Electrostatics

Objectives:
• Explain the basic properties of electric charge
• Describe insulators, conductors, semiconductors, and
superconductors
• Describe the different ways of charging
• Solve problems involving Coulomb’s law
Electric Charge
• positive charge – deficit of electrons
• negative charge – excess of electrons

• electrically neutral – equal amounts of positive and

negative charge
Law of Electric Charges
• Like charges repel and opposite charges attract.
Law of Charge Conservation
• The total electric charge of an isolated system is
conserved.
Elementary Charge
• charge is quantized
• smallest possible positive charge is +1.602 x 10-19 C
• smallest possible negative charge is -1.602 x 10-19 C
Types of Materials
1. Conductors
2. Insulators
3. Semiconductors
4. Superconductors
1. Conductors
• materials that conduct electricity
• electrons can move freely

• examples: metals, water with dissolved materials

2. Insulators
• materials that conduct electricity poorly
• electrons cannot move freely

• examples: glass, plastic, cloth, pure water

3. Semiconductors
• materials that can be switched between being an
insulator and being a conductor

• types: intrinsic, extrinsic

4. Superconductors
• materials that have no resistance to the conduction of
electricity
• materials are superconducting only at very low
temperatures
Types of Charging
1. Charging by induction
2. Charging by conduction
3. Triboelectric charging
1. Charging by Induction
• used to charge a neutral object without touching it to
any other charged object
Charging a Two-Sphere System Using a
Negatively Charged Object
Charging a Two-Sphere System Using a
Positively Charged Object
2. Charging by Conduction
• involves the contact of a charged object to a neutral
object
Charging by Conduction Using a Negatively
Charged Object
Charging by Conduction Using a Positively
Charged Object
3. Triboelectric Charging
• involves rubbing two materials together
• when the surfaces of the two materials come in
contact, adhesion takes place and chemical bonds are
formed between the atoms at the surfaces
• as the surfaces separate, some of the newly formed
bonds rupture and leave more electrons on the
material
3. Triboelectric Charging
• If you rub two materials from the list
against each other, the one nearer the
top will receive net positive charge and
the other a net negative charge
• More intense rubbing creates greater
charge transfer.
How to use the Triboelectric Series
• For two materials, look at their positions in the
series.

• Materials closer to the top of the list will lose

electrons and become positively charged

• Materials near the bottom of the list gain

electrons and become negatively charged.

• The larger the difference in position the greater

the transfer of electrons.
How to use the Triboelectric Series
1. A girl pulls a wool cap off her head. What charge
will be produced:
a. on her hair? positive
b. on her cap? negative

2. Which will produce the most static cling with a

cotton t-shirt in a dryer. Wool socks or a nylon
nightgown? nylon

3. Can there be static cling if only cotton items are

placed in a dryer? NO
Coulomb’s Law
• The electrical force between two charged objects is
directly proportional to the product of the quantity of
charge on the objects and inversely proportional to
the square of the separation between the two objects.
𝑞1 𝑞2
•𝐹 = 𝑘 2
𝑟
9 2 2
• 𝑘 = 8.99 𝑥 10 𝑁𝑚 /𝐶
 Coulomb’s Law

q1q2
F k 2
r

• The force between two charges is directed along the line connecting their
centers.
• Like all forces, electrostatic forces always occur in pairs according to
Newton’s third law (action and reaction).
• The force between two charges gets stronger as the charges move closer
together.
• The force also gets stronger if the amount of charge becomes larger.
1. If 16 million electrons are removed from a neutral sphere, what is
the charge on the sphere in coulombs?
Given: # electrons = 16 million
–e = –1.6 x 10 –19 C
Required: q = ?
Equation: q = (# electrons) (charge of 1 electron)
Solution: q = (16 x 106 e) (–1.6 x 10–19 C)
q = –2.56 x 10–12 C
Answer: q = 2.56 x 10–12 C
(since electrons are removed, the charge remaining
on the sphere is positive.)
2. A metal sphere has a net charge of –2.4 x 10 –6 C. How many
excess electrons does the sphere contain?
Given: q = –2.4 x 10 –6 C
–e = –1.6 x 10 –19 C
Required: #electrons = ?
Equation: #electrons = net charge tt
charge of 1 electron
Solution: #electrons = (–2.4 x 10 –6 C) (1electron)
(–1.6 x 10 –19 C)
#electrons = 1.5 x 1015 electrons
Answer: #electrons = 1.5 x 1015 electrons
3. Particles of charge Q1 = +5.00 C, Q 2 = – 6.0 C and Q3 = +8.0 C are placed
in a line separated by 0.40 m between each pair. Calculate the force on Q2.

 Q2 
Q1 F21 F23 Q3
+ _
+

Q Q
F21  k 2 2 1  9.00 10 9  
N m 2 6.0 10 6 C 5.0 10 6 C 
r21 C2 0.40 m 2
F21 1.7 N This is the magnitude, we get direction from charges.

Q Q
F23  k 2 2 3  9.00 10 9  
N m 2 6.0 10 6 C 8.0 10 6 C 
r23 C2 0.40 m 2
F23  2.7 N

F  F23  F21  2.7 N  1.7 N  1.0 N

Force is directed to the right.
4. Particles of charge Q1 = +5.00 C, Q 2 = -6.00 C and Q3 = +8.00 C are placed on
the corners of a square of side 0.400 m as shown below. Calculate the force on Q2
(magnitude and direction).
Note that the charges and distances are the same as in
Q1 Example 1, so we do not need to use Coulombs Law again.
+ 

F21
F
F21 1.7 N
_ 
Q2 + Q3
 F23  2.7 N
F23

F F212  F232  (1.7 N ) 2  ( 2.7 N ) 2  3.2 N

F21
tan  
F23
 F21   tan 1  1.7 N   32o
  tan  1
  2.7 N 
 23 
F  
5. Compare the gravitational force to the electrostatic force exerted by the proton
on the electron in a hydrogen atom.
electrostatic force

gravitational force
Application: LIGHTNING ROD

The presence of the lightning rod allows for the gradual release of
static charge from a storm cloud. This prevents the sudden and
• The presence of the lightning rod allows for the gradual release of static
explosive discharge.
charge from a storm.
• The occurrence of sudden fire or explosion due to enormous electrostatics
discharge is prevented by electrical grounding.
Other Applications

electrostatic spray gun photo copier

electrostatic smoke precipitators difribillator

Summary:
• The types of electric charge are positive charge and
negative charge.
• Like charges repel and opposite charges attract.
• The total electric charge of an isolated system is
conserved.
• Electrical charge is quantized.
Summary:
• The types of materials are conductors, insulators,
semiconductors, and superconductors.
• The types of charging are charging by induction,
charging by conduction, and triboelectric charging.
• Coulomb’s law states that the electrical force between
two charged objects is directly proportional to the
product of the quantity of charge on the objects and
inversely proportional to the square of the separation
between the two objects.
Photo Credits:
• https://d2pduerm2meudp.cloudfront.net/media/uploads/2019/04/0
1/fireshot-capture-004-electrostatics-google-docs-
docsgooglecom.png
• https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ScoHwBRJfJBHRT_eTfio7tr
obXK_QfzuvGCa52lqVYIiaE0fSnBUpeHBe55UFutgCYix-
Eh2H6gSecAXRGv-qpacIK-Ay8IOIAvy
• https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/Lesson-2/Charging-
by-Induction
• https://alisiteblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/ss_products_static_r
esource_feature_features03_pict-01.jpg
• https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/Lesson-4/Lightning