LECTURE 2

Coulomb’s Law

Electric Fields and Electric Forces

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 CALCULATE THE NET ELECTRIC DETERMINE THE ELECTRIC FIELD
FORCE ON A POINT CHARGE DUE TO A POINT CHARGE
EXERTED BY A SYSTEM OF POINT
CHARGES

Objectives

ESTABLISH THE RELATIONSHIP PREDICT THE TRAJECTORY OF A

BETWEEN THE ELECTRIC FIELD AND MASSIVE POINT CHARGE IN A
THE ELECTRIC FORCE ON A TEST UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD
CHARGE
COULOMB’S LAW
𝑟
𝑞1 𝑞2
Coulomb’s experiment showed that the force between two point charges is proportional to:
1
◦ 2 : 𝑟 is the straight-line distance between the two
𝑟
charges
◦𝑞1 |𝑞1 𝑞2 |
◦𝑞2 𝐹Ԧ =𝑘 𝑟Ƹ
2 𝑟
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COULOMB’S LAW
|𝑞1 𝑞2 |
𝐹Ԧ = 𝑘 𝑟Ƹ
𝑟2

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COULOMB’S LAW
|𝑞1 𝑞2 |
𝐹Ԧ = 𝑘 𝑟Ƹ
𝑟2 2
1 m
where 𝑘= = 8.99 × 109 N 2
4𝜋𝜖0 C
SI unit for charge: Coulomb (C)

C 2
𝜖0 = 8.85 × 10−12 2 : permittivity of free space
Nm

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RECALL: NEWTON’S LAW OF GRAVITATION
𝑚1 𝑚2
𝐹Ԧ = 𝐺 2
𝑟Ƹ
𝑟
m 2
where G = 6.67 × 10−11 N 2.
kg
𝐹Ԧ is always attractive.

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ELECTRON CHARGE
𝑒 = 1.602 × 10−19 C
1C ≈ 6 × 1018 𝑒

Charge values of at least 1C rarely appear in

electrostatics problems.

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EXAMPLE:
TWO CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y
𝑞1 is a positive charge and 𝑞2 is a
negative charge. They are separated
by a distance 𝑎. What is the
magnitude and direction of the force
exerted by 𝑞1 on 𝑞2? By 𝑞2 on 𝑞1?

q1 q2
+ -
x
a
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SOLUTION TO EXAMPLE:
TWO CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y 1 – Determine if the forces in between the charges
are attractive or repulsive (In this problem’s case, the
forces are attractive since charges are opposite)
2 – Draw the free-body-diagrams on each charge.
Note: The vectors lie along the separation distance,
pointing towards each other (forces are attractive)
3 – Solve for the magnitude of the forces via
Coulomb’s Law
q1 q2
+ -
x 4 – Affix the direction! (To complete the answer)

a
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EXAMPLE:
TWO CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y
Both 𝑞1 and 𝑞2 are positive charges.
They are separated by a distance 𝑎.
What is the magnitude and direction
of the force exerted by 𝑞1 on 𝑞2? By 𝑞2
on 𝑞1?

q1 q2
+ +
x
a
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SOLUTION TO EXAMPLE:
TWO CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y 1 – Determine if the forces in between the charges
are attractive or repulsive (In this problem’s case, the
forces are repulsive since both charges are positive)
2 – Draw the free-body-diagrams on each charge.
Note: The vectors lie along the separation distance,
pointing away from each other (forces are repulsive)
3 – Solve for the magnitude of the forces via
Coulomb’s Law
q1 q2
+ +
x 4 – Affix the direction! (To complete the answer)

a
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EXAMPLE:
THREE CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y Now, we have a third charge, 𝑞3 which
is also positive. What is the magnitude
q3 and direction of the net force exerted
+ by 𝑞1 and 𝑞2 on 𝑞3?

a
q2
+ +
q1 x
a
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EXAMPLE:
THREE CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y To solve for the net force acting on 𝑞3, consider the
interaction in between the 𝑞1 - 𝑞3 and 𝑞2 - 𝑞3 pairs:
For the 𝒒𝟏 - 𝒒𝟑 pair:
q3 Following the same solution illustrated in the previous
+ examples, we get:

a
q2
+ +
q1 x
a
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 EXAMPLE:
THREE CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y To solve for the net force acting on 𝑞3, consider the
interaction in between the 𝑞1 - 𝑞3 and 𝑞2 - 𝑞3 pairs:
For the 𝒒𝟐 - 𝒒𝟑 pair:
𝜽
q3 1 – Determine the distance between the pair first; via
+ Pythagorean theorem, we solve: 𝒓𝟐𝟑 = 𝟐𝒂
2 – Solve for the magnitude of the force 𝑭𝟐 𝒐𝒏 𝟑

a
3 – Solve for the direction of the force 𝑭𝟐 𝒐𝒏 𝟑 (solve for 𝜽)
𝜽
+
q2 +
q1 x 𝜃 = −45𝑜 ; 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝜽 = - 𝟐/𝟐 ; 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝜽 = + 𝟐/𝟐

a
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EXAMPLE:
THREE CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y To solve for the net force acting on 𝑞3, consider the
interaction in between the 𝑞1 - 𝑞3 and 𝑞2 - 𝑞3 pairs:
For the 𝒒𝟏 - 𝒒𝟑 pair:
q3
+
For the 𝒒𝟐 - 𝒒𝟑 pair:

a
Solving for the net force:

+
q2 +
q1 x
a
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EXAMPLE
Three charged particles of the
same magnitude Q are arranged
as shown. What is the net force
on particle 2?

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ELECTRIC FIELD
The electric field is the intermediary
through which A communicates its
presence to B (qo).

The electric force on a charged

body is exerted by the electric field
created by other charged bodies.
Source charge

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ELECTRIC FIELD
Electric force Fo experienced by a test charge qo at a certain point, divided by the
charge qo .

SI unit of electric field magnitude : N/C

(for a point charge only)

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ELECTRIC FIELD OF A POINT CHARGE
Positive charge Negative charge

(magnitude only)

(magnitude + direction)

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TRAJECTORY OF A CHARGED
PARTICLE

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UNIFORM FIELD
Uniform 𝐸: vectors are parallel and of equal magnitude.

Positively Charged Plate

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

– – – – – – – – – – – –
Negatively Charged Plate
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 UNIFORM FIELD
PARALLEL CASE

NEGATIVE
CHARGE

Direction of acceleration of the

Direction of negatively charged particle
Electric Field –
+

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 UNIFORM FIELD
PARALLEL CASE

POSITIVE
CHARGE
Direction of acceleration of the
Direction of positively charged particle
Electric Field +

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UNIFORM FIELD
PERPENDICULAR CASE
NEGATIVE
CHARGE

Direction of – Direction of
Electric Field acceleration
of the negatively
charged particle

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UNIFORM FIELD
PERPENDICULAR CASE
POSITIVE
CHARGE

Direction of
Direction of acceleration
Electric Field + of the positively
charged particle

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TRY THIS
1. Three point charges lie at the vertices of
Charge #2
an equilateral triangle as shown. All three
+q
charges have the same magnitude, but
Charges #1 and #2 are positive (+q) and
Charge #3 is negative (–q). The net electric Charge #1
force that Charges #2 and #3 exert on +q
Charge #1 is in:​
a) the +x-direction. d) the –y-direction. y –q
b) the –x-direction. e) none of the above Charge #3
c) the +y-direction.
x

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TRY THIS
2. Three point charges lie at the vertices of Charge #2
an equilateral triangle as shown. All three
–q
charges have the same magnitude, but
Charge #1 is positive (+q) and Charges #2
and #3 are negative (–q). The net electric Charge #1
force that Charges #2 and #3 exert on +q
Charge #1 is in:​
a) the +x-direction. d) the –y-direction. y –q
b) the –x-direction. e) none of the above Charge #3
c) the +y-direction.
x

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TRY THIS
3. A positive point charge +Q is released from rest in an electric field. At any later
time, the velocity of the point charge​:
a) is in the direction of the electric field at the position of the point charge.
b) is directly opposite the direction of the electric field at the position of the
point charge.​
c) is perpendicular to the direction of the electric field at the position of the
point charge.​
d) is zero.​
e) not enough information given to decide​

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TRY THIS - ANSWERS
1. D: Charge #2 will repel charge #1 while 2. A: Both Charges #2 and #3 will attract
charge #3 will attract charge #1. charge #1.
Charge #2 Charge #2
+q –q

F2on1
Charge #1 Charge #1
Fnet
+q +q
F3on1
F3on1
Fnet

y –q y –q
Charge #3 Charge #3

x x

3. A: The velocity of the point charge​ is in the direction of the electric field at the
position of the point charge.

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