principle of quantization to calculate the total amount of charge present in
a body and also to calculate a number of electrons or protons in a body. Suppose a system
has n1 number of electrons and n2 number of protons, then the total amount of charge
will be n2e – n1e.

Solved Example For You


Question: The charges of a system are +3 C, + 2 C, + 5 C and -4 C respectively. What
would be the net charge of the system?
Solution: We know that the net charge of a system is algebraic sum of individual
charges. Let the total charge of the system be “Q”. Then,
Q = 3 C + 2 C + 5C – 4C
=6C

Conductors and Insulators

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Conductors:
In a conductor, electric current can flow freely, in an insulator it cannot. Metals such as
copper typify conductors, while most non-metallic solids are said to be good insulators,
having extremely high resistance to the flow of charge through them. "Conductor"
implies that the outer electrons of the atoms are loosely bound and free to move through
the material. Most atoms hold on to their electrons tightly and are insulators. In copper,
the valence electrons are essentially free and strongly repel each other. Any external
influence which moves one of them will cause a repulsion of other electrons which
propagates, "domino fashion" through the conductor.
Simply stated, most metals are good electrical conductors, most nonmetals are not.
Metals are also generally good heat conductors while nonmetals are not.

Insulators:
Most solid materials are classified as insulators because they offer very large resistance to
the flow of electric current. Metals are classified as conductors because their outer
electrons are not tightly bound, but in most materials even the outermost electrons are so
tightly bound that there is essentially zero electron flow through them with
ordinary voltages. Some materials are particularly good insulators and can be
characterized by their high resistivities:

Resistivity (ohm m)

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Glass 1012

Mica 9 x 1013

Quartz (fused) 5 x 1016

This is compared to the resistivity of copper:

Resistivity (ohm m)

Copper 1.7 x 10-8

Coulomb’s Law
The force between two point charges is… directly proportional to the magnitude of each
charge (q1, q2),
• inversely proportional to square of the separation between their centers (r),

• directed along the separation vector connecting their centers (r̂).


This relationship is known as Coulomb's Law. Charles-Augustin Coulomb (1736–1806)

France. As an equation it is usually written in one of two forms…

• When two charges have the same sign their product is positive, which means the
force vector is directed with the separation vector (r̂) and the action is repulsive.

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001
• When two charges have the opposite sign their product is negative, which means
the force vector is directed against the separation vector (r̂ ) and the action is
attractive.

Calculations Using Coulomb's Law


In physics courses, Coulomb's law is often used as a type of algebraic recipe to solve
physics word problems. Three such examples are shown here.
Example
Suppose that two point charges, each with a charge of +1.00 Coulomb are separated by a
distance of 1.00 meter. Determine the magnitude of the electrical force of repulsion
between them.
This is not the most difficult mathematical problem that could be selected. It certainly
was not chosen for its mathematical rigor. The problem-solving strategy utilized here
may seem unnecessary given the simplicity of the given values. Nonetheless, the strategy
will be used to illustrate its usefulness to any Coulomb's law problem.
The first step of the strategy is the identification and listing of known information in
variable form. Here we know the charges of the two objects (Q1 and Q2) and the
separation distance between them (d). The next step of the strategy involves the listing of
the unknown (or desired) information in variable form. In this case, the problem requests
information about the force. So Felect is the unknown quantity. The results of the first two
steps are shown in the table below.
Given: Find:

Q1 = 1.00 C Felect = ???


Q2 = 1.00 C

d = 1.00 m

The next and final step of the strategy involves substituting known values into the
Coulomb's law equation and using proper algebraic steps to solve for the unknown
information. This step is shown below.
Felect = k • Q1 • Q2 / d2
Felect = (9.0 x 109 N•m2/C2) • (1.00 C) • (1.00 C) / (1.00 m)2

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Felect = 9.0 x 109 N

The force of repulsion of two +1.00 Coulomb charges held 1.00 meter apart is 9 billion
Newton. This is an incredibly large force that compares in magnitude to the weight of
more than 2000 jetliners.

This problem was chosen primarily for its conceptual message. Objects simply do not
acquire charges on the order of 1.00 Coulomb. In fact, more likely Q values are on the
order of 10-9 or possibly 10-6 Coulombs. For this reason, a Greek prefix is often used in
front of the Coulomb as a unit of charge. Charge is often expressed in units of
microCoulomb (µC) and nanoCoulomb (nC). If a problem states the charge in these units,
it is advisable to first convert to Coulombs prior to substitution into the Coulomb's law
equation. The following unit equivalencies will assist in such conversions.
1 Coulomb = 106 microCoulomb
1 Coulomb = 109 nanoCoulomb

The problem-solving strategy used in Example A included three steps:


1. Identify and list known information in variable form.
2. List the unknown (or desired) information in variable form.
3. Substitute known values into the Coulomb's law equation and using proper
algebraic steps to solve for the unknown information. (In some cases and for some
students, it might be easier to first do the algebra using the variables and then
perform the substitution as the last step.)

Electric Forces & Fields


Electric Field
The alteration of the properties of space around a charged body that will affect a
test charge with a force, F. The closer the test charge is to the body, the greater the force.
The direction of the net electric field is defined to be in the direction of the force acting
on a positive test charge. The strength of the force acting on the test charge at each point
in space is the magnitude of the test charge times the electric field strength. Figure 1(a)
illustrates the electric field in the region of a pair of unlike charges and Figure 1(b)
illustrates the electric field in the region of a pair of like charges.

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Figure 1

Lines of force / Electric Forces


imaginary lines used in visualizing fields such as electric fields. The lines
emanate from positive charges and terminate on negative charges. The density of the
lines in a region indicates the strength of the field there.

To define the electric field in mathematical terms, imagine a single point charge q in
space. When this is the only charge present, there is no force acting on it. But let's
imagine a small positive charge q0, called a test charge, placed at a distance r from q.
Now both q and q0 experience the Coulomb force

F=Keqq0/r2r

(Note: r is a dimensionless unit vector in the direction of r .)


Regrouping the equation yields:

F = q 0 (K e q / r 2 r)

The quantity in the parentheses does not depend on the magnitude of the test charge, but
only on its distance from q. The test charge detects the force, but the quantity in brackets
exist whether or not q 0 is there to detect it. That quantity is denoted by E and is called
the electric field generated by an isolated point charge q.

E=Keq/r2r

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Electric Fields and Potentials


1. An electric field surrounds an electric charge. The field strength at any place in the
field can be found by placing a small positive test charge there. Where the force on the
test charge is great, the field strength is great. Electric field strength is directly
proportional to the force exerted on a positive test charge. The direction of an electric
field at any point is the same as the direction of the force exerted on the positive test
charge. Some electric field lines surrounding a positive charge are shown.

They extend radially from the charge. A vector is sketched at point a to represent the
force that would be exerted on a positive test charge there (its direction shows that like
charges repel). Other points b,c,d,e and f, are all located at the same distance from the
positive charge.

Draw a vector at each point b - f to show the force on the same test charge.

2. The electric field about a negative charge is shown to the right. The field lines point
radially inward, in the same direction a positive test charge would be forced. Assume the
magnitude of the negative charge is the same as the charge above.

Draw field vectors at each of the points h - m.

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

3. The pair of equal and opposite charges of questions 1 and 2 is shown below. Their
individual fields, drawn uninfluenced by each other, over lap to form a field pattern that
can be constructed by vector rules. This is shown at locations a and b, where the two
forces combine to a single resultant force. Note that point b overlaps point m, and also
points c and l overlap. Note how the size of each vector depends on its distance from the
charge (inverse-square law). Every point in the field is the result of both the positive and
the negative charges.
a. By vector rules, show the resultant of all the vector pairs shown.
b. Sketch in sample vector resultants at a few other places. Does the pattern that
emerges agree with the field pattern shown in Figure a on the next page?

4. Three points, (a,b,c) are indicated on each electric field pattern. Point a in each pattern
shows the electric field vector at that point. The vector indicates the magnitude and
direction of the force that a positive test charge would experience at that point (a curved
field indicates that the force on a nearby test charge would be different in magnitude and
direction). Use the vector at points a as a reference and sketch in the electric field vectors
for points b and c in each pattern, using colored ink or pencil.

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Electric Force & Fields


Everyday Connections
Early scientists initiated the intuitive view of a force being a push or a pull. How can
electric charges exert such pushes and pulls without coming in contact with each other?
In fact, how does one charge "know" that another is around?

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001
The question of pushes and pulls without actual contact centers on the idea of "action at a
distance", a concept that bothered even Isaac Newton in his description of universal
gravitation. Michael Faraday first proposed the notion that a charge alters the space
around itself and creates a force field.

Try sketching below some patterns yourself in two dimensions.

What is the difference between the electric charge on an object and the associated
electric field?
An electric field does not deal with the body itself, but the region surrounding it. It
describes the alteration of the space in the region surrounding the body and results in an
electric force detected by a test charge entering the region. In other words, the charge is
the "thing" that causes the field. An analogy might be the difference between a rose and
the pleasant fragrance which surrounds it.

Why do electric lines of force never cross?


The electric field E has a unique direction at any point in space. If two lines crossed, two
directions would be indicated for E at the point of intersection and the electric field
would not be unique at that point.

The Force per Charge Ratio

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

Electric field strength is a vector quantity; it has both magnitude and direction. The
magnitude of the electric field strength is defined in terms of how it is measured. Let's
suppose that an electric charge can be denoted by the symbol Q. This electric charge
creates an electric field; since Q is the source of the electric field, we will refer to it as
the source charge. The strength of the source charge's electric field could be measured by
any other charge placed somewhere in its surroundings. The charge that is used to
measure the electric field strength is referred to as a test charge since it is used to test the
field strength. The test charge has a quantity of charge denoted by the symbol q. When
placed within the electric field, the test charge will experience an electric force - either
attractive or repulsive. As is usually the case, this force will be denoted by the symbol F.
The magnitude of the electric field is simply defined as the force per charge on the test
charge.

If the electric field strength is denoted by the symbol E, then the equation can be
rewritten in symbolic form as

.
The standard metric units on electric field strength arise from its definition. Since electric
field is defined as a force per charge, its units would be force units divided by charge
units. In this case, the standard metric units are Newton/Coulomb or N/C.
In the above discussion, you will note that two charges are mentioned - the source charge
and the test charge. Two charges would always be necessary to encounter a force. In the
electric world, it takes two to attract or repel. The equation for electric field strength (E)

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001
has one of the two charge quantities listed in it. Since there are two charges involved, a
student will have to be ultimately careful to use the correct charge quantity when
computing the electric field strength. The symbol q in the equation is the quantity of
charge on the test charge (not the source charge). Recall that the electric field strength is
defined in terms of how it is measured or tested; thus, the test charge finds its way into
the equation. Electric field is the force per quantity of charge on the test charge.
The electric field strength is not dependent upon the quantity of charge on the test charge.
If you think about that statement for a little while, you might be bothered by it. (Of
course if you don't think at all - ever - nothing really bothers you. Ignorance is bliss.)
After all, the quantity of charge on the test charge (q) is in the equation for electric field.
So how could electric field strength not be dependent upon q if q is in the equation?
Good question. But if you think about it a little while longer, you will be able to answer
your own question. (Ignorance might be bliss. But with a little extra thinking you might
achieve insight, a state much better than bliss.) Increasing the quantity of charge on the
test charge - say, by a factor of 2 - would increase the denominator of the equation by a
factor of 2. But according to Coulomb's law, more charge also means more electric force
(F). In fact, a twofold increase in q would be accompanied by a twofold increase in F. So
as the denominator in the equation increases by a factor of two (or three or four), the
numerator increases by the same factor. These two changes offset each other such that
one can safely say that the electric field strength is not dependent upon the quantity of
charge on the test charge. So regardless of what test charge is used, the electric field
strength at any given location around the source charge Q will be measured to be the
same.

Another Electric Field Strength Formula


The above discussion pertained to defining electric field strength in terms of how it is
measured. Now we will investigate a new equation that defines electric field strength in
terms of the variables that affect the electric field strength. To do so, we will have to
revisit the Coulomb's law equation. Coulomb's law states that the electric force between
two charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. When applied to our two

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001
charges - the source charge (Q) and the test charge (q) - the formula for electric force
can be written as

If the expression for electric force as given by Coulomb's law is substituted for force in
the above E =F/q equation, a new equation can be derived as shown below.

Note that the derivation above shows that the test charge q was canceled from both
numerator and denominator of the equation. The new formula for electric field strength
(shown inside the box) expresses the field strength in terms of the two variables that
affect it. The electric field strength is dependent upon the quantity of charge on the source
charge (Q) and the distance of separation (d) from the source charge.

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Course Title: Electric Charge, Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields, and Electric Flux
Week No. 001/ Module 001

References:
• https://www.toppr.com/guides/physics/electric-charges-and-fields/basic-properties-
electric-charge/
• http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/conins.html
• https://physics.info/coulomb/
• https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/Lesson-3/Coulomb-s-Law
• http://www.as.wvu.edu/phys/rotter/phys201/6_Electricity/Electric_Forces_and_Fields.ht
m
• https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/Lesson-4/Electric-Field-Intensity

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