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Physics STPM
12. Electrostatics
12.1 Coulombs law
12.2 Electric field
12.3 Gauss law
12.4 Electrical potential
OBJECTIVES
(a) state Coulombs law and use the formula F = Qq /
2
40r
(b) explain the meaning of electric field, and sketch the
field pattern for an isolated point charge, an
electric dipole and a uniformly charged surface
(c) define the electric field strength, and use the
formula E=F/q
(d) describe the motion of a point charge in a uniform
electric field
(e) state Gausss law, and apply it to derive the electric
field strength for an isolated point charge, an
isolated charged conducting sphere and a uniformly
charged plate
(f) define electric potential
2
(g) use the formula V = Q / 40r
(h) explain the meaning of equipotential surfaces
(i) use the relationship E = -dV/dr
(j) use the formula U = qV
12.1 Coulombs Law
a) What is Electric Charge?
- An intrinsic property of
protons and electrons,
which make up all matter, is
electric charge.
- A proton has a positive
charge, and an electron has
a negative charge.
b) Properties of electric charge
- Two types of electric charge, positive and negative; a
proton has a positive charge, and an electron has a
negative charge.
- The SI unit for measuring the magnitude
of electric charge is the coulomb (C).
- The electric charge is said to be
quantized. The smallest amount of free
-19
charge is e=1.610 C. Any electric
charge, q, occurs as integer multiples of
the elementary charge e, Q = ne
- Two electrically charged objects exert a
force on one another, called as
electrostatic force: like charges repel and
unlike charges attract each other.
c) The strength of electrical force depends
on
- The distance between charges
- The amount of charge on each object
d) Charles Augustin Coulomb (1736 1806)
- Studied electrostatics and magnetism
- Investigated strengths of materials
- Identified forces acting on beams (1785)
e) Coulomb's Law states that:
1
40
8.99 109
Nm 2
C2
C2
Nm 2
F
2
q2
r
9
-6
F
-6
2 12. Electrostatics
Example 2:
Forces F1 and F2 act independently on test charge (q0).
[q1 = 2 C, q2 = 5 C, q0 = 4 cm]
F
force that acts on the test charge; then E
q
- A field is not just an abstract concept that we use to
describe forces. The field is real.
- The electric field extends throughout space and exerts
forces on charged particles.
- If we place a positive point charge in an electric field,
there will be a vector force on that charge in the direction
of the electric field
- The magnitude of the force depends on the strength of
the electric field.
b) Precise Definition of Electric Field:
- We define the electric field in terms of the force it exerts
on a positive point charge
- Unit of the electric field: N/C (newtons per coulomb)
- We can then write F qE (x )
- Note that the electric force is parallel to the electric field
and is proportional to the charge
- The force on a negative charge will be in the opposite
direction
- What is the field created by a point charge q?
- Consider a test charge q0 at point x.
qq
- Force on q0: F k 20 r
r
F
q
k 2 r
- Electric field at x: E ( x )
q0
r
c) Superposition of Electric Fields:
- Suppose we have many charges.
- The electric field at any point in space will have
contributions from all the charges.
- The electric field at any point in space is the superposition
of the electric field from n charges is E = E1 + E2 + E3 + E4 +
+ En (vectors sum!)
- Note that the superposition applies to each component of
the field (x, y, z).
d) Electric Field Lines
- We can represent the
electric field graphically by
electric field lines i.e.,
curves that represent the
vector force exerted on a
positive test charge.
- Electric field lines will
originate on positive
charges and
terminate on negative charges.
- Electric field lines do not cross. (Why?)
- The electric force at a given point in space is tangent to
the electric field line through that point.
e) Properties of Field Lines
- The strength of the electric field
F
is represented by the density of
electric field lines
r
- The direction of the electric
3 12. Electrostatics
E E An
Where n is a unit vector perpendicular to the surface
- The direction of a unit vector for an open surface is
ambiguous
40 r 2
The problem has spherical symmetry, we therefore use a
sphere as the Gaussian surface
Since E is radial, its dot product with the differential area
vector, which is also radial, is always one
Also E is the same at every point on the surface of the
sphere
For these reasons, E can be pulled
out from the integral and what
remains is E E dA
- The integral over the surface area
of the sphere yields
A 4 r 2
- Pulling all this together then yields
4 12. Electrostatics
independent of QB the charge on the red spherical shell.
E EA; E
E
4 r
40 r 2
Example 4:
A positive charge is contained inside a spherical shell. How
does the differential electric flux, dE, through the surface
element dS change when the charge is moved from position
1 to position 2?
E dA 0
i) Increases
ii) decreases
iii) doesnt change
- The total flux of a charge is constant, with the density of
flux lines being higher the closer you are to the charge,
Therefore as you move the charge closer to the surface
element, the density of flux lines increases
- Multiplying this higher density by the same value for the
area of dS gives us that the incremental flux also
increases
Example 5:
A positive charge is contained inside a spherical shell. How
does the total flux, E, through the entire surface change
when the charge is moved from position 1 to position 2?
A
0
left disappears 2 E A
; E
0
2 0
Example 8: (Infinite Line having a Charge Density l)
- By Symmetry
- E-field must be ^ to line of
charge and can only depend
on distance from the line
- Therefore, choose the
Gaussian surface to be a
cylinder of radius r and length
h aligned with the x-axis
- Apply Gauss Law:
On the ends, E dS 0 , since E// is zero
On the barrel, E dS 2 rhE and q h
0
i
20 r
4 3
Q
r Q r
Qencl Vencl
4 R 3 / 3 3
R3
E 4 r 2
E
Q r3
0 R3
r
40 R 3
Field increases linearly
5 12. Electrostatics
d)
-
within sphere
Outside of sphere, electric field is given by that of a point
charge of value Q
Charges on Conductors
Given a solid conductor, on which is placed an excess
charge then in the static limit
The excess charge will reside on the surface of the
conductor and
Everywhere the electric field due to this excess charge
will be perpendicular to the surface and
The electric field within the conductor will everywhere be
zero
Example 10:
- A solid conducting sphere is concentric
with a thin conducting shell, as shown
- The inner sphere carries a charge Q1,
and the spherical shell carries a charge
Q2, such that Q2 = - 3 Q1
(i) How is the charge distributed on
the sphere?
- Remember that the electric field inside a conductor in a
static situation is zero.
- By Gausss Law, there can be no net
charge inside the conductor
- The charge, Q1, must reside on the
outside surface of the sphere
(ii) How is the charge distributed on
the spherical shell?
- The electric field inside the conducting shell is zero.
- There can be no net charge inside the conductor
- Using Gauss Law it can be shown that the inner
surface of the shell must carry a net charge of Q1
- The outer surface must carry the charge +Q1 + Q2, so
that the net charge on the shell equals Q2
- The charges are distributed uniformly over the inner
Q1
and outer surfaces of the shell, hence inner
4R2 2
Q Q
2Q1
and outer 2 21
4R2
4R2 2
(iii) What is the electric field at r < R1? Between R1 and R2?
And at r > R2?
- The electric field inside a conductor is zero.
- r < R1: This is inside the conducting sphere, therefore
E 0
- Between R1 and R2 : R1 < r < R2
Charge enclosed within a Gaussian sphere = Q1
Q
E k 21 r
r
- r > R2
Charge enclosed within a Gaussian sphere = Q1 + Q2
Q Q
Q 3Q
2Q
E k 1 2 2 r k 1 2 1 r k 21 r
r
r
r
(iv) What happens when you connect the two spheres with
a wire? (What are the charges?)
- After electrostatic equilibrium is
reached, there is no charge on the
inner sphere, and none on the inner
surface of the shell
- The charge Q1 + Q2 resides on the
outer surface
2Q
- and for r > R2, E k 21 r
r
Example 11:
- An uncharged spherical conductor has a
weirdly shaped cavity carved out of it.
Inside the cavity is a charge -q.
(ii)
(iii)
6 12. Electrostatics
- Another way to relate the energy and the potential
difference: PE = q V
- Both electric potential energy and potential difference
are scalar quantities
- Units of potential difference: V = J/C
- A special case occurs when there is a uniform electric field
VB VA= -Ed
- Gives more information about units:
N/C = V/m
4) Energy and Charge Movements
- A positive charge gains electrical potential energy when it
is moved in a direction opposite the electric field
- If a charge is released in the electric field, it experiences a
force and accelerates, gaining kinetic energy
- As it gains kinetic energy, it loses an equal amount of
electrical potential energy
- A negative charge loses electrical
potential energy when it moves in
the direction opposite the electric
field
- When the electric field is directed
downward, point B is at a lower
potential than point A
- A positive test charge that moves
from A to B loses electric potential
energy
- It will gain the same amount of
kinetic energy as it loses potential
energy
5) When a positive charge is placed in an electric field
- It moves in the direction of the field
- It moves from a point of higher potential to a point of
lower potential
- Its electrical potential energy decreases
- Its kinetic energy increases
6) When a negative charge is placed in an electric field
- It moves opposite to the direction of the field
- It moves from a point of lower
potential to a point of higher
potential
- Its electrical potential energy
decreases
- Its kinetic energy increases
7) Electric Potential of a Point
Charge
2
- So, final kinetic energy of each charge = kQ 4 2
4L
Example 12:
4
- A proton moves from rest in an electric field of 8.010
V/m along the +x axis for 50 cm. Find
a) the change in the electric potential,
b) the change in the electrical potential energy, and
c) the speed after it has moved 50 cm. (k = 8.99 X 109)
4
4
- a) V = -Ed = -(8.010 V/m)(0.50 m) = -4.010 V
-19
4
-15
- b) PE = q V = (1.610 C)(-4.0 10 V) = -6.4 10 J
- c) KEi + PEi = KEf + PEf, KEi = 0
KEf = PEi - PEf = -PE,
2
-15
mpv /2 = 6.410 J
-27
mp = 1.6710 kg
v
2(6.4 1015 J )
1.67 1027 kg
2.8 106 m / s
7 12. Electrostatics
- The potential created by a point charge q at any distance
q
r from the charge is V ke ,
r
if r, V=0 and if r=0, V
5.0 106 C
1.12 104V ,
4.0m
( 2.0 106 C )
(3.0m) (4.0m)
2
3.60 103V
Superposition: Vp=V1+V2
4
3
3
Vp = 1.1210 V + (-3.6010 V) = 7.610 V
16) Problem Solving with Electric Potential (Point Charges)
- Remember that potential is a scalar quantity
- So no components to worry about
- Use the superposition principle when you have multiple
charges
- Take the algebraic sum
- Keep track of sign
- The potential is positive if the charge is positive and
negative if the charge is negative
- Use the basic equation V = keq/r
17) Potentials and Charged Conductors
- W = -DPE = -q(VB VA) , no work is required to move a
charge between two points that are at the same electric
potential W=0 when VA=VB
- All points on the surface of a charged conductor in
electrostatic equilibrium are at the same potential
- Therefore, the electric potential is a constant everywhere
on the surface of a charged conductor in equilibrium
18) Conductors in Equilibrium (Overview)
- The conductor has an excess of
positive charge
- All of the charge resides at the surface
- E = 0 inside the conductor
- The electric field just outside the
conductor is perpendicular to the
surface
- The potential is a constant everywhere
on the surface of the conductor
- The potential everywhere inside the conductor is
constant and equal to its value at the surface
19) The Electron Volt
- The electron volt (eV) is defined as the energy that an
electron (or proton) gains when accelerated through a
potential difference of 1 V
- Electrons in normal atoms have energies of 10s of eV
- Excited electrons have energies of 1000s of eV
- High energy gamma rays have energies of millions of eV
-19
1 V=1 J/C 1 eV = 1.6 x 10 J
20) Electrical potential
- The Coulomb force is a conservative force
- A potential energy function can be defined for any
conservative force, including Coulomb force
- The notions of potential and potential energy are
important for practical problem solving
21) Potential difference and electric potential
- The electrostatic force is conservative
- As in mechanics, work is W = Fd cos
8 12. Electrostatics
- Work done on the positive
charge by moving it from A
to B, W = Fd cos = qEd
22) Potential energy of
electrostatic field
- The work done by a
conservative force equals the negative of the change in
potential energy, DPE
PE = -W = -qEd
- This equation
- is valid only for the case of a uniform electric field
- allows to introduce the concept of electric potential
23) Electric potential
- The potential difference between points A and B, VB - VA,
is defined as the change in potential energy (final minus
initial value) of a charge, q, moved from A to B, divided by
the charge V = VB VA = PE / q
- Electric potential is a scalar quantity
- Electric potential difference is a measure of electric
energy per unit charge
24) Potential is often referred to as voltage
25) Electric potential units
- Electric potential difference is the work done to move a
charge from a point A to a point B divided by the
magnitude of the charge. Thus the SI units of electric
potential
- In other words, 1 J of work is required to move a 1 C of
charge between two points that are at potential
difference of 1 V
- Units of electric field (N/C) can be expressed in terms of
the units of potential (as volts per meter)
- Because the positive tends to move in the direction of the
electric field, work must be done on the charge to move it
in the direction, opposite the field. Thus,
- A positive charge gains electric potential energy when it is
moved in a direction opposite the electric field
- A negative charge loses electrical potential energy when
it moves in the direction opposite the electric field
26) Analogy between electric and gravitational fields
- A positive charge gains electric potential energy when it is
moved in a direction opposite the electric field
- A negative charge loses electrical potential energy when
it moves in the direction opposite the electric field
- The same kinetic-potential energy theorem works here
-27
mp = 1.6710 kg
-19
|e| = 1.6010 C
ve=? vp=?
- Observations:
- given potential energy
difference, one can find
the kinetic energy difference
- kinetic energy is related to speed
27) Electric potential and potential energy due to point
charges
- Electric circuits: point of zero potential is defined by
grounding some point in the circuit
- Electric potential due to a point charge at a point in
space: point of zero potential is taken at an infinite
distance from the charge, Ve = Keq/r
- With this choice, a potential can be found as
- Note: the potential depends only on charge of an object,
q, and a distance from this object to a point in space, r.
28) Superposition principle for potentials
- If more than one point charge is present, their electric
potential can be found by applying superposition
principle
- The total electric potential at some point P due to several
point charges is the algebraic sum of the electric
potentials due to the individual charges.
- Remember that potentials are scalar quantities!
29) Potential energy of a system of point charges
- Consider a system of two particles
- If V1 is the electric potential due to charge q1 at a point P,
then work required to bring the
charge q2 from infinity to P
without acceleration is q2V1. If a
distance between P and q1 is r,
then by definition
- Potential energy is positive if charges are of the same
sign and vice versa.
Example 12: potential energy of an ion
- Three ions, Na+, Na+, and Cl-,
located such, that they form
corners of an equilateral triangle
of side 2 nm in water. What is the
electric potential energy of one of
the Na+ ions?
9 12. Electrostatics
- Because the electric field in zero inside the conductor, no
work is required to move charges between any two
points, i.e.
- If work is zero, any two points inside the conductor have
the same potential, i.e. potential is constant everywhere
inside a conductor
- Finally, since one of the points can be arbitrarily close to
the surface of the conductor, the electric potential is
constant everywhere inside a conductor and equal to its
value at the surface!
- Note that the potential inside a conductor is not
necessarily zero, even though the interior electric field is
always zero!
31) The electron volt
- A unit of energy commonly used
in atomic, nuclear and particle
physics is electron volt (eV)
- The electron volt is defined as the
energy that electron (or proton)
gains when accelerating through a potential difference of
1V
- Relation to SI:
-19
-19
- 1 eV = 1.6010 CV = 1.6010 J
32) Problem-solving strategy
- Remember that potential is a scalar quantity, where
a) Superposition principle is an algebraic sum of
potentials due to a system of charges
b) Signs are important
- Just in mechanics, only changes in electric potential are
significant, hence, the point you choose for zero electric
potential is arbitrary.
Example : ionization energy of the electron in a hydrogen
atom
- In the Bohr model of a hydrogen atom, the electron, if it
is in the ground state, orbits the proton at a distance of r
-11
= 5.29 x 10 m. Find the ionization energy of the atom,
i.e. the energy required to remove the electron from the
atom.
- Note that the Bohr model, the idea of electrons as tiny
balls orbiting the nucleus, is not a very good model of the
atom. A better picture is one in which the electron is
spread out around the nucleus in a cloud of varying
density; however, the Bohr model does give the right
answer for the ionization energy
- Given: r = 5.292 10-11 m, me = 9.1110-31 kg, mp =
1.6710-27 kg, |e| = 1.6010-19 C
Find: E=?
The ionization energy equals to the total energy of the
electron-proton system,
E = PE + KE with
10 12. Electrostatics
- The Xerographic Process:
(d - x) = 2 x
2
2
2
d -2xd+x =2x
2
2
x + 2 x d - d = 0.
2
2
From x + 2 x d - d = 0, the quadratic formula yields:
The Ks, qs, and q0s cancel, the latter showing that the
location of P is independent of the charge placed there.
Cross multiplying we obtain:
11 12. Electrostatics
Summary
Electrostatics
Coulombs Law
Electric Field
Gausss Law
F=
Q1Q2/(40r2)
E = F/q
= Q/0
Motion of point
charge in
uniform electric
field E.
= EA
Electric
Potential, V
Uniform charged
palate:
V = -r Edx
E = /20
E = - dV/dx
Point charge: E =
Q/(40r2)
E = - dV/dr
U = qV
Charged sphere:
For r > R, E = 0
For r R, E =
Q/(40r2)