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Lecture01 ch21 1

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Lecture01 ch21 1

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gmy101700
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CH 21 ELECTRIC FIELD AND ELECTRIC FORCES I

Intended Learning Outcomes – after this lecture you will learn:


1. Electric charge in real life
2. Electric force between point charges (Coulomb’s law)
3. Electric field due to a point charge

Why is E&M important?—most relevant to everyday life (from mechanical forces to biological
processes) among the four fundamental interactions
The four fundamental forces:
Relative strength Range (meter) Responsible for
Strong 1038 10−15 Binding quarks into
hadrons, and neutrons
and protons in nuclei
36
Electromagnetic 10 ∞

Weak 1025 10−18 Transforming neutron


into proton in nuclear
decay
Gravitation 1 ∞

Some simple factors from high school physics:


Origin of charge from atoms

A conductor permits easy movement of charge through it, while an insulator does not

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 1


Charge by rubbing (insulators)

Charge by induction (conductors)

Real Life Examples


Combing hair in winter

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 2


Laser printing

Electrostatic painting

Minimizes overspray and gives a smooth


finish

Question: Two metal balls, one charged and one neutral, hanging on insulating threads.
If they are close to each other but not touching, they will (attract / repel / ignore) each other.
Once they touch, they will (attract / repel / ignore) each other.

Two very important facts about charges:


1. Principle of conservation of charge – the algebraic sum of all the electric charges in any
closed system (no charge can escape) is constant.
2. Electron charge is the fundamental (cannot be further divided) unit of charge
𝑒𝑒 = 1.602176565(35) × 10−19 C

Demonstration: Van de Graaf generator

Raising hair Bouncing Balloon Lightning

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 3


Coulomb’s Law
Magnitude of electric force between
two point charges
1 |𝑞𝑞1 𝑞𝑞2 |
𝐹𝐹 =
4𝜋𝜋𝜖𝜖0 𝑟𝑟 2
Vacuum permittivity
𝜖𝜖0 = 8.854 × 10−12 C2/Nm2
1
4𝜋𝜋𝜖𝜖0
= 8.988 × 109 Nm2/C2

Two 1 C charge at 1m apart exert a


force of 9 × 109 N on each other! 1 C
is a huge amount of electric charge!

Very much like gravitation, 𝐹𝐹 = 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚1 𝑚𝑚2 /𝑟𝑟 2, but much stronger
E.g. two helium nuclei (He2+, 𝑚𝑚 = 6.64 × 10−27 kg and 𝑞𝑞 = 3.2 × 10−19 C), ratio of electric to
gravitational force is
1 |𝑞𝑞1 𝑞𝑞2 |
𝐹𝐹𝑒𝑒 4𝜋𝜋𝜖𝜖0 𝑟𝑟 2
= = 3.1 × 1035
𝐹𝐹𝑔𝑔 𝐺𝐺𝑚𝑚1 𝑚𝑚2
𝑟𝑟 2

Example 21.4 Vector Addition of Electric Forces in a Plane


Two equal positive charges 𝑞𝑞1 = 𝑞𝑞2 = 2.0 𝜇𝜇C are located at 𝑥𝑥 = 0, 𝑦𝑦 = 0.30 m and 𝑥𝑥 = 0, 𝑦𝑦 =
−0.30 m respectively. Find the total electric force experienced by a charge 𝑄𝑄 = 4.0 𝜇𝜇C at 𝑥𝑥 =
0.40 m and 𝑦𝑦 = 0?
By symmetry, 𝐹𝐹𝑦𝑦 = 0
1 |𝑄𝑄𝑄𝑄1 |
𝐹𝐹𝑥𝑥 = 2 cos 𝛼𝛼
4𝜋𝜋𝜖𝜖0 𝑟𝑟 2
= 2(9.0 × 109 Nm2 /C2 )
(4.0 × 10−6 C)(2.0 × 10−6 C)
×
(0.50 m)2
0.40 m
× = ___________N
0.50 m
be careful about the precision!

Question: If 𝑞𝑞2 = −2.0 𝜇𝜇C instead, the total force on 𝑄𝑄 will be (along 𝑥𝑥 direction / along – 𝑥𝑥
direction / along 𝑦𝑦 direction / along – 𝑦𝑦 direction / zero / none of these).

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 4


𝑄𝑄 feels the charge due to other charges (𝑞𝑞1 and 𝑞𝑞2 ) only, never its own charge
If charge 𝑄𝑄 changed, just substitute a new value into above formula. Did 𝑞𝑞1 and 𝑞𝑞2 set up
something independent of charge 𝑄𝑄? Yes, they set up an electric field.

Electric Field due to a Point Charge


Always radially outward (for +ve charge) or inward (for –ve charge)

𝒓𝒓� is always pointing radially outwards


q can be +ve/-ve.

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 5


Example 21.6
A point charge 𝑞𝑞 = −0.8 nC placed at the origin. The electric field at 𝑥𝑥 = 1.2 m and 𝑦𝑦 = −1.6
m is

Question: A negative point charge moves along a circular orbit about a stationary positive point
charge. The ( magnitude / direction / magnitude and direction / neither magnitude nor direction)
of the electric force on the negative charge will remain unchanged.

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 6


Clicker Questions

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 7


Ans: Q21.3) D, Q21.5) E, Q21.6) C

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 8


Video Solutions of Textbook Examples for this Lecture

PHYS1114 Lecture 1 Electric Field and Electric Forces I P. 9

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