ELECTRIC FIELDS Flashcards
Coulomb’s law
The magnitude of the electrostatic force of interaction between two point charges is directly proportional to the scalar multiplication of the magnitudes of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
Electric field lines
Show the direction of the force that would act on a positive point charge in the electric field. Always are directed perpendicular to a surface
Electric field strength
The force per unit charge acting on a positive point charge in an electric field
Electric potential
The work done per unit charge in bringing a positive point charge from infinity to a point in the field
Electric potential energy
The work done in bringing a positive point charge from infinity to a point in the field
Equipotential surface
Surface containing all points at the same potential
Radial field
The field lines diverge/ converge radially outward/ inward from a point source
Uniform field
A field where the electric field strength is constant at every point
Point charge
A body with charge but very little size
Define the term electric charge
Region/area/space in which charge experiences force
Explain why all points on a conductor must be at the same potential
In a conductor, there are charge carriers (electrons) that are free to move. If
there was a difference in potential between any two points on the conductor,
charges would move from one to the other until the difference was removed.
So, the surface of a conductor is an equipotential. So the electric field is perpendicular to the surface of the conductor.
Is electric potential scalar or vector?
As energy is scalar electric potential is scalar
Is electric field strength scalar or vector ?
As the electric field strength= F/Q and force is a vector Electric field strength is also a vector
