STEM125 – General Physics 2

READING MATERIAL 1
Week 1
2nd Semester, SY 2022-2023

1| ELECTROSTATICS

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
The learners are expected to:
1. Recall the different subatomic particles and their role in the interactions due
to charges,
2. Explain using a diagram the processes of charging by rubbing and by induction,
3. Explain the role of electron transfer in electrostatic charging by rubbing, and;
4. Describe experiments to show electrostatic charging by induction.

Electromagnetism will tackle concepts, phenomena and interactions that relate to both electricity and
magnetism. It must be known that such are invisible to the naked eye making this course more
challenging than General Physics 1.

With this, as your springboard to the rest of the course, it may be helpful to go over some concepts
that you have previously learned about the electric charge and the structure of the atom.

ELECTRIC CHARGE: How it came to be

As early as 600 B.C., the ancient Greeks discovered that after rubbing amber and wool, the amber
could attract objects. At present, this is explained by saying that the amber acquired a net electric charge or
simply, has become charged. Interestingly, the word electric, we use nowadays, is coined from the Greek
word elektron which means amber.

Electrostatics is a field that focuses focuses on the interactions between electric charges that are at
rest (or nearly so). Common experiments here include the rubbing of plastic rods and fur which suggests
that there are exactly two (2) kinds of electric charge which Benjamin Franklin suggested to be called
negative (the one on the plastic rod) and positive (the one on the glass rod). See Figure 1 below for more
detais on how these charges interact in the mentioned experiment.

Figure 1 From University Physics 14th Edition, Young and Freedman

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STEM125 – General Physics 2
READING MATERIAL 1
Week 1
2nd Semester, SY 2022-2023

Principle of Conservation of Charge

Like many established concepts in Science, we are always guided by principles as listed:
§ The algebraic sum of all the charges in any closed system is constant
§ The magnitude of the charge of the proton or electron is a natural unit of charge

Two positive charges or two negative charges repel each other. A

positive charge and a negative charge attract each other.

Recall

STRUCTURE OF THE ATOM

Table 1 Structure of the Atom

SUB-ATOMIC
PARTICLES CHARGE MASS ( )
electron Negative 1.673 × 10

proton Positive !"#

9.109 × 10!$%
neutron No charge
1.673 × 10!"#

*The charges of the electron and proton are

equal in magnitude.
Figure 2 From University Physics 14th Edition, Young and
Freedman

The role of the subatomic particles is especially noticeable in ionization or formation of ions. In this
process, electrons are either gained or lost. When one or more electrons are removed from a neutral
atom, it becomes a positive ion (cation). When one or more electrons are added to a neutral atom, it
becomes a negative ion (anion).

Note that these occurrences on the microlevel contribute to macrolevel consequences such as
observed when rubbing rods with fur.

How do objects acquire a charge?

Mostly, this is determined by the nature of the object. There are objects that allow easy passage of
electric charges (conductors) and there are those that does not (insulators). There are even objects that are
more inclined to becoming negatively charged or becoming positively charged after rubbing a pair of objects
together.

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STEM125 – General Physics 2
READING MATERIAL 1
Week 1
2nd Semester, SY 2022-2023

Charging by Induction

Figure 3 Charging by Induction (University Physics 14th Edition, Young and Freedman)

Laboratory Activity/ Simulation

ALUMINUM CAN POLARIZATION
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Static-Electricity/Aluminum-Can-
Polarization/Aluminum-Can-Polarization-Interactive
Objective:
Explain the cause of the interaction between a charged object (either positively- or negatively-charged) and a
neutral aluminum pop can.

Explore-Interact-Learn:
Investigate the interaction between a glass rod and a rubber rod and the aluminum can. Play with the simulation,
moving the rods about the screen and observing the behavior of charges within the pop can. Then complete the
models below by shading (use color red) in the areas where electrons tend to congregate most densely.

Discussion Questions:
1. What is observable in the protons in the aluminum can? How do they behave during the movement of the rods
near it? Why do they behave like this? ____________________________________
2. What happens to the electrons in the aluminum can when the glass rod is placed near it (but not touching)?
What about when the glass rod is already touching the can? ____________________________________
3. What happens to the electrons in the aluminum can when the rubber rod is placed near it (but not touching)?
What about when the rubber rod is already touching the can? ____________________________________
Conclusion:
In writing down the conclusion, try to describe what must happen inside the aluminum can for it to be attracted to
the negatively charged object or positively charged object.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

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STEM125 – General Physics 2
READING MATERIAL 1
Week 1
2nd Semester, SY 2022-2023

Comprehension Check:

1. Original charges +3C and -2C are on identical conductors. What are the new charges after contact?
a. +1C and 0C
b. +0.5C and +0.5C
c. 0C each
d. no change
2. Immediately, after contact of the conductors in no. 1, what will happen?
a. They will repel
b. They will attract
c. They will increase in total charge
d. They will gain energy
3. Two charged objects repel each other through the electric force. What are these charges?
a. one positive and one negative
b. both positive
c. both negative
d. both b & c
4. You have two lightweight metal spheres, each hanging from an insulating nylon thread. One of the
spheres has a net negative charge, while the other sphere has no net charge.
a. If the spheres are close together but do not touch, what will happen?
The spheres will _____.
i. Attract each other
ii. Repel each other
iii. Exert no force on each other

b. You now allow the two spheres to touch. Once they have touched, what will happen?
The spheres will _____.
i. Attract each other
ii. Repel each other
iii. Exert no force on each other
5. An electron is shot between two (2) charged plates as shown below. Which path would it take?

a. Path A
b. Path B
c. Path C
d. Path D

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