Different and diverse points of view make science

stronger”
Donna Strickland,
2018 Nobel Prize in Physics

Professor at the University of Waterloo

Prof. Strickland discovered a technique to produce

ultra-short and intense laser pulses. This has
wide ranging application from laser eye surgery to
investigations of materials at very short time
scales, to probing fundamental forces in matter at
very high temperature and pressure.
 PHYC 1300Y/1320:
Physics in and around you

Section 20.2 & 20.3

Charges, Atoms and Coulomb’s
Law
Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 2
Charges, Atoms and Molecules Key Concepts
Atomic View of Charging:
• Charge is a fundamental property of electrons and protons
• e = 1.60 x 10-19 C
• Fundamental charge
• Positively-charged “fixed” nucleus containing some # of:
• Protons (q = +e)
• Neutrons (q = 0 C)
• Electron “cloud”
• For each electron (q = -e)
• Electrons move around the nucleus

Section 20.2 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 3

Charges, Atoms and Molecules Key Concepts
Atomic View of Charging:
Charge Polarization:
• Describes polarization that causes attraction of neutral object to
a charged object
• Electron cloud is repelled or attracted to charged object
• A net electric force now
exists due to the asymmetry
of the atom
• E.g., a charged object
attracts a neutral object

Section 20.2 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 4

Charges, Atoms and Molecules Key Concepts
Atomic View of Charging:
• Ionization: a neutral atom loses or gains electrons
• It is now charged, and called an ion
• Charge is conserved within a closed system
• # of electrons and protons does not change

• “net charge”

Section 20.2 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 5

Charges, Atoms and Molecules Key Concepts
Atomic View of Charging:
Molecular Ion:
• Forms when bonds break in a larger molecule
• Charged molecular ions end up on
different objects
• Examples:
• Wool and balloon
• Comb and hair

Section 20.2 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 6

Coulomb’s Law Key Concepts
Coulomb’s Law:
• Describes the electric force between two charged particles

• Particles are point charges in Coulomb’s Law:

• Zero size or extension (volume)
• Charge of magnitude, q
• Non-zero mass
• Reasonable assumption for object with size << separation

𝐾 𝑞! 𝑞"
𝐹!" = 𝐹"! =
𝑟"

where K = 8.99x109 Nm2/C2

Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 7

Coulomb’s Law Key Concepts
Two Balloons:

You hold one charged balloon below another charged balloon so

that the second balloon floats. The distance between the balloons is
5.0 cm. Assume both balloons have the same charge.

What is the charge on the balloons?

𝐾 𝑞! 𝑞"
𝐹!" = 𝐹"! =
𝑟"

where K = 8.99x109 Nm2/C2

Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 8

Coulomb’s Law Key Concepts
Coulomb’s Law:
• Electric force can be summed over many particles

• Net electric force is the vector sum of all electric forces

• Net electric force can be:

• Attractive

• Repulsive

Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 9

Coulomb’s Law Key Concepts
Problem Solving Strategy (1-D and 2-D problems)

1. Choose a coordinate system

2. Draw all charges in this coordinate system

3. Draw all electric force vectors

• Length and direction (repulsive and attractive)
according to Coulomb’s law
• Ignore gravity unless told otherwise

4. Graphical vector addition

5. Calculate force vector along each dimension

Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 10

Coulomb’s Law Example 1
Two 10 nC magnitude charged particles are 2.0 cm apart on the x-axis.
The charge on the right is negative and the charge on the left is positive

What is the net force on a +1.0 nC charge midway between them?

Problem Solving Strategy (1-D and 2-D problems)

1. Choose a coordinate system
2. Draw all charges in this coordinate system
3. Draw all electric force vectors
4. Graphical vector addition
5. Calculate force vector along each dimension

Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 11

Coulomb’s Law Example 2
Three charged particles are placed as shown.
a) In which quadrant is the net force on q3 due to the two other
charges?
b) What is the net force on q3 due to the two other charges?

Problem Solving Strategy (1-D and 2-D problems)

1. Choose a coordinate system
2. Draw all charges in this coordinate system
3. Draw all electric force vectors
4. Graphical vector addition
5. Calculate force vector along each dimension
Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 12
Section 20.3 PHYC 1300Y/1320 Slide 13