1.

0 Electric Charge and Electric Field

EPF 0024: Physics II 1

 Outline

1.1 Electric Charge

1.2 Conductors and Insulators
1.3 Charging by contact
1.4 Charging by induction
1.6 Coulomb’s Law
1.7 The Electric Field

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Topics for today's lecture:

Electric Charge

Conductors and Insulators

Charging by contact and by induction

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Objectives of this lecture:

Explain the phenomenon of Electric Charge.

Explain conductors, semiconductors and

insulators using the atomic model.

Analyze the charging of objects by contact

and by induction.

Discuss problems related to these concepts.

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1.1 Electric Charge

Rubbing two objects together causes them to

become electrically charged. e.g:

i. glass rod rubbed with silk can attract paper piece.

ii. plastic rod rubbed with fur.

There are only two types of electric charges:

i. positive charges (glass rod rubed with silk)

ii. negative charges (plastic rod rubbed with fur).

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A basic law of charges states: like charges repel
and unlike charges attract as indicated in Fig. 1.1.

EPF 0024: Physics II

Fig. 1.1 6
1.1.1 The Atomic Theory of Matter

Matter is made up of atoms as building blocks

(quantization of matter).

An atom consists of (Fig. 1.2):

1. a nucleus (consists of +vely charged protons and

neutrons.

2. Surrounding the nucleus are vely charged particles

called electrons (charge is also quantized)

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Fig 1.2: The Structure of the Atom
An atom consists of equal
numbers of electrons &
protons (electrically neutral).
It becomes charged by
loosing or receiving electrons.

When plastic rod is negatively

charged, it implies it received
excess negative charges.
When a glass rod is positively
charged, it implies negative
charges are removed from it.
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1.1.2 Conservation of Electric Charge
Electric charge is conserved. It can neither be
created nor destroyed. This principle is stated as:
The net amount of electric charge produced in any
process is zero.

For instance
 Glass rod is rubbed with silk: 5 negative charges move to
the silk. The glass rod now has less 5 negative charges.

 However, the algebraic sum of charges on the glass rod

and the silk is zero (i.e. charge is conserved).

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1.2 Conductors and Insulators
Using the atomic model, it can be deduced that
the charges that can move in a material are the
outer (valence) electrons. The protons in the
nucleus remain in relatively fixed positions.

Electronic properties of materials can be

explained using the atomic model. In a conductor
the outer (valence) Electrons of the atoms are
loosely bound to the atom and can move freely
inside the material when an electric field is
applied. Most metals are good conductors.

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1.2 Conductors and Insulators

Conductors Semiconductors Insulators

Valance The bond of Electrons tightly

electrons free to electrons to bound to atom
move atoms can be
broken when
sufficient energy
is supplied
Metals Silicon, Plastics, wood,
Germanium glass

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Fig. 1.3: Charging by contact
Insulators are charged by rubbing. A conductor can
also be charged (Fig. 1.3) - charging by contact.

Plastic rod
-- --
-- -- Electrons
- - - -
- -
- -
Metal sphere

Insulated stand
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Fig. 1.4 Charging by induction
Conductors can also be charged
Plastic rod without contact as shown in Fig. 1.4.

-- -- -
- --
+ - + +
+ -
+ -
+ - + +

Metal sphere

Insulated stand Ground

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Conceptual questions
1. Explain why a comb that has been rubbed through your hair
attracts small bits of paper, even though the paper is
uncharged.

2. Small bits of paper are attracted to an electrically charged

comb, but as soon as they touch the comb they are strongly
repelled. Explain this behavior.

3. A charged rod is brought near a suspended object, which is

repelled by the rod. Can we conclude that the suspended
object is charged? Explain.

4. A charged rod is brought near a suspended object,

which is attracted to the rod. Can we conclude that the
suspended object is charged? Explain.

EPF 0024: Physics II 14

Solution

2. Initially, the bits of paper are uncharged and are

attracted to the comb by polarization effects.
When one of the bits of paper comes into contact
with the comb, it acquires charge from the comb.
Now the piece of paper and the comb have charge
of the same sign, and hence we expect a repulsive
force between them.

4. No. Even uncharged objects will be attracted to a

charged rod, due to polarization effects.

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Topics for today's lecture:

Coulomb’s Law

The Electric Field

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Objectives of this lecture:

To describe and deduce Coulomb’s Law.

To define the electric field.

To solve problems related to these concepts.

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 1.6 Coulomb’s Law
Electric charge exerts force on other charges.
Coulomb’s Law gives the magnitude of the force F
between two point charges and is written:

q1 q2 1 q1 q2
F k  (1.1)
r2 4 0 r 2
SI unit of electric charge coulomb (symbol C).

k = 1/(40) = 8.99  109 N.m2/C2 = Coulomb’s Law

constant and C2/(N.m2)permittivity of
free space.
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The smallest unit of charge is the charge of an
electron, e (= 1.6  1019 C). The charge of a
proton is e (= 1.6  1019 C).

The direction of the forces that two charges

exert on each other is dependant on their signs
(Fig. 1.6).

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Fig. 1.6: Forces acting on like and unlike charges

F12 r12 y
F21

 q1  q2
x

F34 r34 F43

 q3  q4
The two forces are
always equal in
r56 magnitude and
opposite in
 q5 F56 F65  q6 direction.
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Any charge q can be written, according to the
quantization principle as:
q  ne, n  1, 2, 3,... (1.2)

e is called elementary charge = 1.6  1019 C.

n is known as the charge quantum number.

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Table 1.1 shows the symbols of and charges on the three
atomic particles: the electron, proton and neutron.

Particle Symbol Charge

Electron e or e  e

Proton p +e

Neutron n 0

Table 1.1: The charges on three particles

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Example 1

How many electrons must be removed from

an electrically neutral metal to give it a charge
of 2.4 C.

EPF 0024: Physics II 23

 Solution

q  ne
q
n
e
 2.4 10 6 C
 19
 1. 5  1013

 1.6 10 C

EPF 0024: Physics II 24

Example 2

Two point charges of 1.0 C and.0 C are

separated by a distance of 1000 m. Find the
magnitude of the attractive force that either
charge exerts on the other.

EPF 0024: Physics II 25

Solution

q1 q2
F k
r2


 
8.99 109 N.m 2 C 2 1.0 C 1.0 C 
1.0 10 m 
3 2

 9.0 10 N 3

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Example 3

Three charged particles are arranged in a line

as shown in the figure below. Calculate the net
electric force on q3 due to the charges q1 and q2.
y

0.3 m 0.2 m x

q1 q2 F32 q3 F31
q1= 310 – 6 C q2= + 510 – 6 C q3 = 410 – 6 C

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Solution
Net force on q3 is vector sum of force F31
exerted by particle 1 and F32 exerted by 2.
Magnitude Fnet = F31  (F32) = F31 F32.
(8.99 109 N.m 2 /C 2 )(4.0 10 6 C)(3.0 10 6 C)
F31  2
 0.43 N
(0.5 m)
(8.99 109 N.m 2 /C 2 )(4.0  106 C)(5.0  106 C)
F32  2
 4.5 N
(0.2 m)

Net force:
Fnet  F31  F32  0.4 N  4.5 N  4.1 N
 Magnitude is 4.1 N and -ve sign indicates net
force points in the –ve x-direction.
EPF 0024: Physics II 28
Example 4
Calculate the magnitude and direction of the net
force on charge q3 (6.5 x 105 C) shown in
figure below due to the charges q1 (8.6  105 C)
and q2 ( 5.0 x 105 C).
F32 y

q3 F31x
x
F31y F31 60 cm
30 cm
90o 30o
q1
q2
52 cm
EPF 0024: Physics II 29
Solution

Magnitudes of F31 and F32 are

(8.99  109 N.m2 /C 2 )(6.5 105 C)(8.6 105 C)

F31  2
 140 N
(0.6 m)

(8.99 109 N.m2 /C 2 )(6.5 105 C)(5.0 105 C)

F32  2
 330 N
(0.3 m)

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 Resolve F31 into its components along the
x and y axes
F31x  F31 cos 30 0  120 N
F31 y  F31 sin 30 0  70 N

The force F32 has only a y component. So the

net force Fnet on q3 has components
Fx  F31x  120 N
Fy  F32  F31 y  330 N  70 N  260 N
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Magnitude of net force
F  Fx2  Fy2  (120 N) 2  (260 N) 2  290 N

Direction of net force

+ y
Fy
260 N
tan     2.2 Fy
Fx 120 N 65o
0 +x
  65 o
Fx
That is 65o above the positive x-axis
EPF 0024: Physics II 32
1.7 The Electric Field

The electric field, E, may be conceptualized as

surrounding a charge q just as the gravitational
field, g, surrounds a mass m.

Magnitude of E at a point is defined as the ratio

of the electric force experienced by a tiny
(point) positive test charge q0 and the
magnitude of the charge.

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The magnitude E at any point in space is
therefore given by the equation
F or F  q E
E (N/C) 0 (1.3)
q0
Using equation 1.1 and 1.3 and considering q2
as ve test charge q0, E at a distance r from a
point charge q would have magnitude
 q q0 
k 2 
F   r  q 1 q
 (1.4)
E  k 2 
q0 q0 r 4 0 r 2
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The direction of E is defined as the direction of
the force on a very tiny ve test charge placed
at a point in the field and is represented by field
lines that start on positive charges and end on
negative charges.

The field lines of E are as shown in

Fig. 1.7 (a) and (b) for a positive and a negative
charge, respectively. Fig. 1.8 and 1.9 shows
electric-field lines due to other charge
configurations.

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Fig. 1.7: The Electric Field lines surrounding an
isolated positive and negative charge.

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Fig. 1.8: Electric Field Lines due to two point
charges close together

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 Fig 1.9: Field lines due to a parallel sheet of
positive and negative charges

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Example 1

Find the magnitude and direction of the

electric field E due to a point charge q of
magnitude 3.00  106 C at a point P 30 cm
from the charge. (Take k = 8.99  109 N.m2).

EPF 0024: Physics II 39

Solution
y 30 cm

P
E
x q = 3.0  10 C
6

Magnitude
q
Ek
r2
(8.99 109 N.m 2 / C 2 )(3.0 10 6 C)
 2
 3. 0  10 5
N/C
(0.30m)
-ve x direction

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 ENG 1 & 2 START HERE
Example 2

Two charges q1 (25 C) and q2 (50 C) are

separated by a distance of 10.0 cm. (a) What
is the direction and magnitude of the net
electric field at a point P, 2.0 cm from the first
charge. (b) If an electron is placed at P, what
will its acceleration (direction and magnitude)
be initially. (Take the mass of the electron to
be 9.1  1031 kg).

EPF 0024: Physics II 41

Solution
y

(a)
x

10 cm

d1 = 2.0 cm d2 = 8.0 cm

P
q1 q2
E1 E2
25C 50 C

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(a) Direction of Enet: ve x-direction
Magnitude of Enet :

q1 q2  q1 q2 
Enet  E1  E2  k k 
 k 2  2 
d12 d 22 
 d1 d2 
 25  10 6 C 50  10  6 C 

 8.99  10 N.m /C 
9 2 2
 
 

2
 2.0  10 m   2
8.0  10  2 m 
 6.3  108 N/C

(b) The electron will experience a force in +ve x-

direction. Therefore: Direction of Acceleration: +ve x direction.
Magnitude of acceleration:
F qE eE (1.60  10 19 C) 6.3  108 N/C 
a   
m m me 9.1 10 31 kg
 1.1 10 20 m/s 2
EPF 0024: Physics II 43
Example 3

Two point charges are lying on the y axis with

q1 = 4.00 C and q2 =  4.00 C. They are
equidistant from a point P, which lies on the
x-axis (see figure). (a) What is the net electric
field at P? (b) A small object of charge q0 =
8.00 C and mass m = 1.20 g is placed at P.
When it is released, what is its acceleration
(magnitude and direction)?

EPF 0024: Physics II 44

Solution

Sketch diagrams
+y
Enet
q1  q1 
0.700 m
E1 E2
31.0o +x 31.0o 31.0o
31.0o P P
0.700 m
q2  q2 

EPF 0024: Physics II 45

(a) E1  k 2 
q1 
(8.99 109 N.m 2 /C) 4.00 106 C
 7.

34  10 4
N/C
r1  0.700m  2

E2  k 2 
q2 
(8.99  109 N.m 2 /C) 4.00  106 C 7 .34  10 4
N/C
r2  0.700m  2

E1 sin 31.0o  3.78 10 4 N/C

E2 sin 31.0o  3.78  10 4 N/C

Enet  E1 sin 31.0o  E2 sin 31.0o  7.56 N/C

Therefore Enet has a magnitude of 7.57 N/C
and directed along the y axis.
EPF 0024: Physics II 46
(b) According to Newton’s second law:

F q0 E
a 
m m


 
8.00  106 C 7.56  104 N/C 5.04  10 m/s
2 2

 3
1.20 10 kg 
Thus the magnitude of the acceleration is
5.04  102 m/s2 and is directed along the +y axis.
EPF 0024: Physics II 47