Name: Class: ( ) Block:

Electricity and Magnetism - Chapter 1

Electrostatic
1.1 Electric Charge and Electric Field
(1) Two kinds of Charge
Positive charges and Negative charges
“ ”
Electric force
It is due to interaction ( and ) between electric charges.
The strength of the force between two charged objects depends on
1. their
2. the of charge on them
Separation
i.e. Strength <=>
Amount of charge

Q. Are they in action and reaction pair?

(2) Where do charges come from?
We charge an object by transferring to or from them.
Matter is made up of tiny particles:

(a) Structure of atoms

(b) Charges on different particles Particles Charge

Symbol: Proton p +1.6 x 10-19 C
Unit of charge: Neutron n 0
Electron e- -1.6 x 10-19 C

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 (c) In an atom,
=
since positive and negative charges balance each other
=> Atoms are neutral! (Of course, they become cations and anions by gaining and losing electrons)

(d) When rubbing, electrons are transferred.

electrons => positively charged

electrons => negatively charged

During rubbing, no electric charges are and .

=> The Law of conservation of charge

(3) Insulator and Conductor

(a) Insulator
(i) Insulators do not allow electrons to .
(ii) Electrons in insulators cannot and to the nuclei.
(iii) e.g.
(iv) They can be readily charged by because electrons are hardly
and insulators.

(b) Conductor
(i) Conductors allow electrons to flow through .
(ii) e.g.
(iii) In metals the outermost electrons are loosely held and can move freely.
These electrons are called .
(iv) They CANNOT be readily charged by friction because
- electrons are easily removed from and added to conductors
- extra electrons gained can easily escape

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 Insulators Conductors
(e) No simple classification between conductor and insulator

(4) Attraction of uncharged objects

(a) Conductor (e.g. an aluminium foil)
- Electrons distribute evenly in a foil.

- Remarks: (i) The rod and foil do not touch

(ii) Net charge on the foil = 0
- Once the rod being removed, electrons distributed evenly again.

Example 1
Free electrons evenly spaced in a gold foil when no charged objects around.
(a) A negatively charged rod is placed above the foil. What is the new distribution of the free electrons?

(b) Describe and explain the direction of the net electrostatic force acting on the gold foil.

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 (b) Insulator (e.g. a scrap of paper)
In each atom, electrons are evenly distributed originally.
When a charged object is placed nearby (or an electric field presents), the atom is
polarized and becomes a dipole.

Dipole
Free electrons absent in insulators.

All atoms in an insulator are polarized. This charge distribution makes the top end of the
paper negative and the bottom end of the paper positive.

Example 2 (CE 2007 Q19)

In the above figures, P, Q, R and S are identical light conducting spheres and they are hanging freely by
insulating threads of the same length. Which of the following deduction is/are correct?
(1) P and Q must carry like charges.
(2) R and S must carry unlike charges.
(3) P and Q must carry the same Amount of net charges
A. (1) only B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only D. (2) and (3) only

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 (6) Charging and discharging
Charging: charges on an object.
Discharging: charges from an object.
Gold leaf electroscope

(a) Charging by friction

Electrons are transferred by rubbing. (e.g. Towel and plastic rod)
It requires a of two objects.
This method is suitable for charging .
Charging by friction is not suitable
Electrons do not flow on the surface or inside insulators.
for conductors. Why?

(b) Charging by sharing

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Before touching After touching After separating conductors

It is using a charged object to charge another neutral object.

In this process, it involves
(i) the flow of free electrons.
(Therefore, this method is only suitable for .)
(ii) the direct contact.

Example 3
Is this method suitable for charging our human bodies?

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 (c) Charging by induction
Version 1
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Free electrons in B is Charge rod held in position while Charged rod is removed, leaving the

pulled towards A. the two spheres are separated. two spheres oppositely charged.

Version 2
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

Charges are induced on

Charge rod held in Charge rod held in
the sphere when a Removing the charged
position while the sphere position while earthing is
charged rod is placed rod.
is earthed. stopped
nearby.

The charged rod does not touch the ball. It involves the flow of electrons .
Therefore, this method is only suitable for conductor.

(d) Earthing
Earth act as an extremely huge conductor.
It can provide and take away charges from other conductors.
Therefore, it can charge, discharge and neutralize objects.
Discharging by earthing

Only (i.e. electrons) flow from and to the charged objects.

Since our bodies are fairly good conductor, conductors can be earthed by touching.

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Example 4
Two insulated uncharged metal spheres X and Y are placed in contact. A positively-charged rod is brought
near X as shown above. X is then earthed momentarily. The charged rod is removed and the two spheres
are then separated. Which of the following describes the charges on X and Y?
Sphere X Sphere Y
A. - -
B. - uncharged
C. uncharged -
D. uncharged uncharged

Example 5
Three spheres initially uncharged are placed in contact with one another. A negatively charged rod is held
near P. By keeping the charged rod in position, Q is removed. Which of following correctly shows the
charges stored in P, Q and R?
P Q R
A. + neutral -
B. + + -
C. + - neutral
D. - neutral +

Experiment 1a – Electroscope
(a) An uncharged electroscope and a charged object
Step 1 Step 2

The gold leaf diverges. Due to electric induction, the top of the electroscope is negative
and the leaf is positive.
Remarks: The reason for earthing the case of the electroscope is to …….

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 (b) Charging by induction and earthing
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

The electroscope carries a charge which is opposite to the charged rod.

(c) Testing with different charged rods

Same sign opposite sign

If the electroscope and the object carry like charges, the leaf diverges more.
Otherwise, the leaf collapses.

(7) Van de Graaf Generator

A Van de Graaf Generator produces and accumulates a large amount of electric charge.
(a) Working principle
(i) The belt is charged.
(ii) The charge is transferred to the metal dome.
(iii) A large amount of charge is accumulated on the dome.
(iv) The power input is used to drive the motor only!

(b) Experiment 1b - Van de Graaf Generator

(i) Insulated conductor
(ii) Sparks
(iii) Hair

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 (8) Electric field
Electric field is a region where charges experience electric forces.
A charged object sets up .
Another charged object in this field will experience .
The size of the force depends on the at that point.

(a) Electric field lines

(i) Starting from charge to charge

(ii) Directions of field lines represents the acting on a test charge.
Remark:
Its present will not disturb the original electric field.
Q. How to determine the direction of the electric field at a point?

(iii) Closely spaced field lines:

Widely spaced field lines:
(iv) Field lines never cross each other.

(b) Electric field pattern

(i) Point charge

Distance increase à density of field lines decreases

à strength of electric field decreases

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 Interaction Electric Field

Repulsion

Attraction

The resultant pattern is the of two electric field.

Actually, charges are in 3 dimensional spaces à

(ii) Two parallel plates

If two parallel plates carry same amount of charges which are distributed,
- field lines between two plates are and .
- electric field between is .
(Or It is a .)

Q. Electric field consists of directions and magnitudes.

Therefore, it is a vector / scale.
Q. Do electric field lines represent the travelling path of a test charges?

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1.2 More about electric field
(1) Coulomb’s Law
Symbol of electrical charge:
Unit of electrical charge:

1 𝑄" 𝑄#
𝐹=
4𝜋𝜀! 𝑟 #

𝑇he permittivity of free space (i.e. empty space), 𝜀! = 8.85 × 10$"# C # N $" m$#
Positive value:
Negative value:
Electric force exists in pairs and obeys Newton’s 3rd Law -
FXY and FYX are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction in all three cases
Case 1 Case 2 Case 3

Example 6 𝑄" 𝑄#
(a) Find the force acting on 𝑄" by 𝑄# 4𝐹%! %" 5 when
𝑄" = +2 × 10$& C and 𝑄# = +1 × 10$& C.

(b) Find the force acting on 𝑄# by 𝑄" 4𝐹%" %! 5

(c) Find the forces between 𝑄" and 𝑄# if 𝑄" = −1 × 10$& C.

Remark: Positive and negative sign represents and

respectively. They do nothing with left and right!

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Example 7

Three particles X, Y and Z carry charges as shown. The net force acting on X is zero, what is the charge
on Z?
(a) Draw a free-body diagram of X.
(b) Find the charge carried by Z.

(c) X, Y and Z are now rearranged. Find the resultant force acting on Y by X and Z.

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Example 8
Two identical metal spheres each carry a charge of 5 ´ 10–8 C. A student conducts an experiment to measure
the electrostatic force F between the spheres with different separations r. The results are shown below.

r/cm 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

F/ x10-3N 54 34.8 24.4 17.3 13.7

Find the permittivity of free space 𝜀! .

Example 8
The electric force between two charged sphere P and Q at a distance of separation r is F. If their separation
is reduced to one half, what will be the electric force between them?

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Example 9
In the below diagram, four point charges P ,Q, R and S form the vertices of a
square with length a. The force acting on P by Q is F. Find the resultant electric
force acting on P in terms of F.

(2) Electric field strength E

The field strength is .
𝐹
𝐸=
𝑄
Unit of electric field strength: or
Electric field strength is a
(a) Field Strength around a point charge
The force between a positive charge and a test charge is:

The electric field strength due to a point charge Q is:

If there are more than one charge the resultant electric field strength is the vector sum of
the individual field strengths by the charges.

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Example 10
Two point charges A (2 × 10$& C) and B (−2 × 10$& C) are separated by 30 cm. X and Y are two points
on the perpendicular bisector of the line joining the two charges.
(Given 𝜀! = 8.85 × 10$"# C # N $" m$# )
(a) State the directions of the electric field at X and Y.
At X:
At Y:
(b) Find the electric field strength at Y and X.

(c) If charges B and A have identical (i.e. same magnitude) positive charges,
(i) What are the directions of the electric field at X and Y;
At X, the electric field strength is .
At Y, the electric field strength is .
(ii) How will a neutron move at X?
The neutron will .

(b) Field strength between parallel charged plates

Two parallel plates are connected to + and – terminals of a power supply.
Field strength between parallel charged plates is:

V:
d:
Normally, the negative sign can be neglected since we only consider the magnitude.
𝑉
𝐸=
𝑑

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Example 11
A uniform E-field is set up when a voltage of 5 kV is applied across two horizontal metal plates. An electron
enters the field horizontally. Neglect the effect of gravity.
Charge of electron = –1.60 ´ 10–19 C
Mass of electron = 9.11 ´ 10–31 kg

(a) Find the electric field strength E between the plates.

(b) Find the force experienced by the electron in the field.

(c) Describe and explain the path of the electron.

(d) The width of plate is 10 cm. If the electron can just pass through the field and leave the plates, find
the speed of electron on entering the field.
Consider the vertical direction. Take the downward direction as positive.

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Example 12
A sphere carrying an excessive charge of +Q is suspended by a thread in a uniform electric field of strength
50 V m-1. The String makes an angle of 30o with the vertical. The mass of the sphere is 2 kg.
Take the acceleration due to gravity, 𝑔 = 10 m s $# and
the charge of electron, 𝑒 = 1.6 × 10$"' C.
What is the value of Q?

(3) Electric potential energy (EPE)

(i) Gravitational potential energy (GPE)
Gain in GPE by the mass = work done on the mass by external force
= Fs
= (mg)h
= mgh

(ii) Electric potential Energy (EPE)

Gain in EPE by the charge = work done on the charge by external force
= Fs
= (qE)x
= qEx

Therefore, the loss in EPE, 𝐸𝑃𝐸()** = 𝑞𝐸𝑥

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 (4) Electric potential (symbol: V)
The electric potential at a point is the electric potential energy required to place a unit of positive
test charge at that point.
i.e. at a certain position A,

Unit: or A

Electric potential is a .

For the positive charge moving across two parallel plates,

𝐺𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝐸𝑃𝐸 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 = 𝑞𝐸𝑑

Potential difference ∆𝑉 or 𝑉 (also called Voltage 𝑉) across the plates is the change of EPE
per unit charge moving from one plate to another.
By considering a positive charge q moving from A to B,
𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝐸 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒
𝑉 =
𝑞

Spontaneous motions of charges

Charges +1 C -1 C

VB=+200 V
𝑉+
Potential
B 𝑉,
difference
A 𝐸𝑃𝐸+
= 400 V
VA=-200 V 𝐸𝑃𝐸,
Which is a spontaneous motion?
𝐴 → 𝐵 or 𝐵 → 𝐴

Gain or loss in EPE?

Change in potential
“From a higher potential to a lower potential” OR

“From a lower potential to a higher potential”

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Example 13
A proton accelerates from rest from a positive plate to a negative plate.
Charge of a proton = 1.60 ´ 10–19 C
Mass of a proton = 1.67 ´ 10–27 kg
Neglect the effect of gravity.
(a) Describe the energy change in the process.

(b) Find KE gained by the proton when reaching the negative plate.

(c) Hence, find the speed of the proton when it reaches the negative plate.

Example 14
An electron accelerates from rest from a negative plate to a positive plate. The potential difference between
the plates is 200 V. Find the kinetic energy gained by the electron when it reaches the positive plate. (Given
the charge of an electron = -1.6 x 10-19 C)

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