Patha Bhavana, Visva Bharati

Class – XII
Online Study Material (Physics)
Elementary Phenomena of Electrostatics
Teacher: Vikrantda (Whatsapp No. – 09433341939 / Phone No. 8617278373)

Electric force – a) Repulsion (electron + electron)

b) Attraction (electron + proton)

Electric charge – Scalar quantity

Units of Electric charge – CGS system esu or stat coulomb (statC)
SI system Coulomb

Dimension of Electric charge - [ IT ]

9 9
Relation between the units of Electric charge: 1C = 3x10 esu or 3x10 statC

The Electricity produced by rubbing is called frictional electricity. But it cannot generate
any new electric charge.

Q. Why a metallic chain is often hung from the fuel tank of a motor vehicle which
touches the ground?

Attraction due to opposite charges:

Ebonite rod Glass rod

-ve charge +ve charge

Repulsion due to same charges:

Glass rod Glass rod

+ve charge +ve charge

Page 1
Electrostatic series:
If any two of the substances are rubbed together, the one preceding the other in the list
acquires a positive charge and the latter acquires a negative charge.

1.Fur, 2. Flannel, 3. Sealing Wax, 4. Glass, 5. Paper, 6. Silk, 7. Human Body

8. Wood, 9. Metals, 10. Rubber, 11. Resins, 12. Amber, 13. Sulphur, 14. Ebonite.

Q. If a ebonite rod be rubed with silk, what kind of charge is produced on the rod?
Q. Repulsion is the conclusive test of electrification – Explain.

Frictional electricity on the basis of electronic theory:

The attraction between the electrons and the nucleus are not same in all orbits.
Electrons lying in the outmost orbit are rather loosely bound and hence are easy to
detach from the atom. So during rubbing between two bodies some electrons are
transferred from one substance to another, producing equal and opposite charges
simultaneously. Hence the substance becomes positively charged with a deficit of
electron and the other one becomes negatively charged with an excess amount of
electrons.

Q. Write the mass of an electron in CGS and SI units of system.

Q. Write the charge of an electron in CGS and SI units of system.

Quantisation of charges:
The charges carried by a body are always integral multiples of the smallest unit of
charge which is the charge of an electron. This is known as the quantization of charges.

Q=+ne or Q=-ne ­kM¡­e Q= Total charge, n= No of electrons, e= Charge of an electron

where n= 1,2,3…….

Q. Is it possible that a substance contains a charge of 2.4x10-19 C, Explain?

Q. If a copper plate receives two electrons then its total charges will be increase or
decrease?
Q. Two point charge q1 and q2 are as such that q1 q2 > 0 then write the nature of force
working between them.

Invariance relative to the frame of reference:

The amount of charge is invariant with respect to the frame of reference.

Principle of conservation of electric charges:

The algebraic sum of the positive and the negative charges in an isolated system is
constant.

Page 2
Q. What is Semiconductor? Write its uses with examples.
Q. Write the use of superconductor.
Q. What is free electron?

 Dry air is a good insulator. Hence the experiments of static electricity can be
performed satisfactory in dry air than in moist air.

 Metals contain free electrons.

 Electrostatic Induction: The electrostatic induction is defined as the temporary

charging of conductor or insulator by the influence of nearby charged substance.

 Electrostatics induction takes place in the insulators due to polarization of atoms

placed in an electric field.

 The charges developed due to induction are known as induced charges. The
charges which are using for induction are known as inducing charge.

 The fixed charges at the near end of the induced conductor are called bound
charges. The charges at the far end of the induced conductor are called free
charge.

Q. Induction Precedes attraction – Explains?

Electric Screen:
If we induce a conductor then the charges resides on the surface of the conductor.
There is no charge within the conductor. So the electric field inside the conductor is
zero. Using this property it is possible to construct a wire gauge cage of metal or copper
within which no electrical influence can work from outside. This special arrangement is
called Electric Screen.

Electroscope:
It is instrument which used for detecting the presence of charge and its nature. A gold
leaf electroscope is a one of widely used sensitive instrument for electrostatics
experiments.

Surface charge density( ):

The surface charge density of charge at a point on a charged conductor is the amount
of charge per unit area of the surface of the conductor surrounding the point.

Δ
=
Δ

Page 3
The distribution of charge depends upon the shape of the conductor. Greater the
curvature at any point greater will be the accumulation of charge at that point.

Q. Where will be the surface charge density be maximum in a charged cubical

conductor. Explain why?

For sphere: If q amount of charge is induced on a sphere of radius r, then the charges
spread over the surface of the sphere. In this case the surface charge density is

=
4
Units: CGS – stat. cm , SI – C. m
2 -2

Dimension: [L-2IT]

Action of a pointed conductor:

We know the surface charge density of charge at the pointed part becomes very high. It will
then induce unlike charges of the air molecules and the dust particles in the vicinity which
will be attracted towards it. Due the attraction the air particles come in contact with the
sharp end and their unlike charges get neutralized. Only the particles having charges
similar to the sharp end retain their charges and are therefore repelled strongly by the
pointed ends. As a result of both these process the conductor gradually loses its charge
through the pointed ends. This phenomena is called discharging action of pointed
conductor.

Flash of lighting:
A flashing of lighting is nothing but a discharge of electricity along an air track in the sky.
Such discharge is possible because of enormous difference in the potential that may exist
between a charged cloud and the earth or between two oppositely charged clouds.

Report of the thunder:

In the path of the lighting the air is heated up suddenly and expands. The sudden
expansion suddenly decreases the pressure. The surrounding air rushes to compensate
the pressure decrease with tremendous force. The report of the thunder is due to the
sudden expansion and contraction of the air.

Thunderclap:
A highly charged cloud usually causes electrostatic induction on the earth. So the
potential difference between the earth and the cloud is high enough for electric
discharging. This is known as lighting. The sound heard just after the lighting is known
as thunderclap.

Page 4
To protect high rise buildings from the thunderbolt lighting conductor is used.
Lightning conductor consists of a long and thick copper strip, the upper end is designed
with sharp points and the lower end is fixed to a metal plate buried deep in the ground.

Q. Two point charge q1 and q2 are as such that q1 q2 < 0 then write the nature of force
working between them.

Necessary qualities for a good lightning conductor

1) The copper strip should not melt due to heat evolved during lightning discharge.
2) The lower part of the strip which is attached to the building should not any sharp
point.
3) The lower end of the copper strip should be grounded properly.
4) The lower part of the strip which is attached to the building should not be
discontinuous.

Lightning conductor is called lightning arrester:

When the clouds pass over the high risers, it induced unlike charges on the sharp age
of the lightning conductor. The like charge is induced on the opposite end of the
conductor which is grounded. These charges pass to the earth. The discharging action
of the sharp points partially neutralizes the charge on the cloud. Hence the possibility of
lightning reduces to some extent. For these reason the lightning conductor is called
lightning arrester. Sometimes even after the discharging action of the sharp point, a
discharge take place. Then the thick copper strip of low resistance provides the path for
the charge to flow to the earth without damaging the high riser.

The safe place during lightning:

Building on metal frame, building with lightning conductor, staying at metal covered car
which is connected to the ground.

The unsafe place during lightning:

Tall tree, Telephone post, lamp post, tall wall made by mud.

Q. Why it is safe to stay into a car than open space under the sky during the lightning?
Q.10 esu charge is induced on a sphere of diameter 4 cm, what is the surface charge
density of the sphere? Ans : 0.199 esu.cm-2 (approx)

Q. A substance contains charge of - 80 micro coulomb. Find the extra electrons within the
substance? Ans: 5x1014

Q. 64 equally charged water droplets each of radius 4 mm, are combined to form a large
water droplet. Determine the ratio of the surface charge density in the two cases. Ans : 4:1
NB : There is no alternative of Text book. It is a study material. These write up should be noted in your
copy and answer the questions mentioned in the material. You may do sums from Text books. If there is
any difficulty to understand the material then you may contact me.

Page 5