LESSON 2: Electricity Part 1

A. Electric Forces and electric fields

The origin of electricity - Atomic structure contains the electrical characteristic of stuff. Atoms
in nature usually have an equal number of protons and electrons, making them electrically
neutral. When electrons are added or withdrawn from matter, it acquires a net electric charge
equal to e times the number of electrons added or removed, N. Ne = q

Electric charge is given the symbol = Q. Electrons are the charge carriers that flow in an
electrical circuit from the negative to positive terminals. Charge is measured in coulombs

What is electricity? The negative charge (Q) of electrons is measured in coulombs (C). Electrons
flow from negative to positive in a circuit, creating an electric current (remember, like charges
repel, opposites attract).

Charged Objects and the Electric Force

Electric charge can be moved from one thing to another. The body that loses electrons has more
positive charge than the body that obtains electrons.

b. Law of Conservation of Electric Charge

The net electric charge of an isolated system remains constant during any process (is conserved).

Charges that are similar repel each other, while charges that are dissimilar attract each other.

Conductors and Insulators

Electric charge can not only exist on an object, but it can also move through it.

Electrical conductors are materials that readily conduct electric charge.

Electrical insulators are materials that conduct electric charge poorly.

Charging by Contact and by Induction

1. Charging by contact
Charging by contact is the process of giving one object a net electric charge by putting it in
contact with another object that is already charged.

2. Charging by induction
Induction charging is a method for charging an object without having to physically touch
it with another charged object. Comprehending the characteristics of a conductor as well
as the polarization process is necessary for understanding charging via induction.
The force that point charges exert on each other

 Each point charge exerts a force on the other. Regardless of whether the forces are (a)
attractive or (b) repulsive, they are directed along the line between the charges and have
equal magnitudes

Coulomb’s Law

Coulomb's law, often known as Coulomb's inverse-square law, is a physics experiment that measures
the force between two stationary, electrically charged particles. Electrostatic force, also known as
Coulomb force, is the electric force between charged bodies at rest.

Electric Field

When charge is present in any form, an electric field is linked with each point in space. The value of E,
also known as electric field strength, electric field intensity, or simply the electric field, expresses the
magnitude and direction of the electric field.

Electric Field Lines

 Electric field lines or lines of force provide a map of the electric field in the space
surrounding electric charges.

The Parallel Plate Capacitor

The parallel plate capacitor is the simplest form of capacitor. It can be constructed using two metal or
metallised foil plates at a distance parallel to each other, with its capacitance value in Farads, being fixed
by the surface area of the conductive plates and the distance of separation between them.