SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

GENERAL PHYSICS 2
Quarter 3 – Module 6:
Applications of Electrostatics

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General Physics 2 – Senior High School
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 3 – Module 6: Application of Electrostatics
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

DEVELOPMENT TEAM OF THE MODULE

WRITER: JENNIFER D. CORDINETE

EDITORS: TIRSO H. GAMBA

ADDIE E. AZURIN
LAWRENCE ANNE MENDINA

REVIEWERS: ESTER GONZALES

RONA AGUILA
SHIELA DIVINAGRACIA

LAYOUT ARTIST: SEVERINO R. CANTUBA JR.

ROMAN B. JEBULAN
KEVIN H. OJOS
JERIEL G. MARTIREZ

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 SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

GENERAL PHYSICS 2
Quarter 3 – Module 6:

Applications of Electrostatics

iii
 Most Essential Learning Competency

Solve problems involving electric charges, dipoles, forces,

fields and flux in context such as but not limited to
systems of point charges, electrical breakdown of air,
charged pendulum, electrostatic ink jet printers
STEM_GP12EM-IIIB-14.

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 Applications of Electrostatics
Introduction

In the previous module, you learned about Electric flux

and Gauss’s Law. You did some task and computations to
determine the electric field due to uniformly distributed
charges on long wires, spheres, and large plates.
In this module, we will further explore the concepts of
electric charge, dipoles, forces and flux of systems of point
charges, electrical breakdown of air, charged pendulum,
and electrostatics inkjet printers. Understanding this concept
will help you explain the applications of electricity and
magnetism.

Most Essential Learning

Competency & Objectives

In this module, you will learn to solve problems involving electric

charges, dipoles, forces, fields and flux in context such as but not limited to
systems of point charges, electrical breakdown of air, charged pendulum,
electrostatic ink jet printers STEM_GP12EM-IIIB-14.

Specifically, you will learn to use the concept of electric charge, dipoles,
forces, fields and flux to problems involving:

a. Systems of point charges

b. Electrical breakdown of air
c. Charged pendulum
d. Electrostatics ink jet printers

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 Pre-Test

Before we go on with our lesson, you will

answer the following the questions.

Direction: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following printers employs electrostatic through the repulsion

of charges to control the deflection ink?
a. Dot matrix printer b Laser printer. c. LED printer d. Ink jet Printer
2. Two charges in air in a certain distance apart such that the force that each
charge experiences is 20 N. If the distance between the charges is doubled,
what is the new force that each charge experiences?
a. 5 b. 10 N c. 15 N d. 20N
3. Which of the following devices demonstrates electrical breakdown of air?
a. Charged Pendulum b. laser printer c. lightning d. xerography
4. When lightning strikes a car, it is safer to stay inside it because:
a. the electric field inside is weaker.
b. the electric field is huge but only for short period of time
c. the electric field is the same as of outside the car but there is no rain
inside.
d. the electric field is stronger than that of outside the car.
5. You have two point charges in a charged pendulum, q1 and q2, 3 m away
from each other. The value of q1 is 3μC, and the force they both experience
is 0.024 N. What is the value of q2?
a. 12 μC b. 16 μC c. 5μC d. 8μC
6. When does electrical breakdown of air occurs? When a charge build-up…
a. exceeds the electrical limit or dielectric strength of a material.
b. is below the electrical limit or dielectric strength of a material.
c. is equal to the electrical limit or dielectric strength of a material.
d. and the electrical limit or dielectric strength of a material is equal to zero.
7. Which of the following correctly describe an electric dipole?
a. It is a system consisting of positive and a negative charge of equal
magnitude and is separated by a distance.
b. It is a system consisting of positive charges of equal magnitude and is
separated by a distance.
c. It is a system consisting of negative charges of equal magnitude and is
separated by a distance.
d. It is a system consisting of positive and a negative charge of different
magnitude and is separated by a distance.

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 For questions 8 and 9, please refer to the following choices.

a. b. c. d.
8. Which of the diagrams above shows an aluminum ball of an electrostatic
pendulum with zero net charge?
9. Which of the diagrams above shows a negatively charged rod brought close
to the aluminum ball causing it to become polarized?
10. Ionized air provides a path where charges can flow from clouds since it is
a. Insulator b. conductor c. super conductor d. metalloid

How was the test? To find out if your

answers are correct, let us explore and begin
with our lesson!

Learning Activities

E licit/ Engage
Let us first have a short review of
some concepts discussed in the previous
lesson. All those things you learnt will be
used in this topic.

Direction: Rearrange the letters to form the correct word/s illustrated in the figure and
described in the following sentences.

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1. EECTCLIR HCARGE

This is the basic property of matter carried by some elementary particles that governs
how the particles are affected by an electric or magnetic field. It can be positive or
negative and occurs in discrete natural units and is neither created nor destroyed.

2. RECTLCIE POIDEL

It is a system consisting of positive and a negative charge of equal magnitude and is

separated by a distance.

3. IECTELCR CEFRO

This is the force that exists between all charged particles. This is responsible for such
diverse phenomena as making your hair stand up on a cold dry day, creating
chemical bonds, and allowing you to see when you turn on a lamp on a dark night.

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4. CERCTLIE DIELF

It is a region around a charged particle or object within which a force would be exerted
on other charged particles or objects. This can be computed using thru formula:
E=F/q.

5. LECTIRCE XFLU

The total number of electric field lines passing a given area in a unit time is defined
as the electric flux.

If your answers are:

Electric charge
Electric dipole
Electric field
Electric Flux
Then, your answers are CORRECT!
Those concepts in electrostatics are interrelated
and it is great to know that these have awesome
applications. In this lesson, we will apply those
concepts in systems of point charges, electrical
breakdown of air, charged pendulum and electrostatics
ink jet printer. I guess you are now ready to learn so let
us begin!

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 E xplore
You are now going to do the activity to learn about
some applications of the concepts of electric
charge, dipole, force, field and flux. Here, you will
use your previous learning to solve word problems
involving systems of point charges, electrical air
breakdown, charged pendulum and ink jet printers.

Activity 1: Electric Field of Systems of

Point Charges
PICTURE ANALYSIS

Direction: Analyze the following figure and answer the question that follows.

Questions/ Task

1. What are the charges of the particles illustrated in the figure above?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. What are the magnitudes of electric field due to those charges?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Using Coulomb’s Law (F=K q1q2/r2) , compute the electric field strength at the origin
due to:

a. Q1 which is labeled as E1.

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

b. Q2 which is labeled as E1
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

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 4. Solve for total Electric Field of the system. (Hint: since it forms a right triangle, you
can apply Pythagorean Theorem.)
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Activity 2: Electrical Breakdown of Air

A. Direction: Study the picture below and complete the following statements.
Choose the words from the box which will make the statements correct.

Exceeds ground negatively

nucleus electric field\ lightning

insulator Positively conductor

Electrical breakdown occurs when a charge buildup 1.) __________the

electrical limit or dielectric strength of a material. The 2.) ________ charged electrons
are pulled in one direction and the positively charged ions in the other. When electrons
are removed from a 3.) ______, it becomes 4.) _________ charged. When air
molecules become ionized in a very high electric field, the air changes from an/a 5.)
__________ to a conductor. Sparks occur because of the recombination of electrons
and ions. 6.) _________ occurs when there is a buildup of charge on the clouds and
the ground. It produces the 7.) _________ that exceeds the dielectric strength of air.
Ionized air is a good 8.) _________ and provides a path where charges can flow from
clouds to 9.) __________.

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 The dielectric strength of air is approximately 3 kV/mm. Its exact value varies
with the shape and size of the electrodes and increases with the pressure of the air.
Once there is a lightning it is safer to stay inside the car since it serves as electrical
shield making the electric field zero inside it.

Activity 3: Charged Pendulum

Direction: Study the table below and describe what happens to the charge of the
aluminum ball in each of the following stages.

An aluminum ball with zero net charge

assumes a vertical position at the end of a
thread or string.

A negatively charged rod is brought close to

the aluminum ball and the ball becomes
polarized.

The positive pole of the aluminum ball is

attracted to the negatively charged rod up to
contact.

After contact the ball becomes negatively

charged by charge transfer through the point
of contact and is repelled by the negatively
charged rod.

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 The aluminum ball will stop at equilibrium in a
position deviated from vertical at an
angle determined by the charges of the rod
and the aluminum ball.

1.______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4.______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5 ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Activity 4. Ink Jet Printers

Direction: Read the following paragraph then answer the Guide Questions.

Ink Jet Printers and electrostatic Painting

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 The ink jet printer commonly used to print computer-generated text and
graphics also employs electrostatics. A nozzle makes a fine spray of tiny ink droplets,
which are then given an electrostatic charge.

Once charged, the droplets can be directed, using pairs of charged plates, with
great precision to form letters and images on paper. Ink jet printers can produce color
images by using a black jet and three other jets with primary colors, usually cyan,
magenta, and yellow, much as a color television produces color. (This is more difficult
with xerography, requiring multiple drums and toners.).

Electrostatic painting employs electrostatic charge to spray paint onto oddly

shaped surfaces. Mutual repulsion of like charges causes the paint to fly away from
its source. Surface tension forms drops, which are then attracted by unlike charges to
the surface to be painted. Electrostatic painting can reach hard-to-get-to places,
applying an even coat in a controlled manner. If the object is a conductor, the electric
field is perpendicular to the surface, tending to bring the drops in perpendicularly.
Corners and points on conductors will receive extra paint. Felt can similarly be
applied.

Guide Questions:

1. How does the nozzle of the ink jet printer function?

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
2. How do ink jet printers produce color and images on paper?
____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. What concepts in electrostatics are applied in ink jet printers (e.g. Electrical
charges, forces, fields, dipoles or flux)? Explain your answer.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Great job! You have completed the activity. Take

time to review and analyze your answers.

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 E Explain/ Elaborate
Take time to understand the following ideas or
concepts for you to confirm the results of the
activities you have performed.

The following are the applications of Electrostatics as you learnt from this module:
a. System of Point charges

As you learned from activity 1 of this module, a particle that carries a charge exerts
force on each other. This force can be determined using the Coulomb’s Law, F=k
q1q2/r2.
Suppose we consider the following example:

The charged particles are:

q1= +5 nC
q2= +10 nC

The magnitude of electric field due to those charges are:

q1=1.13x105 N/C
q2= 0.56 x 105 N/C

Applying Coulomb’s Law, F=k q1q2/r2

Fq1=1.124 x10 5 N/C
Fq2= 0.56 x 10 5N/C

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 A charged particle produces electric field. Electric field is a vector quantity, you
can find the total electric field through vector addition ( since it forms a right triangle, you
can apply Pythagorean Theorem.) thus:
E total= 1.25 x 10 5 N/C

b. Electrical Breakdown of Air

You learned from activity 2 of this module

that lightning shows electrical breakdown of
air. Electrical breakdown occurs when a
charge buildup exceeds the electrical limit or
dielectric strength of a material. The
negatively charged electrons are pulled in
one direction and the positively charged ions
in the other. When electrons are removed from a nucleus, it becomes positively
charged. When air molecules become ionized in a very high electric field, the air changes
from an/a insulator to a conductor. Sparks occur because of the recombination of
electrons and ions. Lightning occurs when there is a buildup of charge on the clouds and
the ground. It produces the Electric field that exceeds the dielectric strength of air.
Ionized air is a good conductor and provides a path whereby charges can flow from
clouds to ground.

c. Charged Pendulum

In activity 3 of this module, you explored the working principle of a charged

pendulum and you described what happens to the charge of the aluminum ball in
every stage shown in the following picture:

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 Stage 1: An aluminum ball with zero net charge assumes a vertical position at
the end of a thread or string. This means that initially, the aluminum ball is
electrically neutral.

Stage 2: When a negatively charged rod is brought close to the aluminum ball it
becomes polarized. Now, the positive and negative charges separate causing
one end of the ball to become positive and another end to become negative.

Stage 3: Since the tendency of opposite charges attract, the positive pole of the
aluminum ball is attracted to the negatively charged rod up to contact.

Stage 4: After contact the ball becomes negatively charged by charge

transfer through the point of contact and since the tendency of the same charges
is to repel, then the ball is repelled by the negatively charged rod.

Stage 5: The repulsion of the negative charges caused the aluminum ball to stop
at equilibrium in a position deviated from vertical at an angle determined by the
charges of the rod and the aluminum ball.

d. Ink jet printers

In activity 4 of this module, you learned about the parts and the working principle
of ink jet printers. Mutual repulsion of like charges causes the paint to fly away from
its source

The ink jet printer employs electrostatics particularly the repulsion of charges
to control the deflection ink. A nozzle makes a fine spray of tiny ink droplets, which
are then given an electrostatic charge. Once charged, the droplets can be directed,
using pairs of charged plates, with great precision to form letters and images on paper.
Ink jet printers can produce color images by using a black jet and three other jets with
primary colors, usually cyan, magenta, and yellow, much as a color television
produces color.

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 E Extend
Now let us learn further another application of
electrostatics which is also beneficial in the
community.

Smoke Precipitators and Electrostatic Air Cleaning

Another important application of electrostatics is found in air cleaners, both

large and small. The electrostatic part of the process places excess (usually positive)
charge on smoke, dust, pollen, and other particles in the air and then passes the air
through an oppositely charged grid that attracts and retains the charged particles.

Large electrostatic precipitators are used industrially to remove over 99% of

the particles from stack gas emissions associated with the burning of coal and oil.
Home precipitators, often in conjunction with the home heating and air conditioning
system, are very effective in removing polluting particles, irritants, and allergens.

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 Vocabulary List

You may refer to the following vocabulary words used in this module:

Charge - the physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when
placed in an electromagnetic field.
Charged pendulum -a small conductive ball hanging vertically on an insulating string
which is placed next to a bigger conductive sphere or rod.
Electrical Breakdown - sudden large increase in current through an insulating
medium to withstand an electric field.
Electric dipole - It is a system consisting of positive and a negative charge of equal
magnitude and is separated by a distance.
Electric Field - a region around a charged particle or object within which a force would
be exerted on other charged particles or objects. This can be computed using
thru formula: E=F/q.
Electric flux- The total number of electric field lines passing a given area in a unit
time is defined as the electric flux.
Electric Force - This is the force that exists between all charged particles. This is
responsible for such diverse phenomena as making your hair stand up on a
cold dry day, creating chemical bonds, and allowing you to see when you turn
on a lamp on a dark night.
Electrostatic precipitators - used industrially to remove over 99% of the particles
from stack gas emissions associated with the burning of coal and oil.
Ink jet printer - computer peripheral that produces hard copy by spraying ink onto
paper.

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 Post-Test

E valuate
1. Which part of the ink jet printer makes a fine spray of tiny ink droplets, which
are then given electric charge?
a. charging electrodes b electric plates. c. Ink nozzle d. ink reservoir

2. The force of electrostatic repulsion between two small positively charged

particle in an electrostatic pendulum, A and B, is 3.6 x 105 N when AB = 0.12
m. What is the force of repulsion if AB is increased to 0.24 m?
a. 7.0 x 10 6 N b. 8.0 x 10 6 N c. 9.0 x 10 6 N d. 10.0 x 10 6 N

3. In which place should you stay during a thunderstorm to avoid electric shock
due to lightning?
a. In an open field
b. Under the tree
c. Inside the car
d. On the roof of the house
4. Two spheres in an electrostatic precipitator; 4.0 cm apart, attract each other
with a force of 1.2 x 109 N. Determine the magnitude of the charge on each
other.
a. 0.5 x 10 11 C b. 1.0 x10 11 C c. 1.5 x10 11 C d. 2.0 x 10 11 C
5. What is the electric field 15 m away from a particle with a charge of 15mC?
a. 5 N/C b. 6 N/C c. 7 N/C d. 8 N/C
6. Which of the following conditions will result to the formation of a lightning?
a. a charge buildup that exceeds the electrical limit or dielectric strength of
a material.
b. a charge buildup that is below the electrical limit or dielectric strength of
a material.
c. a charge buildup that is equal to the electrical limit or dielectric strength
of a material.
d. a charge buildup and the electrical limit or dielectric strength of a
material which are equal to zero
7. Dipole is a system of charges which are:
a. Positive and negative
b. Both positive
c. Both negative
d. Both neutral

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 For question 8 and 9, please refer to the following choices.

a. b. c. d.
8. Which of the diagram above shoes a positive pole of the aluminum ball being
attracted to the negatively charged rod?
9. Which of the diagram above shows an aluminum ball about to stop at
equilibrium in a position?
10. When air molecules become ionized in a very high electric field, the air
becomes:
a. conductor b. Insulator c. metalloid d super conductor

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 Answer Keys

Pre-Test Answer Key

1. D
2. D
3. C
4. A
5. C
6. A
7. A
8. A
9. B
10. B

Learning Activities Answer Key

1. Systems of Point Charges

1. q 1= +5.0 NC
q 2 = +10 NC
2. E1= 1.13 x10 5 N/C
E2= 0.56 x10 5 N/C
3 . a. 1.124 x10 5 N/C
b 0.56 x 10 5N/C
4 1.25 x 10 5 N/C
2. Electrical Breakdown of Air
1.Exceeds
2. negatively
3. nucleus
4. positively
5. insulator
6. lightning
7. electric field

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 8. conductor
9. ground
3. Charged Pendulum
1. The pendulum does not move because it has zero net charge.
2. The negatively charged rod is attracted to the positive end of the ball since they
have opposite charges
3. The positive end of the ball is attracted is attracted to the negative rod because
they have opposite charges.
4. The ball and the rod repel because they have same charges.
5. The angle depends on the net charge of the ball and the rod.
4. Ink jet Printer
1. The nozzle makes a fine spray of tiny ink droplet which are then given an electric
charge.
2. Electrostatic painting employs electrostatic charge to spray paint onto oddly
shaped surfaces.

Post-Test Answer Key

1. c
2. c
3. c
4. b
5. b
6. a
7. a
8. c
9. d
10. a

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 References

Urone Paul Peter and Hinrichs Roger, “Electric Charge and Electric Field”, accessed
July 10,2020, https://openstax.org/

Open Tax College, “Open Tax Physics”, accessed June 29,2020, cnx.org

Open Tax College, “Applications of electrostatics”, accessed June 25,2020, cnx.org

Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny, William Moebs, PhD. 2018. University Physics Volume 2.
Houston, Texas 77005: OpenStax.

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