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AP Phys B

Test Review

Electrostatics, Circuits, and


Magnetism
4/29/2008
Overview
 Electrostatics

 Electric Potential
 Dielectrics and Capacitance

 Electric Current

 DC Circuits

 Magnetism
Electrostatics
 Charge is carried by subatomic particles
(protons, electrons)
• 99% of all charged effects caused by electron
transfer
 Charging by Conduction
• Physical contact
 Charging by Induction
• No physical contact
Coulomb’s Law
 This law determines the force of attraction or
repulsion between 2 charged objects
1 Q 1Q 2
Fq =
4 πε 0 r 2
• ε0 is a constant – permittivity of free space
• Positive force = repulsive, negative force = attractive
• Remember: force is a vector!
Electric field lines
A visual
representation of
an electric field.
• More lines =
stringer force
• Point away from
positive, toward
negative.
Electric Fields and conductors
 The electric field inside any conductor is
zero
 The electric field is always perpendicular
to the surface of a conductor
Gauss’ Law
 Electric Flux: The amount of an electric field
passing through an area

Φ = E A cosθ
 Gauss’ Law: The total electric flux passing
through a closed surface is proportional to the
charged enclosed in that surface.
Q e n c lo s e d
Φ =
ε0
Electric Potential Energy
 Electric Potential energy can be determined
using mechanics
∆U = −qEd
 Electric potential is defined as the electric
potential energy per unit charge
U W
V = = − ∆U = −q∆V
q q
Equipotential lines or surfaces
 Anequipotential surface is a surface
over which all points have the same
potential.
• An equipotential surface must be
perpendicular to the electric field!
Potential due to a point charge
• Remember: potential is a scalar!

1 Q
V =
4 πε0 r
Capacitance
 A capacitor is a device that stores electric
charge.
 The capacitance of an object is defined as:
Q
C =
V
 Capacitance is measured in farads.
Parallel plate capacitors and
dielectrics
 For a parallel plate capacitor (two conducting
plates with a vacuum between the plates)
ε0 A
C =
d
 Often, an insulator known as a dielectric is
placed between the plates to enhance
capacitance
• Dielectric constant: measures the strength of the
dielectric
Capacitors and energy
 A charged capacitor stores an amount of
electric energy given by
1
U = Q V 2
2
• This energy can be thought of as stored in the electric
field between the plates.
Electric Current
 Electriccurrent is defined as the amount
of charge that flows past a given point in
a second
Ohm’s Law
 Ohm’s Law related the resistance of an
object to the decrease in electric potential
across a point and the current flowing
through that point.

V
R =
I
Electric Resistance
 Electric resistance is the innate ability of a
material to inhibit the passage of electrons.
• Measured in ohms.
• Given by the resistivity as well as the geometry of the
object.

L
R = ρ
A
Circuits – emf and terminal
voltage
 A device that transforms one type of energy
into electrical energy is a “source of
electromotive force”
• emf: the potential difference between the terminals of a
battery when there is no current flowing to an external
source.
• A battery has some internal resistance
• The real voltage of a battery is then

V = E − Ir
Resistors in series
 Voltage and
resistance are
additive
 Current is constant
everywhere in a
series circuit
R eq = ∑ Ri
i
V to ta l = ∑ Vi
i
I to ta l = I 1 = I 2 = . . .
Resistors in parallel
 Current additive
 Voltage is constant
everywhere in a
series circuit
 More resistors =
smaller equivalent
resistance
1 1
I to ta l = ∑ Ii = ∑
i R eq i
Ri
V to ta l = V 1 = V 2 = . . .
Complex Circuits
Kirchhoff’s rules
 Junction rule: At any junction point, the
total current into the junction has to be
equal to the total current out of the
junction.
 Loop rule: The sum of changes in
potential around and closed loop is zero.
Kirchhoff’s Rules
Magnetism
 Every magnet has two poles: north and
south
 Magnetic field & magnetic field lines:
analogous to electric field
• Direction: points north to south
 Electric
current (moving charge)
produces a magnetic field!
Force due to magnetic fields
 The force on a charged particle moving through
a magnetic field
F = q v B s in θ

 The force in a current carrying wire immersed


in a magnetic field
F = IL B s in θ
Right hand rule
Ampere’s Law
 A moving charge (current) creates a magnetic
field.

∑ B ∆ li = µ 0 I e n c lo s e d
i
• For a long wire, ∆l = 2πr
• Two wires can attract or repel due to this effect.
• A solenoid is a long coil of wire.
Faraday’s Law
 A changing magnetic field induced an emf.
∆Φ
E = − N
∆t
• A current produced by an induced emf moves in a
direction such that its magnetic field opposes the
original change in flux (Lenz’s Law)
• A coil rotating in a magnetic field is a good example
of this.

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