Electrostatic potential at a point in

Electrostatic potential at a point is the work done in moving a unit positive

charge from infinity to that point
against electrostatic force without accelerating the charge.

Potential difference

It is the work done in moving a unit positive charge from one point to other
against electrostatic force
without accelerating the charge.

Equi-potential surface

Equi- potential surface is a surface at every point of which the potential is the
same.

properties:
No work is done in moving a charge from one point to other on an equi-
potential surface.

Two equi-potential surfaces never intersect.

In the case of a point charge, equi-potential surfaces are concentric spheres

with the charge at centre.

In a uniform electric field equi-potential surfaces are planes. Each plane is

perpendicular to electric field lines.

Surface of a charged conductor is an example for equi- potential surface.

Electrostatic properties of conductors

(1) The electrostatic field is zero in the interior of a conductor (neutral or

charged).
(2) On the surface of a charged conductor electrostatic field is normal to the
surface at every point.
(3) The interior of a conductor has no excess charge in static situation.
(4) Electrostatic potential is constant throughout the volume of a charged
conductor and has the same
value as on surface.
(5) Electric field on the surface of a charged conductor = σ/ε0 UV where UV is a
unit vector perpendicular to
the surface in the outward direction (if the conductor is positively charged).
(6) Electrostatic shielding: Inside the cavity of a conductor, the electric field
is zero.
This vanishing of electric field inside a cavity of a conductor is called
electrostatic shielding.

Importance of equi-potential surfaces

Equi-potential surfaces give a visual picture (both magnitude and direction) of

electric field in region of
space. In a region of strong electric field, they are closer. Also electric field
is normal to equi-potential
surface, at every point.

Capacitors
Capacitor is an arrangement of two conductors(plates) having equal and opposite
charges separated by an
insulating medium. Capacitors are used to store electric charges(electric
energy).The plate on which the
charge is stored is called positive plate or collecting plate. The other plate
which is earthed is called
negative plate or condensing plate. The charge on a capacitor indicates the
positive charge on the plate
and not the total charge on the two plates, which is zero

Parallel plate capacitor

Parallel plate capacitor consists of two parallel metal plates of plate area A and
plate separation d.
Its capacitance C = q/v

Van de Graaff generator

It is a high voltage generator. This high voltage can be used to accelerate charged
particles

structure

It consists of a metallic shell supported by insulating stands. At the centre there

is a pulley. There is a
pulley at the lower part also. An endless belt made of an insulator passes over the
pulleys. A metal brush
at the bottom delivers charge to the belt. The belt carries the charge to the upper
part. Another metal brush
collects these charges. As that brush is connected to the shell, the charges move
to the surface of shell.
After sometime the charge on the shell reaches extremely high values.

Uses of capacitors
1.Capacitors are used in electrical and electronic devices.
2.Capacitors are used in the tank circuit of oscillators.
3.Capacitors are used in tuner circuits.
4.Capacitors are used in the filter circuits of rectifiers

Corona discharge

When a conductor having a pointed end is charged, the charge density is maximum
near the pointed end .If the
magnitude of charge is too large , discharge takes place through the air in front
of the pointed end. The air gets
ionized. The air in contact with the pointed end gets the same charge by contact.
It gets repelled from the tip. Thus a
charged wind is created .This process is called corona discharge.

Polar and non-polar molecules

In a non-polar molecule, the centres of positive and negative charges coincide. The
net dipole
moment is zero.
eg: Oxygen, Hydrogen, CO2,N2,CH4 etc.

In a polar molecule, the centres of positive and negative charges do not coincide.
The molecule will
have a permanent dipole moment.
eg: H2O, HCl, NH3,CO,CH3OH,NaCl etc.

Dielectric polarization

When a non-polar molecule is kept in an external electric field, the positive and
negative charges are
displaced in the opposite directions.
The displacement stops when external force on charges is balanced by restoring
force due to internal field in the molecule.
Thus a dipole moment is developed in the same direction of external field. This is
called dielectric polarization.

Electric susceptibility(χ)

Electric susceptibility is the ratio of polarization to elsilon zero times the net
electric field

Dielectric breakdown

When a dielectric is kept in a very strong electric field ,the outer shell
electrons of dielectric atoms
are detached and the dielectric behaves like a conductor. Its insulation property
is lost. This process is
called dielectric breakdown.

Free charges

For a metal, the outer shell electrons are almost free. Such free electrons are
called free charges

Bound charges

The remaining positive ion consisting of nucleus and the inner shell electrons form
bound charges.

Spherical capacitor

A spherical capacitor consists of two concentric spherical shells of inner and

outer radii a and b. The shells carry
charges – Q and + Q respectively

Cylindrical capacitor

A cylindrical capacitor consists of two co-axial conducting cylinders of inner and

outer radii a and b.

Lightning conductor

Lightning conductor is used to protect buildings from the danger of lightning. It

consists of a metallic
rod having pointed ends. The device will be earthed. It will be fitted at the top
of the building over an
insulator.