Physics 30 Outcome 1 Lesson 3: Electric Fields

Lesson 3: Electric Fields

PBS | Einstein's Big Idea | Michael Faraday
Action at a distance forces: When two objects are
able to interact and exert force on each other
without touching

In classical physics action at a distance forces are

caused by fields.

You can imagine a field to be a real entity filling the

space around mass or charged object.

Part 1: Field Lines and Direction

General definition of a field: In math, a field is a function that has different value at
different points in 3D space —> F(x,y,z)

Scalar Field

Vector Field

Common Vector Fields in Physics 30

Field Source Direction Symbol Unit

Electric

Gravitational

Magnetic

Electric (vector) Field is the region around a charged particle where another charge would
experience a force.

Electric Field Strength: An electric field strength is the amount of electric force per unit
charge stored at an empty point in space. If you were to place a charged object at that point,
the object would experience a force proportional to the amount of charge on it.
Physics 30 Outcome 1 Lesson 3: Electric Fields

Test charge: In order to visualize a field, we imagine placing a test charge of +1 C at positive source charge

points around the charge that is producing the field. Conventions say that we
always imagine the test charge to be positive. If a test charge is placed at a point in
the field, which way would it move? How much force would it experience? This
dictates the strength and direction of the field at that location.

Demo: Visualizing Electric Fields with Spandex

negative source

Common charge distributions

Video: 10 Ways to SEE the ELECTRIC FIELD (if time)

Superposition of Field Vectors

Superposition says that you can add two vectors at the same location in space to get a net result.
This means that if there are two charges near a point in space, you can find the electric field from each independently
without considering the other, and then add each vector together to get the net field.

Field from a positive charge at x=2 Field from a negative charge at x=5 Field from both charges combined
Physics 30 Outcome 1 Lesson 3: Electric Fields
Activity: Flash Physics Electric Fields
Go to http://www.flashphysics.org/electricField.html

To get a feel for how the simulator

works, start with the single charge
under the “sample charge
distributions” section

Test each of the mouse controls separately. Clicking on the control type to turn it on and
clicking near the charge to test it. You can click on the control type again to turn it off.

Dipole:
Use the field vector mouse control to test around the dipole charge distribution at the points
shown below. Draw the field vector from each charge (grey) and the net field vector (yellow)

Quadrupole:
Use the field vector mouse control to test around the quadrupole charge distribution at the points shown below. Draw
the field vector from each charge (grey) and the net field vector (yellow)

Square:
Use the field vector mouse control to test around the square charge distribution at the points shown below. Draw the
field vector from each charge (grey) and the net field vector (yellow)

Select the quadrupole charge distribution again and then click on field lines under the auto plotting menu. Click on test
charge and place many test charges at many different locations, near and far, along the field lines.
Physics 30 Outcome 1 Lesson 3: Electric Fields
QUESTION 1: What do you notice about the movement of the test charge in relation to the field lines?

QUESTION 2: Where does the test charge move faster? Where does it move slower?

QUESTION 3: Field line density refers to how close together the field lines are. Does the test charge move faster or
slower in the areas where the field lines are dense?

QUESTION 4: How does field line density predict electric field strength?

Coulomb's Law (1959) Physics Educational Film

Electric field inside a conductor is always zero!

Part 2: Calculating Electric Fields

Electric field

Symbol:

Unit:

Formula for electric field around a point charge:

Example: What is the electric field strength 1.5 nm from a proton?

Physics 30 Outcome 1 Lesson 3: Electric Fields
Example: What is the electric field halfway between the charges in the diagram below?

Example: What is the electric field at point A in the diagram below?

Example: What is the electric field at point B in the diagram below?

Example: What is the electric field at point C in the diagram below?

Physics 30 Outcome 1 Lesson 3: Electric Fields

Lesson 3 Hand In Assignment

1. Calculate the distance from an electron where the magnitude of the electric field would be 5.14 x 1011 N/C? [5.29 x 10-
11
m]

2. A proton is placed in an electric field produced by another larger charge. If the magnitude of the field at this position
is 1.00 x 103 N/C, calculate the magnitude of the electrostatic force on the proton. [1.6 x 10-16 N]

3. An electron and a proton are 5.29 x 10-11 m apart in a hydrogen atom. Determine the net electric field at a point
midway between the two charges. [4.11 x 1012 N/C] [towards the electron]

4. A charge of -5.00 C is separated from another charge of -2.00 C by a distance of 1.20 m. Calculate

a) The net electric field midway between the two charges [7.49 x 1010 N/C [toward the -5.00 C charge]]
b) The position where the net electric field is zero. [0.735 m from the -5.00 C charge]

5. Find the net electric field intensity at point C in the diagram below. [1.2 x 107 N/C [90.0o]]

6. Find the electric field strength 4.50 x 10-1 m from a 5.00 µC charged object. [2.22 x 105 N/C]

7. If an alpha particle experiences an electric force of 0.250 N at a point in space, what electric force would a proton
experience at the same point? [0.125 N]

8. What is the initial acceleration on an alpha particle when it is placed at a point in space where the electric field
strength is 7.60 x 104 N/C? [3.66 x 1012 m/s2]

9. The electric field at a position 2.00 cm from a charge if 40.0 N/C directed away from the charge. Determine the
charge producing the electric field. [+1.78 x 10-12 C]

10. Calculate the electric field strength mid-way between two 3.0 µC charged objects if they are 9.0 x 10-1 m apart. [0]

11. If the electric field strength at a point 1.50 m from a charged point source is 2.70 x 104 N/C, what is the electric field
strength at a point 7.50 x 10-1 from the same source? [1.08 x 105 N/C]

12. What is the magnitude and direction of the electric field at point Z in the diagram below? (5.8 x 105 N/C right)
Physics 30 Outcome 1 Lesson 3: Electric Fields
13. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field at location A in the diagrams below.

(3.36x107 N/C [86o N of E]) (4.75x107 N/C [6o S of E])

14. An iron ion is 400 nm from a chlorine ion. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field at point A, 100
nm to the left of the chlorine ion and point B, 100 nm to the right of the chlorine ion.

(At point A E= 1.9x105 N/C [right], At point B E=1.3x105 N/C [left] )

15. Calculate the net electric field at a Point P. [1.91 x 107 N/C [165o]]

16. What is the electric field at the third vertex. [1.56 x 1014 N/C [90.0o]]