ELECTRIC FIELD

Electric Charge
 Electric charge (symbol q, sometimes Q) is the physical property of
matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an
electromagnetic field. Electric charge can be positive or negative.
 The Charge of an Electron and Proton
 The charge on 1 proton is 1.6 x 10 ^ -19 C. Conversely, the charge of
an electron is -1.6 x 10 ^ -19 C.
 Electric Field
 An electric field (sometimes called E-field ) is the physical field that
surrounds electrically charged particles. Charged particles exert
attractive forces on each other when their charges are opposite, and
repulsion forces on each other when their charges are the same.
 Coulomb’s Law
 Coulomb's law describes the strength of the electrostatic force
(attraction or repulsion) between two charged objects. The
electrostatic force is equal to the charge of object 1 times the charge
of object 2, divided by the distance between the objects squared, all
times the Coulomb constant (k).
 Coulumb (C)
 The coulomb (symbol: C) is the unit of electric charge in
the International System of Units (SI).
Formula
 Electric Field Strength

𝑭 𝑬𝑳𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑪
𝑬𝑳𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑪 𝑭𝑰𝑬𝑳𝑫=
𝒒
 Electric Field Strength
𝒒
𝑬 =𝒌
𝒓 𝟐
 Sample Problem
 The electron and proton of a hydrogen atom are separated (on
average) by a distance of approximately 5.3 x 10 ^-11 m. Find the
magnitude of the electric force.
 Sample Problem
 Find the magnitude of Electric Field experienced by q1 = -20 nC
when it interacts with a second charge q2 = 50uC that is located
20mm at the right of q1.
 Electric Field Lines
 Field lines must begin on positive charges or at infinity and must
terminate on negative charges or at infinity.
 The number of lines drawn leaving a positive charge or approaching
a negative charge is proportional to the magnitude of the charge.
 No two field lines from the same field can cross each other.