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Chapter 17 Electric Fields PDF

The document discusses key concepts in electric fields, including: 1) Electric fields exist around charged particles and can be represented by electric field lines. The direction of the electric field depends on whether the charge is positive or negative. 2) Uniform electric fields have equal magnitude and direction everywhere between parallel conducting plates with a voltage difference. 3) Charged particles in an electric field experience a force and gain or lose electric potential energy depending on the direction of their movement relative to the electric field.

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Pathmanathan Nadeson
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374 views43 pages

Chapter 17 Electric Fields PDF

The document discusses key concepts in electric fields, including: 1) Electric fields exist around charged particles and can be represented by electric field lines. The direction of the electric field depends on whether the charge is positive or negative. 2) Uniform electric fields have equal magnitude and direction everywhere between parallel conducting plates with a voltage difference. 3) Charged particles in an electric field experience a force and gain or lose electric potential energy depending on the direction of their movement relative to the electric field.

Uploaded by

Pathmanathan Nadeson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CAMBRIDGE A LEVEL PHYSICS

ELECTRIC FIELDS

LEARNING OUTCOMES
NUMBER i ii. ii iii iv v

LEARNING OUTCOME
Understand the concept of the field of force. Learn the definition of electric fields. Analyse the direction and distribution of electric fields around point charges What are uniform electric fields? How does an uniform electric field affect the motion of a charged particle? Understand that electric fields have a electric potential energy associated with it.

FIELDS OF FORCE
Fields of force are regions in space in which a force can act. These fields are vector fields; i.e. there is an associated magnitude and direction. There are a few examples of fields of force existing in nature namely gravitational fields, magnetic fields and electric fields.

DEFINITION OF ELECTRIC FIELD


An electric field, is a field that can exert a force on a charged particle. Electric fields have both magnitude (strength) and direction.

DEFINITION OF ELECTRIC FIELD


Definition: The electric field strength is the magnitude of the force that acts on per unit positive test charge. As an equation, Unit: N C-1 or V m-1

DEFINITION OF ELECTRIC FIELD


The direction of an electric field at a point can be determined by placing a positive test charge and obtaining the direction of force that acts on the positive test charge.

Diagram 21.17(b) and 21.17(c), page 700, Sears and Zemanskys University Physics, Young and Freedman, 13th edition, Pearson Education, San Francisco, 2012.

ELECTRIC FIELDS AROUND C H A R G E D PA R T I C L E S


Electric fields exist around every charged particle. To find out how the electric field around a charged particles look, we use two fundamental charges, positive and negative point charges and look at the direction of forces they exert on a positive test charge.

ELECTRIC FIELDS AROUND C H A R G E D PA R T I C L E S


We place the positive test charge around the positive charge. The arrows show the direction of the force that the positive charge will exert on the positive test charge (repulsive). Two points to note: I. The direction of the arrows, all away from the positive charge. II. The lengths of the arrows decrease as the distance from the charge increases.
Diagram 21.18(a), page 701, Sears and Zemanskys University Physics, Young and Freedman, 13th edition, Pearson Education, San Francisco, 2012.

ELECTRIC FIELDS AROUND C H A R G E D PA R T I C L E S


If we draw more vectors, and connect the heads and tails of vectors that radially adjacent, we obtain the shape as seen on the diagram on the left. These lines around the positive point charge are known as the electric field lines.
Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo/art/images/c18/nw0736n.gif.

ELECTRIC FIELDS AROUND C H A R G E D PA R T I C L E S


The field lines are radially symmetrical, and are spaced further apart as we move away from the charge, and are directed away from the positive charge.

Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo/art/images/c18/nw0736n.gif.

ELECTRIC FIELDS AROUND C H A R G E D PA R T I C L E S


We place the positive test charge around the negative charge. The arrows show the direction of the force that the negative charge will exert on the positive test charge (attractive). Two points to note: I. The direction of the arrows, all towards the negative charge. II. The lengths of the arrows decrease as the distance from the charge increases.
Diagram 21.18(b), page 701, Sears and Zemanskys University Physics, Young and Freedman, 13th edition, Pearson Education, San Francisco, 2012.

ELECTRIC FIELDS AROUND C H A R G E D PA R T I C L E S


If we draw more vectors, and connect the heads and tails of vectors that radially adjacent, we obtain the shape as seen on the diagram on the left. These lines around the negative point charge are known as the electric field lines.
Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo/art/images/c18/nw0737n.gif

ELECTRIC FIELDS AROUND C H A R G E D PA R T I C L E S


The field lines are radially symmetrical, and are spaced further apart as we move away from the charge, and are directed towards the negative charge.

Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo/art/images/c18/nw0737n.gif

EXAMPLES
Oct/Nov 2008, Paper 1, Question 29.

EXAMPLES
Oct/Nov 2009, Paper 11, Question 27.

HOMEWORK
1. 2. 3. 4. Oct/Nov 2009, Paper 11, question 29. May/Jun 2010, Paper 21, question 5. May/Jun 2011, Paper 12, question 31. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 12, question 31.

UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELDS


Uniform electric fields are electric fields that have equal magnitude and direction everywhere in the electric field.
d (metres) Source: http://demo.weba ssign.net/ebooks/c j6demo/art/image V (volts) s/c18/nw0737n.gif

UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELDS


A simple uniform electric field (E field) can be set up by connecting two parallel conducting plates to the positive and negative terminals of a D.C power supply. The field lines are equally spaced, indicating that the magnitude of the electric field is the same. The direction of the E field is from the positively charged plate towards the negatively charged plate.

d (metre s)

V (volt s)

Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo /art/images/c18/nw0737-n.gif

UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELDS


The E field strength of an uniform E field can be calculated by using the equation:

d (metr es)

V (volt s)

Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo /art/images/c18/nw0737-n.gif

where potential difference between the plates, in Volts, and plate separation distance, in m.

UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELDS


A charged particle, when placed in an uniform E field will experience a constant force. The magnitude of the force, , where the magnitude of the charged particle, in C and E field strength, in N/C (or V/m)

d (metre s)

V (volts )

Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo /art/images/c18/nw0737-n.gif

UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELDS


Direction of force on charged particle: towards the oppositely charged plate. Since the force experienced by the charged particle is constant, hence the acceleration of the charged particle is uniform.

d (metre s)

V (volt s)

Source: http://demo.webassign.net/ebooks/cj6demo /art/images/c18/nw0737-n.gif

UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELDS

Example 21.7, page 702, Sears and Zemanskys University Physics, Young and Freedman, 13th edition, Pearson Education, San Francisco, 2012.

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2008, Paper 1, Question 30.

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2008, Paper 1, Question 31.

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2009, Paper 1, Question 29.

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2009, Paper 21, Question 6.

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2009, Paper 21, Question 6 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2009, Paper 21, Question 6 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2009, Paper 21, Question 6 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2009, Paper 21, Question 6 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2009, Paper 21, Question 6 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2010, Paper 11, Question 26.

HOMEWORK
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Oct/Nov 2008, Paper 1, question 30. Oct/Nov 2008, Paper 2, question 4. May/Jun 2009, Paper 1, question 27. May/Jun 2009, Paper 1, question 28. Oct/Nov 2009, Paper 11, question 28. May/Jun 2010, Paper 11, question 28. May/Jun 2010, Paper 11, question 29. Oct/Nov 2010, Paper 11, question 28.

HOMEWORK
9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Oct/Nov 2010, Paper 11, question 29. Oct/Nov 2010, Paper 11, question 30. Oct/Nov 2010, Paper 12, question 28. Oct/Nov 2010, Paper 12, question 29. Oct/Nov 2010, Paper 23, question 7. May/Jun 2011, Paper 11, question 28. May/Jun 2011, Paper 11, question 29. May/Jun 2011, Paper 11, question 30.

HOMEWORK
17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. May/Jun 2011, Paper 12, question 30. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 11, question 31. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 11, question 32. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 12, question 29. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 12, question 30. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 22, question 4. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 23, question 6.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY


When a charged particle accelerates in an uniform E field, it gains . The gain in is due to the work done by the electric field on the charged particle; i.e. , where displacement of charged particle in the direction of the electric force, in m. If a charged particle gains , it loses electric potential energy. This is similar to a mass free falling in an uniform gravitational field.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY


If a charged particle gains , it loses electric potential energy. This is similar to a mass free falling in an uniform gravitational field, it speeds up (gains ) and loses gravitational potential energy. The direction of gain in gravitational potential energy is the opposite to the direction of gravitational force (weight) of a mass.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY


Similarly, the direction of gain in electric potential energy of a charged particle in an electric field is opposite to the direction of the electric force that acts on it. If a charged particle moves opposite in direction to the electric force on it in an E field, it gains electric potential energy (and loses ) If a charged particle moves in the direction of the electric force on it in an E field, it loses electric potential energy (and gains ).

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY


Diagram 23.3, page 756, Sears and Zemanskys University Physics, Young and Freedman, 13th edition, Pearson Education, San Francisco, 2012.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY


Diagram 23.3, page 756, Sears and Zemanskys University Physics, Young and Freedman, 13th edition, Pearson Education, San Francisco, 2012.

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2008, Paper 1, Question 16.

EXAMPLES
May/Jun 2010, Paper 11, Question 27.

HOMEWORK
1. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 12, question 1. 2. Oct/Nov 2011, Paper 21, question 4.

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