General Physics II

Electric Charge,
Forces & Fields

Electric Charge

Recall that fundamental particles carry something called

electric charge

protons have exactly one unit of positive charge
 +1.602 x 10-19 Coulombs [C]

electrons have exactly one unit of negative charge
 -1.602 x 10-19 Coulombs [C]

Electromagnetic force is one of the basic interactions in
nature

like charges experience repulsive force

opposite charges attracted to each other (like gravity)

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 Charge Balance

Neutral atoms are made of equal quantities of positive and

negative charges

Neutral carbon has 6 protons, 6 electrons, (& neutrons)

Electrons can be stripped off of atoms

Electrons occupy the vulnerable outskirts of atoms

Usually charge flows in such a way as to maintain
neutrality

Excess positive charge attracts excess negative charge

Your body has 5×1028 positive charges and 5×1028
negative charges, balanced within millions or billions

Charge Separation

Can separate charges by rubbing (contact between

dissimilar materials):

rubber on carpet

atmosphere across ground

silk on glass

balloon on hair

Insulators keep charges where they are (no flow)

Conductors distribute charge equally on surface

charge is free to “move about”

why do the charges collect on the surface?

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 Static Electricity

Rubbing action redistributes charge (unbalanced)

If enough charge builds up, we get discharge

Air spark is actually due to “breakdown” of air

neutral air molecules separate into ions (electrons are
stripped away)

current can then flow through the “plasma-field” air

In essence, air becomes a “wire” for a short bit

this happens at 3 million volts per meter
 1 cm spark then at 30,000 volts
 typical finger-spark may involve a few billion
electrons

Charging by Conduction
• Inside a conductor charges (electrons) are free to move
 A charged object (the insulated rod) is
brought near and then placed in
contact with another object (the
conducting sphere)
• As the rod is brought near, but prior to
contact, the charges in the sphere are
redistributed. Some of the electrons in the
sphere are repelled from the electrons in
the rod
 Upon contact, some surface electrons
on the rod can move to the sphere
 When the rod is removed, the sphere
is left with a charge
 The object being charged is always left
with a charge having the same sign as
the object doing the charging

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 Charging By Induction

Polarization

 This realignment of charge on the surface of an insulator is

known as polarization

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 “Electrostatic” Force (Coulomb’s Law)

Two charges, q1 and q2, separated by distance r exert a force
on each other:

q1 q2
F = ke
r2
q1 q2
r

ke (Coulomb’s Constant) = 8.9875 × 109 Nm2/C2, q is in

Coulombs, r in meters

Electron and proton attract each other 1040 times stronger
electrically than gravitationally!

Good thing charge is usually balanced!

Coulomb Law Illustrated

 Like charges repel

 Unlike charges attract

If charges are of same magnitude (and same separation),

all the forces will be the same magnitude, with different
directions....Recall Newton’s 3rd Law!

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 Example…
 A charged ball Q1 is fixed to a horizontal
surface as shown. When another massive Q2
charged ball Q2 is brought near, it achieves
an equilibrium position at a distance d12 Q2
directly above Q1.
d12 d23
 When Q1 is replaced by a different charged g
ball Q3, Q2 achieves an equilibrium position Q1
at distance d23 (< d12) directly above Q3. Q3

1a: A) The charge of Q3 has the same sign of the charge of Q1

B) The charge of Q3 has the opposite sign as the charge of Q1
C) Cannot determine the relative signs of the charges of Q3 & Q1

1b: A) The magnitude of charge Q3 < the magnitude of charge Q1

B) The magnitude of charge Q3 > the magnitude of charge Q1
C) Cannot determine relative magnitudes of charges of Q3 & Q1

Two balls of equal mass are suspended from the ceiling

with nonconducting wire. One ball is given a charge +3q
and the other is given a charge +q.

g
+3q +q

Which of the following best represents the equilibrium positions?

+3q +q
+q +3q +3q +q

(a) (b) (c)

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 What happens when you
consider more than two charges?
• If q1 were the only other charge, we
would know the force on q due to q1 . → +q1
F1
• If q2 were the only other charge, we
would know the force on q due to q2 . -q →
F
 What is the force on q when both q1 and q2 are
present?? →
F2 +q2
 The answer (just as in mechanics):

The total force on the object is just

the vector sum of the individual
forces
→ → →
F = F1 + F2

Vector Example
What is the net force acting on q2?

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 Or…….
Like the net force on q3 instead

Electric Field

Can think of electric force as establishing “field” telling particles
which way to move and how fast

Electric “field
lines” tell a
positive
+ charge which way
to move.

Run Away!
+

For example, a positive charge itself has field lines pointing away
from it, because this is how a positively-charged “test-particle”
would respond if placed in the vicinity (repulsive force).

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 Electric Field Lines for a Negative Point Charge

Electric Field of a Positive Point Charge

The picture shows the electric field vector at several points.

r
r F q
E= =k 2
qo r
N
(Units = )
C

** The same formula is used for the electric field strength of

a negative charge **

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Field Lines From Two Opposite Charges
= Dipole

Field Lines From Two Like

Charges
• There is a zero halfway between the two charges

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 A negative charge is placed in a region of electric field
as shown in the picture. Which way does it move ?

a) up c) left e) it doesn't move

b) down d) right

Rules for Field Lines

Graphical “trick”
+ for visualizing -
E fields

• Electric field lines leave (+) charges and

return to (-) charges
• Number of lines leaving/entering charge
are proportional to the amount of charge
• Field lines never cross
• Field lines are always perpendicular to the
charged surface

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 •Examine the electric field
lines produced by the
charges in this figure.

•Which statement is true?

(a) q1 and q2 have the same sign

(b) q1 and q2 have the opposite signs and q1 > q2
(c) q1 and q2 have the opposite signs and q1 < q2

Two charges, q1 and q2, fixed along

the x-axis as shown produce an y
electric field, E, at a point which is
directed along the negative y-axis.
d E
- Which of the following is true?
q1 q2 x
(a) Both charges q1 and q2 are positive
(b) Both charges q1 and q2 are negative
(c) The charges q1 and q2 have opposite signs

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 Problem

 What is the direction of the net electric field at the center of

the square?

+q a -2q

a
a

-q a +2q

End of

Electric Charge,
Forces & Fields
Lecture

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