Electric Charge and

Electric Field

Electric Charges 1
PHYSICS 72 – ELEMENTARY PHYSIS II

ELECTRIC CHARGE AND ELECTRIC FIELD

Electric Charges
1

National Institute of Physics

College of Science
University of the Philippines Diliman
Objectives

Apply the concepts of the dichotomy, quantization,

and conservation of electric charge.

Given the initial/final charge distribution, calculate

the final/initial charge distribution using conservation
principle.

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Electromagnetism
▪ Deals with electromagnetic (electric and magnetic) forces.
▪ Interaction of charged particles.

ELECTROSTATICS
▪ Deals with the interaction of electric charges at rest.

ELECTRODYNAMICS
▪ Deals with electric charges in motion.

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Electric Charge
▪ An intrinsic property of matter
▪ As fundamental as mass

▪ Scalar quantity
➢ Magnitude only
➢ No direction
▪ Symbol: 𝑄
▪ SI unit: Coulomb ( [C] )

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Electric Charge

➢ Experiments in electrostatics verify the existence of ONLY TWO

charges.
➢ Benjamin Franklin coined the terms positive and negative to
describe these charges.

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Principles of Electric Charge
PRINCIPLE 1: Dichotomy
➢Charges can be either positive (+) or negative (–).

+ Positive Charge (+)

Example: Proton (p+)

– Negative Charge (–)

Example: Electron (e–)

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Principles of Electric Charge
PRINCIPLE 1: Dichotomy
➢Charges can be either positive (+) or negative (–).

+ +
+ –
– –
Like charges repel Opposite charges attract

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Principles of Electric Charge
PRINCIPLE 2: Charge Conservation
➢The algebraic sum of all the electric charges in any closed
system is conserved.

෍ 𝑄initial = ෍ 𝑄final (1.1)

+ – – – Charging process
– + – +
+ + – + e.g. rubbing + – + –
Initial Final

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Principles of Electric Charge
PRINCIPLE 3: Quantization
➢ Any observable amount of electric charge 𝑄 comes in
integer multiples of the elementary charge 𝑒.

𝑄 = ±𝑛𝑒 (1.2)

where:
▪ 𝑛 = 1, 2, 3, ...
▪ 𝑒 – elementary charge constant
➢ (a fundamental constant)

𝑒 = 1.602 × 10−19 [C] (1.3)

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Principles of Electric Charge
PRINCIPLE 3: Quantization
➢ Any observable amount of electric charge 𝑄 comes in
integer multiples of the elementary charge 𝑒.

𝑄 = ±𝑛𝑒 (1.2)

Analogy:
Any amount of Philippine peso is an
integer multiple of one centavo, the
smallest denomination.

Figure from bsp.gov.ph

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Conductors and Insulators
Conductors
▪ Electrons move freely.
▪ Permit flow of electric charge.
Electric Charges
Insulators
▪ Electrons are bound to atoms.
▪ Do not permit flow of electric
charge.
Figures from ecstuff4u.com
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Polarization
▪ Shifting of the distribution of charges in a material.

Charged
Uncharged rod
metal ball
– + +
+ + – + –
– + –
+ – +
– –
Metal ball
Insulator (polarized)

NOTICE:
The charges within the neutral metal ball is conserved (as long as the
rod and the metal ball are not touching).

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Charging by Induction
Induction by Grounding

+ + + + +
+ – + +
+ –– + – +
+
– –
–
–
– – – –
1. Polarized metal 2. Ground the ball 3. Remove the
ball (electrons will sink to grounding and the
the ground) rod
➢ We are left with a positively charged ball from an originally neutral
metal ball.

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Charging by Induction
Charge Redistribution

+2q –2q

–6q –2q

1. Two identical 2. Placed in 3. Then separated

conductors contact

Remember: Electric charge is conserved.

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 EXAMPLE Example
Two conducting cubes, with initial charge +𝑄 and −2𝑄, are in
contact. What is the charge of each cube after contact?

+𝑸 −𝟐𝑸 ? ?

SOLUTION

Total (net) charge: +𝑄 + −2𝑄 = −𝑄 The net charge is

distributed evenly to the
Final charge of each cube: −𝑸/𝟐 conducting cubes.

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 EXAMPLE Example
Consider three conducting cubes A,
B, and C, shown below. A is made
to touch with C. Then, A is made to
touch with B. What is the final +𝟑𝑸 −𝑸 +𝑸
charge of the cubes?
A B C

SOLUTION

State A B C

Initial +3𝑄 −𝑄 +𝑄
Net charge of AC: +4𝑄
AC touch +2𝑄 −𝑄 +2𝑄
Net charge of AB: +𝑄
AB touch +𝟎. 𝟓𝐐 +𝟎. 𝟓𝐐 +𝟐𝐐

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 EXAMPLE Example
Consider three conducting cubes A,
B, and C, shown below. A is made
to touch with C. Then, A is made to
touch with B. What is the final +𝟑𝑸 𝟎 +𝑸
charge of the cubes?
A B C

SOLUTION

State A B C
B is an insulator.
Initial +3𝑄 0 +𝑄 No transfer of charge
AB touch +3𝑄 0 +𝑄

AC touch +𝟐𝐐 𝟎 +𝟐𝐐

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 EXAMPLE Example
Consider 2 conducting spheres of the same size, with initial
charges as shown:

Q1 = +3Q Q2 = –5Q

a) What is the final charge upon each sphere after

reaching electrostatic equilibrium?
b) Are the charges repulsive or attractive?

ANSWER a) –Q
b) Repulsive.
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 EXAMPLE Example
When you rub a plastic rod with fur, the plastic rod becomes
negatively charged and the fur becomes positively charged.
As a consequence of rubbing the rod with the fur:
a. the rod and fur both gain mass.​
b. the rod and fur both lose mass.​
c. the rod gains mass and the fur loses mass.​
d. the rod loses mass and the fur gains mass.​
e. none of the above.

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 SOLUTION Example
When you rub a plastic rod with fur, the plastic rod becomes
negatively charged and the fur becomes positively charged.
As a consequence of rubbing the rod with the fur:
a. the rod and fur both gain mass.​
b. the rod and fur both lose mass.​
c. the rod gains mass and the fur loses mass.​
d. the rod loses mass and the fur gains mass.​
e. none of the above.

Electrons (with mass of me = 9.109 x 10–31 [kg]) were transferred from

the fur to the plastic rod when the rod was in contact with the fur.

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 EXAMPLE Example
Two identical conducting spheres A and B carrying equal
charge 𝑄 are separated from each other such that their
interaction may be considered negligible. A third identical
conducting sphere C of charge +3𝑄 is then brought in contact
with sphere A. What are the final charges of spheres A and B,
respectively?

a. 𝑄𝐴 = 2𝑄; 𝑄𝐵 = 3𝑄/2 a. 𝑄𝐴 = 3𝑄; 𝑄𝐵 = 𝑄

b. 𝑄𝐴 = 2𝑄; 𝑄𝐵 = 𝑄 b. 𝑄𝐴 = 3𝑄/2; 𝑄𝐵 = 2𝑄
c. 𝑄𝐴 = 𝑄; 𝑄𝐵 = 𝑄

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 SOLUTION Example

A B A B A B
+Q +Q ? +Q +2Q +Q

C
C ? C
+3Q +2Q

Identical conductors A&C in contact A&C Separated

Total Charge of A&C = +4Q

ANSWER: B. 𝑄𝐴 = 2𝑄; 𝑄𝐵 = 𝑄

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References
▪ University Physics 13th ed., H. Young and R. Freedman
Pearson Education 2014.
▪ Physics 72 Lectures by R. Aguilar, A. Dumigpe, M. Onglao,
and M. Ugalino.

➢ Annotations by: Art Graeson B. Dumigpe

➢ Edited by: Jonel F. Binamira

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