LECTURE 2

Coulomb’s Law

Electric Fields and Electric

Forces

January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 1

 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
𝑞
𝑟 𝑞2
1
Coulomb’s experiment showed that the force between two point charges is proportional to:
◦ : is the straight-line distance between the two
charges
⃗ ¿
𝐹 =𝑘 ¿ 𝑞1 𝑞2∨ 2 𝑟^ ¿
𝑟
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COULOMB’S LAW
⃗ ¿
𝐹 =𝑘 ¿ 𝑞1 𝑞2∨ 2 𝑟^ ¿
𝑟

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COULOMB’S LAW
⃗ ¿
𝐹 =𝑘 ¿ 𝑞1 𝑞2∨ 2 𝑟^ ¿
𝑟
where
SI unit for charge: Coulomb (C)

: permittivity of free space

January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 5

RECALL: NEWTON’S LAW OF
GRAVITATION
⃗ 𝑚1 𝑚 2
𝐹 =𝐺 2
^
𝑟
𝑟
where .
is always attractive.

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ELECTRON CHARGE

Charge values of at least 1C rarely appear in

electrostatics problems.

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

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
January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 9
EXAMPLE:
TWO CHARGES SEPARATED BY A
DISTANCE
y
Both and are positive charges. They
are separated by a distance . What is
the magnitude and direction of the
force exerted by on ? By on ?

q1 q2
+ +
x
a
January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 10
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
January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 11
EXAMPLE:
THREE CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y Now, we have a third charge, which is
also positive. What is the magnitude
q3 and direction of the net force exerted
+ by and on ?

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 , consider the
interaction in between the - and - pairs:
For the - pair:
q3 Following the same solution illustrated in the previous
+ examples, we get:

a
q2
+ +
q1 x
a
January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 13
 EXAMPLE:
THREE CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y To solve for the net force acting on , consider the
interaction in between the - and - pairs:
For the - pair:
𝜽 q3 1 – Determine the distance between the pair first; via
+ Pythagorean theorem, we solve:
2 – Solve for the magnitude of the force

a
3 – Solve for the direction of the force (solve for )
𝜽
+
q2 +
q1 x = =- ; =+

a
January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 14
EXAMPLE:
THREE CHARGES SEPARATED BY A DISTANCE
y To solve for the net force acting on , consider the
interaction in between the - and - pairs:

q3 For the - pair:

+
For the - 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 : 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

January 21, 2024 Dumigpe Physics 72 24

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 F3on1 +q
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.

January 21, 2024 Physics 72 TWHFA 29