Physics 2024-04-13

Key Terms
Capacitance

Capacitance is the ability of a system to store electrical charge.

Capacitance is measured in the unit of Farads (F).

It is determined by the physical characteristics of the system such as the area of the plates
and the distance between them.
A higher capacitance allows for a larger charge to be stored for a given voltage.
Capacitance plays an important role in many areas of technology, including electronics and
power systems.

Coulomb's Law

Coulomb's Law states that the force between two charged objects is directly proportional to the
product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

The force between charged objects is strongest when the charges are larger and the distance
between them is smaller.
Coulomb's Law can be used to calculate the force between charged particles in situations
involving static electricity.
The force between charged objects can be either attractive or repulsive, depending on the
signs of the charges.
Coulomb's Law is similar to Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, but applies to the electric
force instead of the gravitational force.

Electric Dipole

An electric dipole is a pair of equal and opposite charges separated by a small distance that
create a non-uniform electric field.

An electric dipole can be represented using an arrow where the positive charge is at the
arrow's head and the negative charge is at the arrow's tail.
The magnitude of the dipole moment is the product of the magnitude of the charge and the
distance between the charges.
The electric field at points on the axial line of a dipole is larger than at points on the equatorial
line.
The torque experienced by a dipole in a uniform electric field is zero when the dipole is
aligned parallel or anti-parallel to the field direction.
Electric Field at a Point on the Axis of a Charged Disk

The electric field at a point on the axis of a charged disk is calculated using the formula for the
electric field of a charged ring.

The electric field at the center of a charged disk is zero due to symmetry.
For points along the axis of the disk, the electric field varies with distance from the disk.
Understanding the concept of electric field direction and magnitude is crucial in solving
problems involving charged disks.
Calculating the electric field at a point on the axis involves integrating the contributions of
charge elements along the disk.

Electric Field at a Point on the Axis of a Charged Ring

The electric field at a point on the axis of a charged ring is calculated by summing the electric
fields from each infinitesimal charge element on the ring.

Symmetry ensures that the field only has a component in the axial direction.
The electric field is strongest at the center of the ring and decreases as the distance from the
ring increases.
The electric field is inversely proportional to the radial distance from the center of the ring.
The electric field is directly proportional to the total charge on the ring.

Electric Field at a Point on the Perpendicular Bisector of a

Dipole

Electric field at a point on the perpendicular bisector of a dipole is the resultant vector sum of the
fields created by the positive and negative charges of the dipole.

Field strength decreases with distance squared from the dipole.

The field is directed either toward or away from the dipole depending on the side of the
bisector.
The field is strongest close to the dipole and diminishes as you move farther away.
Mathematically, the electric field at that point is proportional to the dipole moment and
inversely proportional to the cube of the distance.

Electric Field due to a Conductor

Electric field due to a conductor arises from charges redistributing along the surface of a
conductor to cancel external electric fields inside.

In equilibrium, the electric field inside a conductor is zero.

Charges move to the surface of a conductor to reach equilibrium.
Conductors have free charged particles that respond to external fields.
 The electric field just outside a conductor is perpendicular to its surface.

Electric field due to a dipole

A dipole consists of two equal and opposite charges separated by a distance; the electric field
due to a dipole decreases inversely with the cube of the distance.

Electric field is stronger near the charges and weaker farther away.
The electric field is zero along the axis between the charges.
The electric field is directed from the positive charge to the negative charge.
The electric field forms a pattern that resembles two mirror-image field lines extending out
from the charges.

Electric Field due to a Line Charge

Electric field around a line charge is radially outward, based on Coulomb's law, and decreases
inversely with distance from the line charge.

Field strength is directly proportional to the charge per unit length of the line charge.
Increasing distance from the line charge decreases the electric field strength.
The electric field lines create cylinders around the line charge.
The field is strongest close to the line charge and weakest at a distance.

Electric Field due to an Infinite Line Charge

The electric field produced by an infinite line charge is radially outward and decreases as the
distance from the line charge increases.

Electric field strength follows an inverse relationship with distance from the line charge.
The formula for electric field due to an infinite line charge is E = λ / (2πε r).
The electric field is perpendicular to the line charge and forms concentric cylindrical
symmetry around it.
The electric field points away from a positive line charge and towards a negative line charge.

Electric Field due to a Non-Conducting Infinite Sheet

Electric field around a non-conducting infinite sheet is constant and points away from the sheet
on both sides, perpendicular to its surface.

Magnitude does not depend on distance from the sheet.

Field lines are vertical and uniform around the sheet.
Field inside a parallel plate capacitor is also uniform.
Total electric flux through the sheet is constant.
Electric field due to a point charge

A point charge creates an electric field around it, which exerts a force on other charges; the field
strength decreases with distance from the charge.

The electric field points away from a positive charge and towards a negative charge.
Field lines are used to represent the direction of the electric field.
The electric field is a vector quantity, having both magnitude and direction.
The electric field is dependent on the magnitude of the point charge and the distance from it.

Electric field due to a uniformly charged disk

A uniformly charged disk produces an electric field perpendicular to its surface, with a magnitude
that decreases as distance increases.

The electric field is stronger closer to the disk and weaker farther away.
The electric field at the center of the disk is directly proportional to its surface charge density.
The direction of the electric field is outward from the disk on one side and inward on the other
side.
Calculating the electric field requires integration due to the varying contributions from
different parts of the disk.

Electric Field due to a Uniformly Charged Ring

When studying the electric field around a uniformly charged ring, one must consider the direction,
magnitude, and circular symmetry of the field.

The electric field is perpendicular to the ring's axis and forms a toroidal shape around the
ring.
For points along the ring's axis, the electric field is zero due to symmetry.
The field outside the ring behaves as if the entire charge is concentrated at the center of the
ring.
Understanding the geometry and symmetry of the ring is essential in calculating the electric
field at various points.

Electric Field due to a Uniformly Charged Sphere

When dealing with the electric field of a uniformly charged sphere, one can treat the entire charge
of the sphere as concentrated at its center.

Outside the sphere, the electric field behaves as if all the charge is concentrated at the center.
Inside the sphere, the electric field is zero due to cancelation from all sides.
The electric field outside the sphere varies inversely with the square of the distance from the
center.
 The electric field inside the sphere is not affected by the charge distribution.

Electric Field Inside a Conductor

Electric field inside a conductor is zero due to the redistribution of charges to cancel out any
external electric field.

Charges move within the conductor to counteract any external electric influence, resulting in
no electric field inside.
In a conductor at equilibrium, charges gather on the surface to create a balanced electric field
that cancels any external fields.
This phenomenon is governed by the principle that charges in a conductor will always
rearrange to minimize electric potential energy.
As a result, the electric field lines inside a conductor are non-existent, creating a region with
no net electric force.

Electric Field Intensity

Electric Field Intensity measures the force experienced by a positive test charge at a point in an
electric field.

Increases with higher charges and decreases with greater distances from the source charge.
Direction is the same as the force experienced by a positive test charge placed at the point.
Its units are Newtons per Coulomb (N/C).
Lines of force represent its direction and strength in a field.

Electric Field Lines

Electric field lines are visual representation of electric fields, showing the direction and strength
of the field at different points.

Field lines always start from positive charges and end on negative charges.
Field lines never cross each other.
The density of field lines represent the strength of the electric field.
Closely spaced field lines indicate a strong electric field.

Electric Flux

Electric Flux is a measure of the number of electric field lines that pass through a given surface
area.

Electric flux is a scalar quantity measured in units of volt meters squared (V·m²).
The magnitude of the electric flux depends on the strength of the electric field and the
surface area it passes through.
 Electric flux is proportional to the number of electric field lines passing through a given area.
The direction of the electric flux is perpendicular to the surface it passes through.

Electric Potential Difference

Electric potential difference is the work done per unit charge to move a charge between two
points in an electric field.

Electric potential difference is measured in volts (V).

It is also referred to as voltage.
The greater the potential difference, the higher the rate at which charges flow.
In a closed loop, the potential difference is zero.

Electric potential due to a point charge

Electric potential due to a point charge quantifies the work needed to bring a test charge from
infinity to a specified point near a point charge.

Mathematically, it is expressed as V = kQ/r, where V is the electric potential, k is the Coulomb

constant, Q is the charge, and r is the distance.
The electric potential is a scalar quantity, and its SI unit is the volt (V).
The electric potential due to a positive point charge is positive, while that due to a negative
charge is negative.
The electric potential at a point is inversely proportional to the distance from the point
charge.

Electric Potential due to a Uniformly Charged Sphere

A uniformly charged sphere creates an electric potential that decreases with distance from its
center, following a formula derived using calculus.

Potential at the center is highest and decreases as you move away due to the contribution of
ring-shaped charge layers.
Potential outside the sphere behaves as if all the charge is concentrated at the center.
For a point inside the sphere, potential remains constant regardless of distance from the
center.
The total electric potential energy of a spherical shell is the same as that of a point charge
with the same total charge.

Electric Potential Energy of a System of Charges

Electric potential energy of a system of charges refers to the energy stored in the configuration
of charges due to their spatial positions and interactions.
 Calculating the electric potential energy involves using the formula U = k * (q1 * q2) / r.
Systems of charges in closer proximity have higher potential energy, while those farther apart
have lower potential energy.
The potential energy of a system of charges is always relative to a reference point chosen as
zero.
The electric potential energy of a system of charges plays a crucial role in understanding
interactions and behaviors within the system.

Electrostatic Shielding

Electrostatic shielding refers to the practice of using conductive materials to surround or enclose
a charged object in order to prevent the electric field from extending to its surroundings.

The conductive materials used in electrostatic shielding can include metals like copper or
aluminum.
Electrostatic shielding is commonly used in electronics to protect sensitive components from
external electric fields that could cause interference.
Electrostatic shielding can also be employed in laboratories to protect workers from being
exposed to hazardous electric fields.
The effectiveness of electrostatic shielding is determined by factors such as the conductivity
of the material used and the thickness of the shield.

Energy Density of an Electric Field

The energy density of an electric field represents the amount of energy stored per unit volume
within the electric field.

This energy density is proportional to the square of the electric field strength.
It is a scalar quantity and is typically measured in joules per cubic meter (J/m³).
Energy density is an important concept in understanding the behavior and interactions of
electric fields.
Calculating energy density involves considering the electrostatic potential energy stored
within a given volume.

Equipotential Surface

An equipotential surface is a surface in a field where all points have the same potential energy.

Equipotential surfaces are perpendicular to electric field lines.

On an equipotential surface, no work is done in moving a charge.
The potential difference between two equipotential surfaces determines the strength of the
electric field.
Equipotential surfaces can be represented by contour lines on 2D diagrams.

Faraday's ice pail experiment

Faraday's ice pail experiment was a demonstration of electrostatic induction showing charged
objects induce charge separation in a nearby insulated conductor.

Michael Faraday conducted the experiment in the 19th century to illustrate the concept of
electric fields.
He used a charged brass ball to induce a charge separation in an ice pail that was initially
uncharged.
The charge separation was observed by hanging a light metal ball inside the pail, which was
repelled due to the induced charges.
This experiment contributed to Faraday's understanding of electric fields and laid the
foundation for modern electromagnetism.

Gauss's Law

Gauss's Law states that the electric flux through a closed surface is directly proportional to the
electric charge enclosed by that surface.

Gauss's Law is a fundamental principle in studying electric fields and their behavior.
The closed surface can be any shape, but it must be a closed surface with no holes.
The electric flux is a measure of the flow of electric field lines through a given area or surface.
The electric charge enclosed refers to the total charge contained within the closed surface.

Image Charges

In the concept of Image Charges, a charge near a conductive surface induces an 'image charge'
on the opposite side of the surface, creating a symmetrical effect.

Image charges are used to simplify the calculations for electrostatic problems involving
conductive surfaces.
The magnitude of the image charge is equal to the original charge but with an opposite sign.
The distance of the image charge from the surface is the same as the original charge from
the surface.
The potential and electric field due to the combination of the original charge and the image
charge satisfy the boundary conditions at the conductive surface.

Van de Graaff Generator

A Van de Graaff generator is a device that uses a moving belt to accumulate electric charge on a
large metal sphere, creating high voltage.

It was invented by physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff in the 1920s.

The generator is used in nuclear physics research laboratories.
The accumulated charge can create impressive electrical sparks.
It demonstrates the principles of charge accumulation and high-voltage generation.