Electrostatics Flashcards
What are the types of charges that exist in matter?
Matter contains positive charges (protons) and negative charges (electrons). The balance or imbalance of these charges in an object determines whether it is electrically neutral, positively charged, or negatively charged.
Q: What is Coulomb’s inverse square law?
Coulomb’s law states that the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically,
𝐹 = 𝑘 ((𝑞_1 𝑞_2 ) /𝑟_2)
where 𝐹 is the force,
𝑞_1 and 𝑞_2 are the charges,
𝑟 is the distance between them, and 𝑘 is Coulomb’s constant.
What is the purpose of an electroscope?
An electroscope is a device used to detect the presence and magnitude of electric charge on a body. It can indicate whether the charge is positive or negative and can also be used to measure the potential difference.
How can a body be charged by friction, contact, and induction?
Friction: When two different materials are rubbed together, electrons may transfer from one material to the other, resulting in one material being negatively charged and the other positively charged.
Contact: When a charged body touches a neutral body, electrons can transfer, charging the neutral body.
Induction: A neutral body can be charged by bringing a charged object near it without direct contact, causing a redistribution of charges in the neutral body.
What is electric field intensity?
Electric field intensity (E) at a point in space is defined as the force per unit charge experienced by a small positive test charge placed at that point. It is given by 𝐸 = 𝐹 / 𝑞
where 𝐹 is the force and
𝑞 is the charge.
What is the potential difference in an electric field?
The potential difference (V) between two points in an electric field is the work done in moving a unit positive charge from one point to the other. It is given by 𝑉 = 𝑊 / 𝑞
where 𝑊 is the work done and
𝑞 is the charge.
