Electric Fields Flashcards

1
Q

Describe Coulomb’s law.

A

The force between two point charges:
Can be attractive or repulsive.
Is directly proportional to the product of the charges.
Is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

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2
Q

Define electric field strength in words.

A

Force per unit charge.
On a positive test charge due to an electric field.

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3
Q

Give the equation that defines electric field strength.

A

F = EQ

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4
Q

Give two units for electric field strength.

A

N C-1
V m-1

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5
Q

Is electric field strength scalar or vector? What significance does this have when combining field strengths?

A

Vector quantity.
Direction must be considered when combining.

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6
Q

What do electric field lines show?

A

The direction of the force,
that a positive test charge would feel in an electric field.

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7
Q

Sketch a radial electric field around a positive and negative point charge and describe the key features.

A

Field strength decreases with distance.
Shown by field lines getting further apart.

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8
Q

Sketch a uniform electric field between two parallel charged plates and describe the key features.

A

Field lines are:
Parallel to each other.
Perpendicular to plates.
From more positive to more negative plates.
Equally spaced as electric field strength is equal at all points.

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9
Q

Give the equation for electric field strength in a uniform field.

A

E = V / d

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10
Q

An electron enters a uniform field at a constant horizontal velocity perpendicular to the field lines. Explain the path of the electron.

A

Electrostatic force acts vertically upwards at all points.
Causes vertical velocity to accelerate upwards.
No horizontal force so horizontal velocity is constant.
Moves in a parabolic path towards positive plate.

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11
Q

How can the acceleration of the vertical component be obtained?

A

F = EQ = V / d
a = F / m = VQ / md

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12
Q

Define electric potential at a point in an electric field.

A

Work done per unit charge
On a positive test charge,
To move it from infinity to that point.

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13
Q

Why is electric potential positive for a positive charge?

A

At infinity, electric potential is defined as zero.
And work needs to be done to move a positive test charge away from infinity (i.e. V increases away from infinity).

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14
Q

Why is electric potential negative for a negative charge?

A

At infinity, electric potential is defined as zero.
And work needs to be done to move a positive test charge towards infinity (i.e. V increases towards infinity).

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15
Q

Give the equation for calculating work done moving an object in a electric field.

A

ΔW = QΔV

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16
Q

What are electric equipotentials?

A

Lines or surfaces that join together all of the points with the same electric potential.

17
Q

How much work is done moving an object along an equipotential?

A

Zero as there is no change in electric potential.

18
Q

What do you know about the direction of equipotentials relative to field lines?

A

Equipotentials and field lines are always perpendicular.

19
Q

Explain the spacing of the equipotentials in a radial field.

A

Get further apart as distance from charge increases.
For a given energy per unit charge, a charge can be moved further, as field strength decreases.

20
Q

Explain the spacing of the equipotentials in a uniform field.

A

Equally spaced between the plates.
For a given energy per unit mass, an object can be moved an equal distance, as field strength is constant.

21
Q

Give the equation that relates electric potential V and electric field strength E.

A

E = ΔV / Δr

22
Q

Complete: electric field strength can also be referred to as…

A

Electric potential gradient.

23
Q

What does the magnitude of the gradient of a graph of electric potential V against distance r represent?

A

Electric field strength (E).

24
Q

If equipotentials are closer together, what does this tell you?

A

Greater rate of change of electric potential V with distance r (i.e. greater ΔV/ Δr).
Which means a greater electric field strength E.

25
Q

What does the area under a graph of electric field strength E against distance r represent?

A

Electric potential difference ΔV.

26
Q

Is electric potential scalar or vector? What significance does this have when combining potential?

A

It is a scalar quantity.
So direction does not need to be considered (but sign of charge still does!).

27
Q

Complete: between two like charges there is a point where ________________ equals zero.

A

Electric field strength (field strengths in opposite directions cancel out).

28
Q

Complete: between two opposite charges there is a point where ________________ equals zero.

A

Electric potential (one potential is positive, one is negative so they add to zero).