Coulomb’s Law &
Electric Field
Fundamental Charge: The charge
on one electron.
e = 1.6 x 10 -19 C
Unit of charge is a Coulomb (C)
Two types of charge:
Positive Charge: A shortage of electrons.
Negative Charge: An excess of electrons.
Conservation of charge – The net charge of a
closed system remains constant.
Electric Forces
Like Charges - Repel
F F
+ +
Unlike Charges - Attract
F F +
-
Coulomb’s Law – Gives the electric force
between two point charges.
q1q2
F k 2 Inverse Square
r Law
k = Coulomb’s Constant = 9.0x10 9 Nm2/C2
q1 = charge on mass 1 in kg
q2 = charge on mass 2 in kg
r = the distance between the two charges
in m
The electric force is much stronger than the
gravitational force.
Example 1
Two charges are separated by a distance r and have a force
F on each other. qq
F k 1 2
2
r
F q2 F
q1
r
If r is doubled then F is : ¼ of F
If q1 is doubled then F is : 2F
If q1 and q2 are doubled and r is halved then F is :
Example 1
Two charges are separated by a distance r and have a force
F on each other. qq
F k 1 2
2
r
F q2 F
q1
r
If r is doubled then F is : ¼ of F
If q1 is doubled then F is : 2F
If q1 and q2 are doubled and r is halved then F is : 16F
Example 2
Two 40 gram masses each with a charge of 3μC are
placed 50cm apart. Compare the gravitational force
between the two masses to the electric force between the
two masses. (Ignore the force of the earth on the two
masses)
3μC 3μC
40g 40g
50cm
m1m2
Fg G 2
r
(.04)(.04) 13
6.67 10 11
2
4.27 10 N
(0.5)
q1q2
FE k 2
r
6 6
(3 10 )(3 10 )
9.0 10 9
0.324N
(0.5) 2
The electric force is much greater than the
gravitational force
Example 3
Three charged objects are placed as shown. Find the net
force on the object with the charge of -4μC.
q1q2
F k
- 5μC r2
45º
(5 106 )(4 106 )
F1 9 10 9
4.5N
202 202 28cm (0.20) 2
20cm
(5 106 )(4 106 )
F2 9 109
2
2.30 N
F1 45º (0.28)
5μC - 4μC
20cm F2
F1 and F2 must be added together as vectors.
F1 2.3cos45≈1.6 - 2.9
45º θ
29º
2.3sin45≈1.6 - 1.6
3.31 F2
F1 = < - 4.5 , 0.0 > Fnet 2.9 2 1.6 2 3.31N
+ F2 = < 1.6 , - 1.6 > 1.6
tan 1
29
Fnet = < - 2.9 , - 1.6 > 2.9
3.31N at 209º
Example 4 (Balloon Lab)
Two 8 gram, equally charged balls are suspended on earth
as shown in the diagram below. Find the charge on each
ball.
20º
10º 10º
L = 30cm L = 30cm
FE 30sin10º FE
q q
r
r =2(30sin10º)=10.4cm
q1q2 q2
FE k 2 k 2
r r
Draw a force diagram for one charge and treat as an
equilibrium problem.
T sin 80 .08
.08
T
.081N
T sin 80
Tsin80º
FE 80º
q
Tcos80º FE T cos 80
Fg = .08N q2
k (. 081) cos 80
.104 2
.014
q
2
(.104) 2
k
q 1.3 10 7 C
Electric Field
The electric field is the space around an
electrical charge
just like
a gravitational field is the space around a mass.
What is the difference?
Electric Field Vector, E
• Electric Field is designed as follows
• E = F/ qo
• qo , positive test charge
• E is a vector quantity
• Direction indicated by small + test charge
• Unit: N/C
• E is analogous to the gravitational field, g,
where g=F/m
Example 1
• A charge of 3µC is used to test the electric field of a central
charge of 6C that causes a force of 800N. What is the
magnitude of the electric field?
• Hint… Which charge ‘tests’ the field
• Answer: 2.7 x108 N/C
Electric Field Lines
• Lines that indicate the strength and direction of the electric
field.
• The more dense the lines, the stronger the field.
• Electric field vectors are tangent to the curve.
Conductors and Electric Fields
(under electrostatic conditions)
• “The electric field is zero inside a charged conductor”.
• “Excess charge on an isolated conductor resides on the surface”.
• “Excess charge accumulates on sharp points”.
• Electric field lines meet the conductor perpendicular to the
surface of the conductor.
Electric Field for a Point Charge
Using E=F/qo and Coulomb’s Law prove:
E=k Q
______
r2
where Q is the central charge.
Example 2
• A test charge of +3µC is located 5m to the east of a -4µC
charge.
• A) Find the electric force felt by the test charge.
• B) Find the electric field at that location.
q1q2
• A) use formula F k 2
r
Example 2
• A test charge of +3µC is located 5m to the east of a -4µC
charge.
• A) Find the electric force felt by the test charge.
• B) Find the electric field at that location.
A) 4.32x10-3 N.
Example 2
• A test charge of +3µC is located 5m to the east of a -4µC
charge.
• A) Find the electric force felt by the test charge.
• B) Find the electric field at that location.
• B) 1.44 x 103 N/C along the –x axis.
Example 4
• Calculate the electric field felt by a positive test charge located
half way between a charge of +1C and a charge of -3C, that are 2m
apart.
• 3.6 x 1010 N/C (toward the -3C charge)
