Chapter 1

Electric Interaction
1.1 Properties of Electric Charges
There are 2 types of electric charges, positive (+) and negative ( - )

proton electron

Same charge → REPEL

Opposite charge → ATTRACT

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1.2 Coulomb’s Law
From the experiment carried out by Charles Coulomb, the magnitude of electric
force ( 𝐹𝑒 ) is described by

𝑞1 𝑞2
𝐹𝑒 = 𝑘𝑒
𝑟2

𝑘𝑒 Is Coulomb constant, 𝑘𝑒 = 8.9876 × 109 N ∙ m2 /C2 = 1/4𝜋𝜀0

𝜖0 is permittivity of free space, 𝜖0 = 8.8542 × 10−12 C2 /N ∙ m2
𝑞1 and 𝑞2 are the magnitude of charge particles ( C )
𝑟 is the distance between particle 1 and 2

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1.2 Coulomb’s Law
The smallest magnitude of charge (fundamental charge), 𝑒 , is

𝑒 = 1.60218 × 10−19 C

Particle Charge (C) Mass (kg)

Electron −1.6 × 10−19 9.109 × 10−31
Proton +1.6 × 10−19 1.673 × 10−27
Neutron 0 1.675 × 10−27

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1.2 Coulomb’s Law
Direction of 𝐹𝑒

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1.3 Electric Field ( E )
Electric field is defined as the electric force ( 𝐹𝑒 ) divided by the positive
test charge (𝑞0 )

F𝑒
E≡
𝑞0

Thus the unit of E is N/C

The above equation can be rearranged as

F𝑒 = 𝑞0 E

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1.4 Electric Field of Charged Particles
Consider a point charge 𝑞 as a source charge, when a test charge 𝑞0 is
placed in the field, the electric force is

𝑞𝑞0
F𝑒 = 𝑘𝑒 2 rො
𝑟

From E = F𝑒 /𝑞0 , the electric field of charged particle is

𝑞
E = 𝑘𝑒 2 rො
𝑟

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1.4 Electric Field of Charged Particles
Direction of electric field of charged particle

P P

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1.5 Electric Potential
When a test charge 𝑞0 is moved by a displacement 𝑑Ԧs due to electric
force F𝑒 , the work done by the field is

𝑑𝑤 = F𝑒 ∙ 𝑑Ԧs = 𝑞0 E ∙ 𝑑Ԧs

The potential energy (𝑈) of the system is reduced by

𝑑𝑈 = −𝑑𝑤 = −𝑞0 E ∙ 𝑑Ԧs

For a displacement form (𝐴) to (𝐵) , the potential energy different is

(𝐵)

∆𝑈 = 𝑈(𝐵) − 𝑈(𝐴) = −𝑞0 න E ∙ 𝑑Ԧs

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(𝐴)
1.5 Electric Potential
We define electric potential (𝑉) as the potential energy divided by the
test charge
𝑈
𝑉= and 𝑈 = 𝑞0 𝑉
𝑞0

The electric potential difference ∆𝑉 is

𝐵
∆𝑈
∆𝑉 = = − න E ∙ 𝑑Ԧs
𝑞0
𝐴

The unit of electric potential is Volt ( V ) or J/C

1 V = 1 J/C 9
1.5.1 Potential Difference from Uniform Electric Field
𝐵 𝐵

𝑉 𝐵 − 𝑉 𝐴 = ∆𝑉 = − න E ∙ 𝑑Ԧs = − න 𝐸𝑑𝑠(cos 0° ൯
𝐴 𝐴
𝐵 𝐵

= − න 𝐸𝑑𝑠 = −𝐸 න 𝑑𝑠
𝐴 𝐴

∆𝑉 = −𝐸𝑑

The minus sign suggests that 𝑉(𝐵) < 𝑉(𝐴)

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1.5.2 Electric Potential and Potential Energy of Point Charge
𝐵

𝑉 𝐵 − 𝑉 𝐴 = ∆𝑉 = − න E ∙ 𝑑Ԧs
𝐴

Substitute E = (𝑘𝑒 𝑞/𝑟 2 )ොr

𝐵
𝑞
𝑉𝐵 −𝑉𝐴 = − න 𝑘𝑒 2 rො ∙ 𝑑Ԧs
𝑟
𝐴

From the picture

rො ∙ 𝑑Ԧs = 𝑑𝑠 cos 𝜃 = 𝑑𝑟
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1.5.2 Electric Potential and Potential Energy of Point Charge
𝐵
𝑞
𝑉(𝐵) − 𝑉 𝐴 = − න 𝑘𝑒 2 𝑑𝑟
𝑟
𝐴
𝐵
1
= −𝑘𝑒 𝑞 − ቤ
𝑟 𝐴
𝐵
𝑘𝑒 𝑞
𝑉(𝐵) − 𝑉(𝐴) = ቤ
𝑟 𝐴

𝑘𝑒 𝑞 𝑘𝑒 𝑞
𝑉(𝐵) − 𝑉(𝐴) = −
𝑟(𝐵) 𝑟(𝐴) 12
1.5.2 Electric Potential and Potential Energy of Point Charge

Let 𝑉(𝐴) = 0 at 𝑟(𝐴) = ∞

𝑘𝑒 𝑞
𝑉=
𝑟

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1.5.2 Electric Potential and Potential Energy of Point Charge
For multiple point charges
(MUST consider the sign of the charge)

𝑞𝑖
𝑉 = 𝑘𝑒 ෍
𝑟𝑖
𝑖
𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞3
𝑉 = 𝑘𝑒 + + +⋯
𝑟1 𝑟2 𝑟3

If a point charge 𝑞0 is placed at point 𝑃 the energy required is

𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞3
𝑈 = 𝑞0 𝑉 = 𝑞0 𝑘𝑒 + + +⋯
𝑟1 𝑟2 𝑟3
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1.6 Electric Current
Electric current (𝐼) is defined as the amount of charge (∆𝑄) passing through area
𝐴 over a unit of time ∆𝑡
∆𝑄 𝑑𝑄
𝐼= =
∆𝑡 𝑑𝑡

The unit of current is Ampere (A) 1 A = 1 C/s

Power is the rate of energy transfer 𝑃 = 𝑑𝑈/𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑈 𝑑 𝑄∆𝑉 𝑑𝑄
= = ∆𝑉 = 𝐼∆𝑉
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

𝑃 = 𝐼∆𝑉 The unit of power is J/s or watt

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