Electrostatics Chapter-1

Electrostatics is the branch of Physics, which deals with static electric charges or charges at
rest.

The electricity produced by friction is called frictional electricity. If the charges in a body
do not move, then, the frictional electricity is also known as Static Electricity
Like charges repel and unlike charges attract each other

Conductors and Insulators

According to the electrostatic behaviour, materials are divided into two categories :
conductors and insulators (dielectrics). Bodies which allow the charges to pass through
are called conductors. e.g. metals, human body, Earth etc. Bodies which do not allow the
charges to pass through are called insulators. e.g. glass, mica, ebonite, plastic etc.

Basic properties of electric charge

(i) Quantisation of electric charge

The fundamental unit of electric charge (e) is the charge carried by the electron and its
unit is coulomb. e has the magnitude 1.6 × 10−19 C. In nature, the electric charge of any
system is always an integral multiple of the least amount of charge. It means that the
quantity can take only one of the discrete set of values. The charge, q = ne where n is an
integer
Numerical based on Q=ne where e=1.6x10-19 coulomb

Q.1.What is the value of charge on a body which carries 20 excess

electrons?

Solution:
Here n=20, q=? , and e= - 1.6x10-18C.
As, q=ne
Therefore, q= 20x (- 1.6x10-18C)
=-3.2x10-18C

Q.1.What is the value of charge on a body which carries 10 excess electrons?

Q.2.What is the value of charge on a body which carries 100 excess electrons?
Q.3.What is the value of charge on a body which carries 50 excess electrons?
Q.4.What is the value of charge on a body which carries 1000 excess electrons?
Q.5.What is the value of charge on a body which carries 2 excess electrons?

Q. Is a charge 5.8x10-18C possible ?

𝑞
Answer. From q = ne , n=
𝑒

=5.8x10-18/1.6x10-19
=36.25
As n is not integer, this value of charge is not possible

Q1. Is a charge 3.2x10-18C possible?

Q2. Is a charge 9.8x10-18C possible?
Q3. Is a charge 4.8x10-18C possible?
Q4. Is a charge 15.8x10-18C possible?
Q5. Is a charge 6.4x10-18C possible?
Q6. Is a charge 5.8x10-18C possible?

mdtanche@gmail.com