Chapter 22 Electrostatics

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22 Electrostatics
Outline
• The properties of charge. Its conservation and quantization.
• The distinction between conductors and insulators.
• Coulomb’s law: the force between static, point charges.
• The principle of superposition: the force between two particles is not
affected by the presence of other particles.
– As a consequence, the net force experienced by a charge is a vector sum of
forces due to each of other charges.

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22.1 Charge

• Positive charge and negative charge

– SI unit of charge is the coulomb (C)
• Fundamental particles
– Electrons, proton, neutron
– Quark  ±e/3 or ±2e/3
• Quantization of charge
– e = 1.602 × 10-19 C, the smallest isolated charge.
– The electron itself is not the charge: Charge is a property, like mass, of elementary
particles.
• Conservation of charge
– In an isolated system, the total charge stays constant.
– Charge is neither created or destroyed.
But, the electron orbiting in a
circular path is not a correct
physical picture.

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22.2 Conductor and insulator

• Conductor – substance allows charge to flow freely.

– Metal: For a neutral metal, there are equal amount of
positive and negative (electrons) charges.
– Metal atoms have loosely bound electrons in the outer
shell that can move freely, while positive ions only move in
the vicinity of a specific lattice site.
• Insulator -- substance do not allow the flow of charge.
• Semiconductor
– The pure substance of a semiconductor is an insulator.
– The ability to conduct can be controlled by adding
impurities.

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22.2 Conductor and insulator

• Microscopic view
– Valence electrons are the outer, loosely bound
– Insulator – valences are tightly bound to an atomic site
– Metal – valence electrons are free to roam through the body  free electrons.
• Like thermal motion of atoms in a gas.

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Semiconductor

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(P)

Hopping of
holes is the
conducting
mechanism.

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22.2 Conductor and insulator

• The mobility of charge in a substance can be characterized by a

relaxation time.
– Relaxation time is the time it required for the system to reach equilibrium.
– Any net charge on a metal spread quickly to reach the static equilibrium.
– For a symmetric metal, the extra charge would be uniformly distributed over the
surface.
• You will know why in the next few chapters.
– Net charge could be found isolated on
an insulator.

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22.3 Charging by induction

• Induction: the process of charging without contact

• Charging: making an object become charged

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22.4 Gold leaf electroscope

• An electroscope (驗電器) in a known charged state can be used to determine the

sign of the charge on an object.
• It can be used as a primitive detector of ionizing radiation, such as x-rays or high-
energy particles.
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How to prepare an electroscope in a known charged state?

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22.5 Coulomb’s law

• Coulomb’s law for the electrostatic force between two point charges

– Coulomb constant
真空介電常數
• Coulomb force is central and spherically symmetric
– The force is directed along the line joining the two particles
– It is a function only of 𝑟
– A conservative force. What’s the definition of a conservative force?

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 𝑄
• 𝐹𝑞 is the force on 𝑞 exerted by 𝑄 𝑟
• What’s the definition of 𝑟?
– The position of 𝑞 relative to 𝑄.
• If 𝑞𝑄 > 0, 𝐹𝑞 is in the same direction as 𝑟 𝑞
• If 𝑞𝑄 < 0, 𝐹𝑞 is in the direction opposite to 𝑟

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22.5 Coulomb’s law

• Use a classical Hydrogen atom (Bohr model) as an example

– Both electron and proton are treated as point particle.

• The electrical force between the electron and proton is

found from Coulomb’s law

• This can be compared to the gravitational force between

the electron and the proton

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22.5 Coulomb’s law

• Principle of linear superposition

– A vector sum
– Newton’s third law is applicable

– The force between two charged particles is not affected by the presence of other
charged particles.

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Problem-solving guide for Coulomb’s law

Suppose we wish to find the net force on charge 𝑞1 .

1. Decide whether the force die to a give charge is an attraction or a
repulsion. Draw the force vector, with its tails at 𝑞1 , either towards or
away from the other charge.
2. Find the magnitude of the force.
3. Use the vector sum of the forces to find 𝐹1𝑥 and 𝐹1𝑦 , according to the
coordinate axes chosen.

4. All vectors should be expressed in unit vector notation unless

otherwise indicated.

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22.5 Coulomb’s law
Example 22.2

• A point charge 𝑞1 < 0 is at 𝑥 = 0, while 𝑞2 > 0 is at 𝑥 = 1 m. At what

point, besides infinity, would the net force on a positive charge 𝑞3 be zero?
– First, consider the problem qualitatively.
– If 𝑞3 is placed of the 𝑥 axis, it will always experience some net force due to two
fixed charges. Why?

– The region between the two charges can also be ruled out. Why?
– On the left or on the right?

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22.5 Coulomb’s law
Example 22.2

• A point charge 𝑞1 is at 𝑥 = 0, while 𝑞2 is at 𝑥 = 1 m. At what point ,

besides infinity, would the net force on a positive charge 𝑞3 be zero?

One of the two solutions is the proper one

to the given question, depending on the
sign and magnitude of 𝑞1 and 𝑞2

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Exercise 3

• Three point charges are held at the corners of an equilateral. What is

the resultant force exerted on the charge (a) 3𝑄, and (b) −2𝑄?

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• Common mistakes
– The magnitude of a vector must be non-negative.

– If you use a different convention for the angle, be

careful about the sign of each components
– Some people put in a negative value for 𝐹
– Directions of the forces
– One side of the equation is a scalar while the other
side is a vector. A scalar cannot be equal to a vector.
– Use a symbol appropriate for a vector!

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