LECTURE 1

Electric Charge: Conservation and

Quantization

Conductors, Insulators, and Induced Charges

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Objectives

Apply the concepts of the dichotomy, quantization and

conservation of electric charge.

Given the initial/final charge distribution, calculate the final/initial

charge distribution using conservation principle.
ELECTRIC CHARGE
•Experiments in electrostatics verifies the existence of
ONLY TWO charges.

•Benjamin Franklin coined the terms positive and

negative for these charges.

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PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRIC CHARGE
PRINCIPLE 1: Dichotomy
Two positive charges or two negative charges repel each other. A positive charge and a negative
charge attract each other.

PRINCIPLE 2: Charge Conservation

The algebraic sum of all the electric charges in any closed system is conserved.

PRINCIPLE 3: Quantization
The magnitude of charge of the electron or proton is a natural unit of charge.
DICHOTOMY OF THE ELECTRIC CHARGE
Glass rods, plastic tubes, silk, and fur can be used to demonstrate the movement of electrons
and how their presence or absence make for powerful forces of attraction and repulsion.
ATOMIC STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE OF MATTER
Proton: Positive charge
mp = 1.673 × 10−27 kg
Neutron: No charge
mn = 1.675 × 10−27 kg
Electron: Negative charge
me = 9.109 × 10−31 kg

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CLASSIFICATION OF CHARGED OBJECTS
While there are only two known charges, the electrostatic
interaction of objects depend on their net charge.
1. Positively charged – An object has more positive charges than negative
charges.

2. Negatively charged – An object has more negative charges than positive

charges

3. Neutral – An object has either no charge or an equal number of positive and

negative charges.

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 CHARGE CONSERVATION

(a) The fur and the plastic rod are
initially uncharged before rubbing.
Remark:
Charge conservation is thought of as a universal conservation law.
(b) The rod gained a total negative
charge equal to the same magnitude
lost by the fur.

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CHARGE QUANTIZATION
Quantization – expression of a given quantity into
indivisible units.
Every amount of electric charge present in an object is an
integer multiple of the electron charge. The electron
charge is denoted by 𝑒.

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CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS
Conductors
◦ electrons move freely
◦ permit flow of electric charge

Insulators
◦ electrons are bound to atoms
◦ do not permit flow of electric charge

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CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS

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POLARIZATION
Shifting of the distribution of charges in a material.

-
- + -
Neutral metal Charged - + -
ball rod - + -
Insulator

Earth Earth

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 CHARGING BY INDUCTION
Induction by grounding
Metal ball
- -
- + - - + +
- + - - +
- + - - + - + +
Charged -
rod Insulator -
Earth Earth Earth
1. Polarized 2. Grounded 3. Removed rod
metal ball ball and grounding
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CHARGING BY INDUCTION
Charge redistribution

+2Q -6Q ? ? -2Q -2Q

1. Two identical 2. Placed in 3. Then

conductors contact separated

Remember: Electric charge is conserved.

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EXAMPLE
Consider 2 conducting spheres of the same size, with
initial charges as shown:

Q1 = +3Q Q2 = -5Q
What is the final charge upon each sphere after
reaching electrostatic equilibrium? Are the charges
repulsive or attractive?

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EXAMPLE
Consider 2 conducting spheres of the same size, with
initial charges as shown:

Q1 = +3Q Q2 = -5Q
What is the final charge upon each sphere after
reaching electrostatic equilibrium? Are the charges
repulsive or attractive? -Q; repulsive

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TRY THIS
TRUE OR FALSE
1. The following principles regarding electric charge
are experimentally verified: (a) dichotomy, (b) charge
conservation, (c) charge quantization.
2. Electrostatic attraction or repulsion is impossible
when one of the two interacting objects has no
charge.

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TRY THIS
3. When you rub a plastic rod with fur, the plastic rod
becomes negatively charged and the fur becomes positively
charged. As a consequence of rubbing the rod with the fur:
a) the rod and fur both gain mass.​
b) the rod and fur both lose mass.​
c) the rod gains mass and the fur loses mass.​
d) the rod loses mass and the fur gains mass.​
e) none of the above

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TRY THIS

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TRY THIS - Answers
1. (a) True (b) True (c) True
2. False: positively/negatively charged objects can be
attracted to or repelled by neutral objects
3. C: Electrons (with mass of me = 9.109 x 10-31 kg)
were transferred from the fur to the plastic rod when
the rod was in contact with the fur. ​

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TRY THIS - Answers
4. B: Solve using the concept of Charge Redistribution

A B A B
A B
? +Q +2Q +Q
+Q +Q

C C
C ? +2Q
+3Q

Identical conductors A&C in contact A&C Separated

Total Charge of AC = +4Q

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