Chapter V: The Unification of Electricity, Magnetism and

Electric Charge

Charge Conservation

Charge Quantization
Coulomb Force

Electrical Field
 Chapter V: The Unification of Electricity, Magnetism and Light

ectric Charge

1. Positive - the kind carried by the proton

2. Negative - the kind carried by the electron

The SI unit of charge is the Coulomb and the magnitude of the charge of an electron
is qe = 1.60 x 10^-19 C

Benjamin Franklin introduced the terms "positive" and "negative" charge

A substance which has a deficiency of electrons is said to be positively charged

A substance which has an excess of electrons is said to be negatively charged

If proton = electrons, the body is electrically neutral; it has a zero net charge

harge Conservation

Law of Conservation of Charge:

1. Charge is neither created nor destroyed
2. Electric charge is merely transferred from one place to another or from one
system to another

harge Quantization

Law of Quantization of Charge:

Electric charge can only exist as integral multiples of the smallest charge in
nature, the charge of an electron

Michael Faraday and Robert Millikan show that charge exists in discrete, indivisible
lumps or packs made of whole number multiples of the charge of an electron

q = +|- nqe
where q = electric charge in Coulombs ©
n = number of electrons (in whole numbers)
qe = 1.60 x 10^-19 C

The unit of charge is in honor of Charles Agustin de Coulomb

Electrons like other free particles exist as whole entities only

oulomb Force

Electrical force is a manifestation of the electromagnetic force which involves the

interaction of electric charges that are stationary

A force of attraction is observed between bodies that have opposite kinds of charges

A force of repulsion is observed between bodies that have the same kind of charges

The mathematical relationships in determining electrical force:

1. The electrical force of attraction or repulsion is directly proportional to the product
of the charges of the two bodies (q1 and q2)
2. The electrical force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance (d)
separating the charges

Felec = k . q1 . q2
d^2
where k = 9 x 10^9 (N-m^2)/C^2

ectrical Field

An isolated positive point charge Q in space sets up around it an electrical field

The electric field at a point in space is defined as the amount of force per unit
charge

E= F
qi

The SI unit of the electrical field is N/C and its direction is the same as the direction
of the force

The closer to charge Q, the greater the Coloumb force; and vice versa. This is
because less distance creates greater Coloumb force
d Light