1.

0 ELECTROSTATICS

1.1 COULOMB S LAW

Qq kQq
LO 1.1a: State Coulomb s law, F .
4 or 2 r2

a) Coulomb s Law states that the magnitude of the electrostatic (Coulomb/electric)

force between two point charges is proportional to the product of the charges
and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

q1q2
b) Mathematically: F
r2

F : magnitude of electrosta tic (Coulomb) force

q1 , q2 : magnitude of charge
r : distance between tw o point charges
k : electrosta tic (Coulomb) constant 9.0 109 N m2 C-2

c) If q1 and q2 are charges of opposite sign, the force (F) acting on each charge is
attractive.

d) If q1 and q2 are both positive or negative charges, the force (F) acting on each charge
is repulsive.

e) The S.I. unit of charge is coulomb (C).

Note :

i) The sign of the charge can be ignored when substituting into the Coulomb s
law equation.
ii) The sign of the charges is important in distinguishing the direction of the
electric force.

1|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

LO 1.1b: Sketch the force diagram

LO 1.1c: Apply Coulomb s law for a system of point charges.

*Simple configuration of charges with a maximum of four charges in 2D

EXAMPLE 1

Two point charges, q1 = -20 nC and q2 = 90 nC, are separated by a distance of 4.0 cm as
shown in figure below. (Given Coulomb s constant, k = 9.0 x 109 N m2 C-2)

a) Sketch electric force diagram on q1 and q2

b) Find the magnitude and direction of

i. the electric force that q1 exerts on q2.

ii. the electric force that q2 exerts on q1.

2|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

EXAMPLE 2

Three point charges lie along the x-axis as shown in figure below

a) Sketch electric force diagram on q2

b) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the total electric force exerted on q2.

c) Calculate the distance of charge q2 from q1 where the total electric force is zero.

3|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

EXAMPLE 3

Figure below shows the three point charges are placed in the shape of triangular.

a) Sketch electric force diagram on charge q1.

b) Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant electric force exerted on q1.
Given q1 = -1.2 C, q2 = +3.7 C, q3 = -2.3 C, r12 = 15 cm, r13 = 10 cm, = 32 and
k = 9.0 x 109 N m2 C-2.

4|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

1.2 ELECTRIC FIELD
F
LO 1.2a: Define and use electric field strength, E .
q0

a) Electric field is defined as a region of space around isolated charge where an electric
force is experienced if a positive test charge placed in the region.

b) Electric field around charges can be represented by drawing a series of lines. These
lines are called electric field lines (lines of force).

Single +ve charge Single -ve charge

neutral po int

Two equal point

charges of Two equal +ve
opposite sign charges

Two opposite Two opposite

unequal charges charged parallel
metal plates

c) The direction of electric field is tangent to the electric field line at each point.

5|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

Electric field strength (intensity)

a) Electric field strength is defined as the electric (electrostatic) force per unit
positive charge that acts at that point in the same direction as the force

Mathematically,

E : electric field strength

F : electric force
q0 : test charge

b) It is a vector quantity.

c) The unit of electric field strength is N C 1 OR V m 1

d) Since, kQq0
F
r2

then the equation of electric field strength can be written as

F
E
q0
kQq0
E r2
q0

Q : magnitude of a point charge

r : distance between a point and point charge
e) Note:

i) The direction of the electric field strength, E depends on the sign of the
point charge only.
ii) The direction of the electric force, F depends on both signs of the point
charge and the test charge.

6|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

 kQ
LO 1.2b: Use E for point charge.
r2

LO 1.2c: Sketch the electric field strength diagram

*Simple configuration of charges with a maximum of four charges in 2D

LO 1.2d: Determine electric field strength E for a system of charges.

*Simple configuration of charges with a maximum of four charges in 2D

EXAMPLE 4

a) Estimate the electric field strength at a point X that is 10 nm from a gold nucleus, which
is assumed to be a point charge (Atomic number: gold, 79)

b) If an alpha particle arrives at point X, what would be the magnitude of the electric force
that acts on the particle? (Atomic number: helium, 2)

7|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

EXAMPLE 5

Two point charges, Q1 = 3.0 C and Q2 = 5.0 C, are placed 12 cm and 30 cm from the
point P respectively as shown in Figure. (k = 9.00 109 N m2 C 2)

a) Sketch electric field strength diagram at P

b) Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field intensity at P,

c) Determine the nett electric force exerted on q0 = +1 C if it is placed at P,

8|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

 d) Determine the distance of a point A from Q1 where the electric field intensity is zero.

EXAMPLE 6

Two point charges, Q1 = 2.0 nC and Q2 = +3.2 nC, are placed 3.0 cm apart as shown in
Figure.

a) Sketch electric field strength diagram at point M.

9|PHYSICS MODULE SESSION 2020/2021

 b) Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant electric field intensity at point
M. (k = 9.00 109 N m2 C 2)

1.3 Electric Potential

LO 1.3a: Define electric potential, V

a) Electric potential is defined as the work done in bringing positive test charge
from infinity to that point in the electric field per unit test charge

W
Mathematically, V
qo

V : electric potential
W : work done in bringing + ve test charge from infinity t o a point
q0 : value of a test charge (including sign)

b) It is a scalar quantity.

c) S.I. Unit: Volt (V) OR J C 1.

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LO 1.3b: Define and explain equipotential lines and surfaces of an isolated charge in a
uniform electric field

a) Equipotential lines and surfaces is defined as a surface where all points on the
surface that have the same electric potential.

for example:

a point charge a uniform electric field produced

by an infinite sheet of charge

b) The dashed lines represent the equipotential surface (line).

c) The equipotential surfaces (lines) always perpendicular to the electric field lines
passing through them.

d) The electric field points in the direction of decreasing electric potential.

e) From the figures, VA VB VC

then the work done to bring a test charge from B to A is given by

WBA q0VAB q0 (VA VB )

WBA 0
f) No work is done in moving a charge along an equipotential surface

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 kQ
LO 1.3c: Use V for a point charge and a system of charges. Maximum four charges
r
in 2D

kQqo
a) Since W , then the equation of electric potential can be written as
r
kQqo
W r
V
qo qo

r : distance between a point with the point charge

Q : point charge

b) Electric potential is a scalar quantity, so the resultant electric field is equal to the
algebraic sum of the individual potential.

c) The electric potential of a charge at infinity is zero.

d) Since charge Q can be positive or negative, the electric potential can also be positive
or negative.

e) In the calculation of V, the sign of the charge must be substituted in the equation of V.

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EXAMPLE 7

Two point charges, Q1 = +0.3 C and Q2 = -0.4 C are separated by a distance of 6 m as shown
in figure below.

Calculate the electric potential at point A (3 m from the charge Q1).

EXAMPLE 8

Two point charges, Q1 = +12 nC and Q2 = -12 nC are separated by a distance of 8 cm as

shown in figure below.

Determine the electric potential at point P (6 cm from the charge Q2).

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 W
LO 1.3d: Calculate potential difference between two points: V = Vfinal Vinitial , V
qo

a) Electric potential difference between two points is defined as the work done in
bringing a positive test charge from a point to another point in the electric field

b) The potential difference between point A and B, VAB is given by

or
WBA q0VAB
q0 (VA VB )
q0VA q0VB
UA UB

WBA : work done in bringing +ve test charge from point B to point A
VA : electric potential at point A (finale state)
VB : electric potential at point B (initial state)
qo : test charge

c) If the positive test charge moving from point A to point B, thus the potential
difference between this points is given by

WBA : work done in bringing +ve test charge from point A to point B
VAB : potential difference between point B and point A.

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EXAMPLE 9

Two point charges Q1 = +2.40 nC and Q2 = -6.50 nC are 0.10 m apart. Point A is midway
between them, point B is 0.080 m from Q1 and 0.060 m from Q2 as shown in figure below.
B

0.08 m 0.06 m

A
Q1 Q2
0.05 m 0.05 m
Find

a) the electric potential at point A,

b) the electric potential at point B,

c) the work done by the electric field on a test charge of 2.5 nC that travels from point B
to point A.

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EXAMPLE 10

A test charge q0 = +2.3 x 10-4 C is 5 cm from a point charge Q. A work done of +4 J is

required to overcome the electrostatic force to bring the test charge q0 to a distance 8 cm from
charge Q.

Calculate:

a) the potential difference between point 8 cm and 5 cm from the point charge, Q.

b) the value of charge Q.

c) the magnitude of the electric field strength for charge q0 at point 5 cm from the charge
Q.

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LO 1.3e: Deduce the change in potential energy, U between two points in electric field
U qo V

a) Consider a positive point charge (+Q) held stationary at O exerts a repulsive force Fe
on a positive test charge (+q0) at P. A and B are two points on the line that passes
through O and P.

b) The test charge at P is moved by an external force, F through a small distance dr

towards A. dr is so small that the force F can be considered to be constant. Thus the
work done dW by the external force is given by

dW Fdr cos 0

dW Fe dr
kQq0
dW dr
r2

c) The total work done W in bringing the test charge (+q0) from B to A is given by

rA 1
dW kQq0 dr
rB
r2
rA
1
W kQq0
r rB

1 1
W kQq0
rA rB
or

WBA U A U B U AB

kQq0 kQq0
where UA and UB
rA rB

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d) If rB = and rA = r then the work done in bringing the test charge from infinity to
point A (W ) is
kQq0
W UA
r
U : electric potential energy
r : distance between the point with point charge
k : electrostatic constant

Since, WAB
VBA
q0
or
W
V
qo

Note:

i) If the value of work done is negative work done by the electric force
(system).
ii) If the value of work done is positive work done by the external force or
on the system.

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EXAMPLE 11

A negative test charge of 0.75 mC travelling from point X to point Y in an electric field,
experiences a potential drop of 200 V.

a) Determine the potential at Y if a potential of +20 V exist at point X.

b) Determine the work done in this charge transfer. Is this work done on or by the field?

c) Determine the potential energy at Y and X.

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LO 1.3f: Calculate potential energy of a system of point charges
q1q2 q1q3 q2 q3
U k up to maximum three charges
r12 r13 r23

Electric potential energy of a system of point charges

a) The electric potential energy of a system of point charges is defined as the work
required assembling this system of charges by bringing them close together, as in
the system from an infinite distance where is the electric potential generated by the
charges, which is a function of position r.

b) Electric potential energy of the system, U can be calculate by using equation below;

U U1 U 2 U 3

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EXAMPLE 12

Two point charges, Q1 = +2.0 C and Q2 = 6.0 C, are placed 4.0 m and 5.0 m from a
point P respectively as shown in Figure.

a) Calculate the electric potential at P due to the charges.

b) If a test charge q3 = +3.0 C moves from infinity to P, determine the change in

electric potential energy for this charge.

c) When the charge q3 at point P, calculate the electric potential energy for the system of
charges.

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1.4 Charge in a Uniform Electric Field

LO 1.4a) Explain quantitatively with the aid of a diagram the motion of a charge in a
uniform electric field.

(Cases: i) Stationary charge, ii) Charge moving perpendicularly to the field, iii) Charge
moving parallel to the field, iv) Charge in dynamic equilibrium

1st Case: Stationary charge

a) Consider a particle of charge q0 and mass m is stationary and placed in a uniform

electric field E, the electric force Fe exerted on the charge is given by

Fe q0 E

b) Since the particle is stationary the net force acting on the particle is zero. So the
electric force on the particle, Fe is equal to the weight, W of the particle.

F 0
Fe W
qo E mg

Positive charge Negative charge

+ + + + + + + + + +
Fe Fe

E E
W W
+ + + + + + + + + +

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2nd Case: Charge moving perpendicularly to the field

a) Consider an electron (e) with mass, me enters a uniform electric field, E

perpendicularly with an initial velocity u, the upward electric force will cause the
electron to move along a parabolic path towards the upper plate.

b) From Newton s second law,

F = ma

c) The electric force Fe exerted on the charge,

Fe = qE = eE

d) Therefore the magnitude of the electron s acceleration is given by

eE
a or a y
me
Direction : upwards since ax = 0

e) The path makes by the electron is similar to the motion of a ball projected
horizontally above the ground.

f) The components of electron s velocity after pass through the electric field are given
by
vx u constant and v y u y a yt
eE
vy t
me

g) The position of the electron is

1 2
sx ut and sy uyt ay t
2
1 eE 2
sy t
2 me

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3rd Case: Charge moving parallel to the field

a) Consider a particle of charge q0 and mass m is is moving parallel to the uniform

electric field E, the electric force Fe exerted on the charge is given by

Fe q0 E

b) Since only electric force exerted on the particle, thus this force contributes the net
force, F and causes the particle to accelerate.

c) According to Newton s second law, then the magnitude of the acceleration of the
particle is
Fx Fe ma
q0 E ma
q0 E
a
m
d) Because the electric field is uniform (constant in magnitude and direction) then the
acceleration of the particle is constant.

Positive charge Negative charge

E E
+ +
+ Fe + Fe
+ v + v
+ +
+ +
Fe Fe
+ +
v v
+ +
+ +

a) If the electric force on the positive charge a) If the electric force on the negative charge
is in the same direction as to its motion, (electron) is in the same direction as to its
the positive charge accelerates along a motion, the positive charge accelerates
straight line. along a straight line.
b) If the electric force on the positive charge b) If the electric force on the negative charge
is in the opposite direction to its motion, (electron) is in the opposite direction to
the positive charge decelerates along a its motion, the positive charge
straight line. decelerates along a straight line.

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4th Case: Charge in dynamic equilibrium

a) Dynamic equilibrium means the charge moves with constant velocity

perpendicularly to the direction of electric field and the total force acting on
charge is zero, F 0

b) If the particle travels in a straight line with constant velocity hence the electric and its
weight are equal in magnitude.

Fe

F 0
Fe W
qo E mg
c) Only particles with this constant speed can pass through without being deflected by
the fields.

V
LO 1.4b) Use E for uniform E
d

a) Consider a uniform electric field is produced by a pair of flat metal plates, one at
which is earthed and the other is at a potential of +V as shown in Figure

b) From the V against r graph

The graph is a straight line with negative constant gradient, thus

V (0 V )
E
r (d 0)

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EXAMPLE 13

A particle with mass of 5.0 mg and carries charge of 2 is held at rest in between two
charged parallel metal plates as shown in figure below.

a) Calculate the electric field strength between the parallel plate.

b) If the particle moves upward with the costant velocity, what would happen to the
value of E? Explain.
Electric field strength remains the same because the net force is still equals to zero.

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EXAMPLE 14

Figure shows an electron entering charged parallel plates with a speed of 5.45 106 m s 1.
The electric field produces by the parallel plates has deflected the electron downward by a
distance of 0.618 cm at the point where the electron exits. (Given e = 1.60 10 19 C and
me = 9.11 10 31 kg).

Determine

a) the magnitude of the electric field,

b) the speed of the electron when it exits the parallel plates.

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EXAMPLE 15

Two parallel plates are separated 5.0 mm apart. The electric field strength between the plates
is 1.0 104 N C 1. A small charge of +4.0 nC is moved from one conducting plate to another.
Calculate

a) the potential difference between the plates.

b) the work done on the charge, and

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REAL EXAM 1.0
PSPM 2011/2012
1 (a) State Coulomb s law.
(b) An amount of charge is transferred from a neutral plastic bead to another identical
bead located 15 cm away. The force of attraction between the beads is 2.0×10-4 N.
How many electrons were transferred from the first bead to the second?
[2.2×10- 8 C]
(c)

FIGURE 1

Two points charge q1 = +3.00 µC and q2 = - 5.00 µC are placed at two corners of
a triangle of sides 0.3 m, 0.4 m and 0.5 m as shown in FIGURE 1. P is the third
corner of the triangle. Calculate.

(i) the magnitude of the electric field at P. [ 2.4 105 N C -1 ]

(ii) the electric potential at P. [0 V]
(iii) the work needed to bring a test charge from infinity to P. [0 J]

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PSPM 2012/2013
2. (a) (i) Define the electric potential V at point P in an electric field.
(ii) An isolated charge Q=5 x10-6 C is placed in a region and it creates an
electric field around it. Calculate the work done to move a point charge
q=2.0 x 10-7 C from point S to point P which is located at 60 cm and 30
cm respectively from charge Q. [ 0.015 J ]

(b)

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1 shows two point charges q and +2q placed at point B and C
respectively. If q =1.0 x 10-6 C, calculate

(i) The electric field at the point D. [ 1.08 10 7 NC 1 ]

(ii) The potential energy of all charges when the point charge 2.0 x 10-6 C is
placed at A. [0 J]

PSPM 2013/2014
3 (a)
Q

M N

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2 shows a charge Q at the vertex of an equilateral triangle with sides
1 mm. If 138 J of work is done in bringing a 4.8µC point charge from infinity to
position M,
(i) determine the magnitude and type of charge Q. [ 3.19 10 6 C ]
(ii) calculate the electric field at position N. [ 6.27 107 NC 1 ]

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PSPM 2014/2015
4 (a) (i) What is meant by electric field strength at a point in an electric field?
(b)

FIGURE 1 shows a charged ball floating vertically above another charged ball at
an equilibrium distance d apart in a test tube.
(i) Sketch the forces acting on the floating ball.
(ii) What is the type of charge on the balls?
(iii) If the charge on each ball is tripled, determine the new equilibrium
distance between the balls in terms of d. [d new 3d ]

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PSPM 2015/2016
5 (a) Define
(i) electric field.
(ii) electric potential.
(b)
0.8 m
0.5 m

A
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1 shows two charge +50 µC and -20 µC separated by 0.8 m. Determine
the

(i) electric field at point A due to the negative charge.[ 7.2 105 N C-1 ]

(ii) electric potential at point A. [ 1.17 105 V ]

(iii) external work required to bring a +2 µC charge from infinity to point A.
[ 0.234 J ]

PSPM 2016/2017
6 (a)
+ 2.0 mC
14
C
6

14
C
6

6.0 cm
P

6.0 cm
8.0 cm
+ 3.0 mC - 4.0 mC
14 14
C
6 C
6

14 14
C
6 C
6

FIGURE 1.1

FIGURE 1.1 shows three point charges placed at each vertices of a right angle
triangle. Calculate the
(i) electric potential at point P.[ 3.9 108 V ]
(ii) electric potential energy of the system. [ 1.40 10 6 J ]

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PSPM 2017/2018
7 (a) Define
(i) Coulomb s law.
(b)

FIGURE 1.1

FIGURE 1.1 shows charges, Q1= +5 µC, Q2= 4 µC and Q3= +4 µC in x-y plane.
Determine the magnitude and direction of the net electric force on Q3. [ 1.38 N ,
32.88o ]
(c)

FIGURE 1.2

An electron enters a region of uniform electric field E as in FIGURE 1.2. If the

magnitude of electric field is 200 N C-1, calculate the acceleration of the electron.

[ 3.52 1013 m s -2 ]

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