Electricity

Chapter 17
 Chapter 17- Electric Charge
• The two different kinds of Electric charges
are positive and negative
• Like charges repel – unlike charges attract
• Protons and neutrons are relatively fixed in
the nucleus of the atom but electrons are
easily transferred from one atom to another.
 Chapter 17- Electric Charge
• All charge is a result of the movement of
electrons.
(Chemistry Review)
– All atoms begin as neutral- with no charge.
– If you take away negative electrons then the
atom has a positive charge.
– If you add negative electrons then the atom
becomes negatively charged.
– All atoms with a charge are called ions.
 Chapter 17- Electric Charge
What causes the electrons to move?
• Friction! When objects rub together
electrons are moved from one object to
the other.
• This causes one object to be positively
charged and the other to be negatively
charged and the process is called charge
by contact.
Chapter 17- Electric Charge
 Chapter 17- Electric Charge
• The fundamental unit of charge, e, has
been determined to be 1.6 X 10-19
coulombs
• C (coulomb) is the SI unit of electric
charge
• 1.0 C contains 6.2 X 1018 electrons
 Chapter 17- Electric Charge
• Materials in which electric charges move
freely are called conductors.
– Ex: Copper, Aluminum, most metals
• Materials in which electric charges do not
move freely are called insulators.
– Ex: Wood, glass, styrofoam
• Semiconductors are materials between
conductors and insulators.
– Ex: silicon, germanium
 Chapter 17- Electric Charge
• Grounding is when a conductor is
connected to the Earth by another
conducting object such as copper wire.
Many times it is a safety precaution in
electrical devices.
• Induction is the process of charging a
conductor by bringing it near another
charged object and grounding the
conductor.
 Chapter 17- Electric Force

• Electric Force – two or more

charged objects near one another
may experience motion either
toward or away from each other
because each object exerts a
force on the other objects.

• Electric force is an example of a

field force (a force which does
not require physical contact to
act).
 Chapter 17- Electric Force
• Coulomb’s Law
• Felectric = kC(q1q2/r2)
• Electric force = Coulomb
constant X (charge 1)(charge
2) / (distance)2
• Coulomb constant in SI units:
• kC = 8.99 X 109 Nm2/C2
 Electric Charge (on pg 630)
Particle Charge (C) Mass (kg)

Electron -1.60 x 10-19 C 9.109 x 10-31 kg

Proton +1.60 x 10-19 C 1.673 x 10-27 kg

Neutron 0 1.675 x 10-27 kg

 Example
• The electron and proton • Given:
of a hydrogen atom are • r= 5.3 x10-11m;
separated, on average, • kc = 8.99 x109 Nm2/C2;
by a distance of about
5.3 x 10-11 m. A.) Find • qe= -1.60 x 10-19 C;
the magnitudes of the • qp= +1.60 x 10-19 C;
electric force and B.)
The gravitational force • me= 9.109 x 10-31 kg;
that each particle exerts
on the other. • mp= 1.673 x 10-27 kg;
• G =6.67 x10-11 Nm2/kg2
 Example (magnitude of electrical
field force)
• Felectric= kc((qeqp)/r2)
• Because we are finding the magnitude of
electric field force (scalar) we can disregard
the sign of the charges and simplify.
• Felectric= kc((q2)/r2)
• F= (8.99 x109 Nm2/C2)(1.60 x 10-19C)2
(5.3 x10-11m)2
Felectric = 8.2 x 10-8 N
 Example (magnitude of
gravitational force)
• Given: r= 5.3 x10-11m; me= 9.109 x 10-31
kg; mp= 1.673 x 10-27 kg; G = 6.67 x10-11
Nm2/kg2
• Fg= G(memp)/r2
• Fg = (6.67 x10 Nm /kg )(9.109 x10
-11 2 2 -31 kg)(1.673 x10-27kg)
(5.3 x10-11m)

Fg = 3.6 x 10-47 N
 Chapter 17- Electric Field
• Electric field – a region in space around a
charged object in which a stationary
charged object experiences an electric
force because of its charge.
• No contact needs to take place for this to
occur
 Chapter 17- Electric Field
• Electric field strength is a ratio of force to
charge; the SI unit is N/C
(Newton/Coulomb)
• It also depends on charge and distance
• E = kC(q/r2)
• Electric field strength = Coulomb constant
X charge producing the field/(distance)2