Chapter 22 Concepts - Electric Field Flashcards
Define electric field
it allows charges inside to interact with each other without touching
What is the general rule for electric field lines?
Electric field lines extend away from positive charge (where they originate) and toward negative charge (where they terminate).
Define uniform electric field.
the electric field has the same magnitude and direction at every point within the field
What are the basic rules to follow for electric field lines?
- Must be tangent to the line at that point and in the same direction
- closer spacing=larger field magnitude
Define point charge
electric field due to a charged particle
Define electric dipole
two particles that have the same charge magnitude but opposite signs
Define electric dipole moment
the product of the charge of the dipole and the distance between the charges
units: C*m
What are some measures of electric charge?
- Charge (q) in coulombs
- Linear charge density (lambda) in coulombs per meter
- Surface charge density (sigma) in coulombs per meter squared
- Volume charge density (rho) in coulombs per meter cubed
How do electric force and electric field relate to each other?
The electrostatic force (F) acting on a charged particle located in an external electric field (E) has the direction of E if the charge of the particle is positive and has the opposite direction if the charge is negative
Define electrical breakdown
the field removes electrons from atoms in the air; this happens when the magnitude of an electric field in the air exceeds a certain critical value
Explain electric dipole moment directionality
The electric dipole moment (p) of an electric dipole jas a vector that points from the negative to the positive end of the dipole
When is electric potential energy at its maximum and at its minimum?
When dipole moment and electric field are parallel, potential energy is at its minimum value
When dipole moment and electric field are antiparallel, potential energy is at its maximum value
