QUICK REVISION SHEET

DEFINITIONS
1) Dielectric constant : It is defined as the ratio of the absolute permittivity of the material
medium to the permittivity of free space.

2) Quantization of charge : The total charge on a charged body / conductor is an integral

multiple of electronic charge.

3) Intensity of Electric Field / Electric Field Strength : The intensity of electric field at a
given point is defined as the ratio of the force experienced by unit positive charge (test charge).
E = F
q
4) Electric dipole : An electric dipole is the pair of equal and opposite point-charges placed at a
short distance.

5) Electric dipole moment : The product of any one charge of the electric dipole and the
distance between the charges is called magnitude of electric dipole moment.
OR
The electric dipole may be defined as the torque acting on an electric dipole, placed
perpendicular to a uniform electric field of unit strength.

6)

7)
ASHISH
Gaussian Surface : Any hypothetical closed surface enclosing a charge having the same
electric field at all points on it is called Gaussian surface.

Electric flux : The electric flux through a given area in an electric field is a measure of the

8) KAPOOR
number of electric lines of force passing normally through surface held in the electric field.

Electron volt : If an electron is accelerated through a potential difference of 1 volt, then the
kinetic energy acquired by it is equal to 1.6 ´
-
19
10 J. This is known as electron volt.

9) Capacitance : The capacitance of a conductor is defined as the ratio of charge given to the
conductor to rise in the potential of the conductor.

10) Electric current : The electric current is measured by the rate of flow of charge. The charge
flowing per second in an electric circuit is the electric current in that circuit. i = q/t.

11) Current Density : It is defined as the amount of current flowing per unit area of the conductor
provided the area is held perpendicular to the flow of charge. It is a vector quantity.
i
J =
A
12) Relaxation time : Average time in between two successive collisions of free electrons in
presence of electric field is called relaxation time.

13) Drift velocity : It is the average constant velocity gained by the free electrons of a conductor
in the opposite direction of the externally applied electric field.

14) Mean Free Path : The distance travelled by the electron during relaxation time is called mean
free path.

Ashish Kapoor
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