7. Fields and their Consequences Flashcards
When can charge transfer between two objects?
When they slide past each other
When two objects slide past each other, how is charge transferred?
Electrons leave one surface and join the other
What is earthing?
When electrons move to or from the earth to balance charges on charged objects
What happens, when charge is transferred between objects, if one of the objects is an insulator?
The charge can build up
Why does charge build up on the dome of a Van de Graaf generator?
The dome is metal, but charge builds up as it is isolated
What happens when a charged polythene rod is brought near to uncharged objects?
It attracts the object
How do you get charge onto an electroscope?
∙ charged object e.g. polythene rod is brought near the metal plate
∙ gold leaf moves towards rod
∙ electroscope is earthed so charge is stored
How can electric fields be represented?
Field lines
What do field lines show?
The direction of the force that would be felt by a small positive charge
What do equally spaced field lines show?
A uniform field
What practical can be done to plot field lines?
Electrolytic tanks and conducting paper
∙ damp filter paper, potassium permanganate and 250V electrodes
∙ plot equipotential lines using a point probe attached to a voltmeter (field lines plotted perpendicular to equipotential line)
What are the rules about field lines?
∙ never start or stop in empty space
∙ never cross
∙ density of field lines shows strength of field
Where do field lines stop and start?
Either on a charge or at infinity
Why do field lines never cross?
If they did, a small positive charge place there would feel forces in different directions, which could be resolved into the one true direction of the field there
What is a neutral point?
A point exactly between two like charges where no field exists
What is the equation for electric field strength?
E = F / Q
What is field strength?
The force per unit (positive) charge exerted by the field
What are the units for electric field strength?
N C-1
Summary of Coulomb’s law?
The force between two point charges is
∙ directly proportional to each of the charges Q1 and Q2
∙ inversely proportional to the square of their separation
What is the equation for Coulomb’s law?
F = kQ1Q2 / r²
What does k depend on in F=kQ1Q2 / r²?
The permittivity of the substance separating the charges
What permittivity does every insulating material have?
Greater than the permittivity of free space
What does it mean, in terms of charges, that the permittivity of water is about 80 times the permittivity of free space?
Makes the forces between charges 1/80th of value - when salt is put in water the forces are reduced and crystal structure collapses
What equation do you get when the electric field and coulombs law equation are combined?
E = kQ / r²