Lesson 2

Electrostatic Force
 Focus Question

How can objects be electrically charged?

 New Vocabulary

electroscope Coulomb’s law

charging by conduction coulomb
charging by induction elementary charge
grounding
 Review Vocabulary

force: a push or a pull exerted on an object; has

both direction and magnitude and may be a
contact or a field force
 Forces on Charged Objects

The electrostatic force can be demonstrated by

suspending a charged rod so that it turns easily.
 Forces on Charged Objects

• The results of experiments and the actions of the

charged rods can be summarized in the following way:
• There are two kinds of electric charge:
• Positive
• Negative
• Like charges repel; unlike charges attract.
• Charges exert forces on other charges at a distance.
• The force is stronger when the charges are closer
together.
 Forces on Charged Objects

• An electroscope consists of a metal knob connected

by a metal stem to two thin, lightweight pieces of
metal foil, called leaves.
• Electroscopes are sensitive and useful for
determining electric charge.
 Forces on Charged Objects

The figure on the right shows a

neutral electroscope. Note that
the leaves hang loosely and are
enclosed to eliminate stray air
currents.
 Forces on Charged Objects

• Charging a neutral object by touching it with a

charged object is called charging by conduction.
• When a negatively charged rod is
touched to the knob of an
electroscope, electrons are
added to the electroscope.
• As shown in the figure, the two
leaves are charged negatively and
repel each other; therefore, they
spread apart.
 Forces on Charged Objects

• The type of charge carried by an electroscope can

be determined by observing the leaves when a rod
of known charge is brought close to the knob.
 Forces on Charged Objects

• The leaves will spread • The leaves will fall

farther apart if the rod slightly if the
and the electroscope electroscope’s charge is
have the same charge. opposite that of the rod.
 Forces on Charged Objects

The process of charging a neutral object by

bringing a charged object near it is called
charging by induction.
 Forces on Charged Objects

The process of removing excess charge

by connecting an object to Earth is
called grounding.
 Coulomb’s Law

• According to Coulomb’s law, the magnitude of the

force between point charge qA and point charge qB,
separated by a distance r, is proportional to the
product of the magnitudes of the charges and
inversely proportional to the square of the distance
between them. It can be written as follows:
qA qB
Coulomb’s Law F K 2
r
• Coulomb’s law is valid only for point charges or
uniform spherical charge distributions.
 Coulomb’s Law

• The electric force, like all other forces, is a vector

quantity. Force vectors need both a magnitude and
a direction.
• However, the Coulomb’s law equation gives only
the magnitude of the force.
 Coulomb’s Law

To determine the direction, you need to draw a

diagram and interpret charge relations carefully.
 Coulomb’s Law

• The SI standard unit of charge is called the

coulomb (C).
• One coulomb is the charge of 6.24 × 1018 electrons or
protons.
• The charge on a single electron is −1.602 × 10−19 C.
The magnitude of the charge of a single electron or
proton is called the elementary charge.
• The charge on a single proton is +1.602 × 10−19 C.
That is, the magnitude of the charge of a proton is
equal to the magnitude of the charge on an electron.
Coulomb’s Law

Use with Example Problem 1.

qA qB
Problem rBA FA on B
Sphere A, with a charge of +6.0 μC, is located 4.0 θ
cm to the left of sphere B, which has a charge of rBC Fnet on B
+x FC on B
−3.0 μC. Sphere C has a charge of +2.0 μC and is
5.0 cm directly below sphere B. Find the net force
+y qC
on sphere B.
Response
• Spheres A and B have unlike charges, so
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
they experience an attractive force.
• Sketch the situation
Therefore, the FA on B is to the left.
• Draw a free-body diagram.
• Spheres C and B have unlike charges, so
• List the knowns and unknowns.
they experience an attractive force.
KNOWN UNKNOWN Therefore, the FC on B is downward.
• The net force Fnet on B is the vector sum of
qA = +6.0 μC rAB = 4.0 cm Fon B = ?
FA on B and FC on B.
qB = −3.0 μC rBC = 5.0 cm
qC = +2.0 μC
 qA qB
Coulomb’s Law rBA FA on B
θ
rBC Fnet on B
Use with Example Problem 1. +x FC on B
Problem
+y qC
Sphere A, with a charge of +6.0 μC, is located 4.0
cm to the left of sphere B, which has a charge of SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
−3.0 μC. Sphere C has a charge of +2.0 μC and is • Use Coulomb’s law to find the force from each
5.0 cm directly below sphere B. Find the net force sphere.
on sphere B. qqB
Response F =K
r2
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
• Sketch the situation FA on B =
( 9.0´109 Nim2
C2 )(6.0´10 C)(3.0´10 C)
-6 -6

(4.0´10 m)
2
-2
• Draw a free-body diagram.
• List the knowns and unknowns.
= 1.0´102 N
KNOWN UNKNOWN
qA = +6.0 μC
qB = −3.0 μC
rAB = 4.0 cm
rBC = 5.0 cm
Fon B = ?
FC on B =
( 9.0´109 Nim2
C2 )(2.0´10 C)(3.0´10 C)
-6 -6

(5.0´10 m)
2
-2
qC = +2.0 μC
= 2.2´101 N
 qA qB
Coulomb’s Law rBA FA on B
θ
Use with Example Problem 1. rBC Fnet on B
+x FC on B
Problem
Sphere A, with a charge of +6.0 μC, is located 4.0 +y qC
cm to the left of sphere B, which has a charge of
−3.0 μC. Sphere C has a charge of +2.0 μC and is SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
5.0 cm directly below sphere B. Find the net force • From Coulomb’s law:
on sphere B. FA on B = 1.0´102 N to the left
Response FC on B = 2.2´101 N downward
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM • Use vector addition for find the net force.
• Sketch the situation
( ) ( )
2 2
• Draw a free-body diagram. Fnet = FA on B + FC on B
• List the knowns and unknowns.
(1.0´10 N) + (2.2´10 N)
2 2
= 2 1
KNOWN UNKNOWN
qA = +6.0 μC rAB = 4.0 cm Fon B = ? = 1.0´102 N
qB = −3.0 μC rBC = 5.0 cm æ FC on B ö æ 1
-1 2.2´10 N
ö
q = tan ç -1
÷ = tan ç 1.0´102 N÷
qC = +2.0 μC è FA on B ø è ø
= 12°
Coulomb’s Law
qA qB
Use with Example Problem 1. rBA FA on B
Problem θ
Sphere A, with a charge of +6.0 μC, is located 4.0 rBC Fnet on B
+x FC on B
cm to the left of sphere B, which has a charge of
−3.0 μC. Sphere C has a charge of +2.0 μC and is +y qC
5.0 cm directly below sphere B. Find the net force
on sphere B.
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Response • From Coulomb’s law:
SKETCH AND ANALYZE THE PROBLEM FA on B = 1.0´102 N to the left
• Sketch the situation
• Draw a free-body diagram. FC on B = 2.2´101 N downward
• List the knowns and unknowns. • Use vector addition to find the net force.
KNOWN UNKNOWN Fnet  1.0102 N at 12 below the x -axis
qA = +6.0 μC rAB = 4.0 cm Fon B = ? EVALUATE THE ANSWER
qB = −3.0 μC rBC = 5.0 cm • The direction makes sense, given the size
and configuration of charges.
qC = +2.0 μC
 Applications of Electrostatic Forces

• There are many applications of electric forces on

particles.
• Tiny paint droplets, charged by induction, can be
used to paint automobiles and other objects very
uniformly.
• Photocopy machines use static electricity to
place black toner on a page so that a precise
reproduction of the original document is made.
• Collectors in smokestacks use electrostatic forces
to collect emissions, thereby reducing air
pollution.
 Quiz

1. Why do the leaves of the electroscope move apart

when a positively charged object touches the knob?

A The leaves become positively

charged through induction.
B The leaves become positively
charged through conduction.
CORRECT
C The leaves become negatively
charged through induction.
D The leaves become negatively
charged through conduction.
 Quiz

2. A neutral object is given a negative charge when it is

touched by a negatively charged object. What is the
name of this process?

A charging by induction

B grounding

C charging by conduction CORRECT

D lightning
 Quiz

3. How does doubling the distance between two

charged objects affect the electrostatic force
between them?

A The force decreases to one-fourth the magnitude.

CORRECT
B The force increases to two times the magnitude.

C The force increases to four times the magnitude.

D The force decreases to one-half the magnitude.

 Quiz

4. Sphere A has a charge of +2.0 × 10–4 C. Sphere B

has a charge of +3.0 × 10–4 C. What is the force on
Sphere B if the spheres are 4.0 cm apart?

A 3.4 × 101 N to the left C 3.4 × 105 N to the left

B 3.4 × 101 N to the right D 3.4 × 105 N to the right

CORRECT
 Quiz

5. What is happening to the electroscope?

A The rod is charging it

by conduction. The
finger is grounding it.
B The rod is charging it
by induction. The
finger is grounding it. CORRECT
C The finger is charging it by
conduction. The rod is grounding it.
D The finger is charging it by
induction. The rod is grounding it.