Electrostatics Flashcards
What is electrostatics?
The study of electric charges at rest.
True or False: Electrostatic forces can act over a distance.
True.
Fill in the blank: The unit of electric charge is the __________.
Coulomb.
What law describes the force between two charged objects?
Coulomb’s Law.
What is the formula for Coulomb’s Law?
F = k * |q1 * q2| / r^2.
What does the symbol ‘k’ represent in Coulomb’s Law?
The electrostatic constant (approximately 8.99 x 10^9 N m²/C²).
True or False: Like charges attract each other.
False.
What is an electric field?
A region around a charged object where other charges experience a force.
How is electric field strength (E) defined?
E = F/q, where F is the force on a test charge q.
What is the SI unit of electric field strength?
Volts per meter (V/m).
Fill in the blank: The principle of __________ states that the total electric field in a region is the vector sum of the electric fields from all charges.
superposition.
What is the electric potential energy (U) of a system of charges?
The work done to assemble the charges from infinity.
What is the relation between electric potential (V) and electric potential energy (U)?
V = U/q, where U is the electric potential energy and q is the charge.
True or False: Electric potential is a scalar quantity.
True.
What is the unit of electric potential?
Volts (V).
Define a conductor in electrostatics.
A material that allows electric charges to flow freely.
What happens to excess charge placed on a conductor?
It resides on the surface of the conductor.
What is an insulator?
A material that does not allow electric charges to flow freely.
Fill in the blank: The __________ effect is the redistribution of charges in a conductor due to an external electric field.
polarization.
What is the concept of grounding?
Connecting an object to the Earth to neutralize its charge.
What is the electric flux (ΦE) through a surface?
The electric field (E) multiplied by the area (A) perpendicular to the field.
What is Gauss’s Law?
The electric flux through a closed surface is proportional to the charge enclosed.
What is the formula for Gauss’s Law?
ΦE = Q_enc / ε₀, where Q_enc is the enclosed charge and ε₀ is the permittivity of free space.
True or False: Electric field lines can cross each other.
False.
What does the density of electric field lines indicate?
The strength of the electric field.
What is the significance of equipotential surfaces?
No work is done when moving a charge along an equipotential surface.
What is the relationship between electric field and equipotential surfaces?
Electric field lines are perpendicular to equipotential surfaces.
