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ELECTRICROSTATICS
Electric Charge: Q [Coulombs]
(electrons, protons, charge carriers – ions, particles)

Electrostatics – interaction between stationary electric charges

=>> like charges repel / opposite charges attract

Coulomb’s Law (interaction between stationary charged particles)

Electrostatic (Coulomb) Force:

q1 q 2
⃗
F =k 2 [N],
r

Coulomb constant k ≈ 9.0 ×10

N m2
9

C2
;
[ ]
Electrostatic Field: (produced by a charge / set of charges)
⃗
F
⃗
E = [N/C = V/m]
q0
force per unit charge exerted on a small positive test charge (q0) placed at a test point.

E-filed lines start on positive charge and terminate on negative charge

Transfer and storage of charge: charging / discharging

Common conductors: metals; Insulators (plastics, distilled water, air…)

Charging by friction
rubbing different insulators:
 loss / gain of electrons
 building up of total (+ / - ) electrostatic charge

Electrostatic phenomena: transfer of electrons by friction


Uses of electrostatic charges,
e.g. in photocopiers and inkjet printers
FLOW OF CHARGE
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Insulator material with weaker electron bonds loses electrons
Potential dangers of electrostatic charges
 Aircraft flying through the air =>> friction causes buildup of static
electricity.
 After landing => risk of discharge to
earth as a spark or flash of electricity
 Can cause an explosion during
refueling.
 The plane has to be earthed
(grounded) with a conductor as soon
as it lands.
Electric current is the rate of flow of charge I = Q / t [C/sec = Amp]
Solid metallic conductors =>> Net flow of electrons (negatively charged)
Voltage (Potential difference) drives the current
Power = VI [Watts]
Energy = Power * time [Joules]
=>> Energy = Q V
=>> Volt = Joule / Coulomb
Voltage is the energy transferred per unit charge passed
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Test Problem #7 (4PH1_January 2020 (R) QP1):

(b) When the van der Graaff generator is fully charged,

it stores 2.9 × 10–8 C of charge.

(i) State the formula linking charge, current and time. (1)

(ii) The charge on the generator discharges through the air as a spark.
The charge takes a time of 0.68 ms to leave the generator.
Calculate the mean (average) current in the air. (3)

(ii) State the formula linking energy transferred, voltage and charge. (1)

(iii) Calculate the energy transferred to an electron when it passes through a

voltage of 150 kV. [charge of electron = 1.6 × 10–19 C]
(3)
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Test Problem #4 (4PH1_January 2020 QP2):

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