Electrostatics 2 Flashcards
What is electric field strength (E)?
The intensity of the force per unit positive charge.
How do electric field lines behave?
They point towards a negative charge and away from a positive charge.
What does the density of electric field lines indicate?
The strength of the electric field.
What is electrostatic induction?
The method of creating static electricity in a material by bringing an electrically charged object near it.
What happens during electrostatic induction in a conductor?
Charges are induced on the body, resulting in a net force of attraction between the inducing charge and the induced charges.
What is a dielectric?
An insulator that can be polarized to produce induced charges.
What are the mechanisms of dielectric action?
Molecular distortion and rotation of polar molecules.
What are polar molecules?
Molecules with an average position of electrons not coincident with that of nuclei, creating a separation of charges.
