M6, C2 Electric Fields Flashcards
What does the capacitance of a capacitor depend on
The permittivity of the material between the plates - how easy it is to generate an electric field in the material.
Also the dimensions of the capacitor
What does this equation mean?
C = (ε_0 X A) / d
When there’s a vacuum between the plates!!!
capacitance = permittivity in free space X area of the plates / separation of the plates
What equation can you use for the capacitance of a material which has a material in between them instead of a vacuum.
C = εA / d
ε = relative permittivity X permittivity of free space
define electric field strength
force per unit positive charge
what is an electric field
the region around an object where it can attract or repel other charges
what does this equation mean
E = F / Q
E = electric field strength F = force on the charged object Q = charge of the object
what are the units of electric field strength
NC^-1
is electric field strength a scalar or vector quantity
vector quantity
points in the direction that a positive charge would move
Point charges have a ______ electric field.
radial
Draw radial electric fields for a positive point charge and one for a negative point charge.
Positive point charge:
arrows pointing outwards
Negative point charge:
arrows pointing inwards
what is a uniform electric field
how can you produce one
has the same electric field strength everywhere
by connecting 2 parallel plates to the opposite poles of a battery
the field lines point from the plate with the more positive potential to the plate with the less positive potential
What is Coulomb’s law in words?
The force between two point charges is:
- directly proportional to the product of the charges
- inversely proportional to the square of their distance apart
What equation is
F = Qq / 4πε_0r^2
Coulomb’s law
Force on the object = charges of the two objects / (4π X permittivity of free space X distance between them squared)
what is coulomb’s law and the equation for electric field strength an example of?
inverse square law
F α 1/r^2
F is inversely proportional to 1 / r^2
draw a diagram for a negatively charged and positively charged object showing r and F
page 134 of year 2 textbook
F pointing towards the other object on both of them because they’re attracting
r is between the centres of the objects
derive an equation for electric field strength in radial fields
E = F/Q and F = Qq / 4πε_0r^2
therefore
E = Q / 4πε_0r^2