Module 2:

Steady Electric and

Magnetic Fields
 Electric Field
 Electric force, like gravitational force, is a
field force
 Remember: Field forces can act through space
even when there is no physical contact between the
objects involved

 A charged object has an electric field in the

space around it
 Electric Field Lines
 Electric Field Lines point in the direction of
the electric field

 The number and spacing of field lines is

proportional to the electric field strength
 The electric field is strong where the field lines are
close together and weaker when they are far apart
 Electric Field Lines
 The lines for a positive charge point away
from the charge

 The lines for a negative charge point towards

the charge
 Electric Field Lines
 This diagram shows the electric field lines for
two equal and opposite point charges
 Notice that the lines begin on the positive charge
and end on the negative charge
 Electric Field Lines
 This diagram shows the electric field lines for
two positive point charges
 Notice that the same number of lines emerges from
each charge because they are equal in magnitude
 Electric Field Lines
 If the charges are unequal, then the number of
lines emerging from them will be different
 Notice that the positive charge has twice as many
lines
 Calculating Electric Field
Strength
 The equation for the electric field produced by a
point charge is: kq
E c
2
r
 Kc=9x109 Nm2/C2 ,r is the distance from the charge and q is the charge
producing the field
 The unit for E is N/C

 Electric field strength is a vector!!

 If q is positive, then E is directed away from q
 If q is negative, then E is directed toward q
 Calculating the force from an electric
field
 If a charged object is placed in an electric
field, we can calculate the force acting on it
from the electric field

F  qE
 Remember that F is a vector!!
Sample Problem 1
 An electric field of 2.0 x 104 N/C is directed
along the positive x-axis
a. What is the electric force on an electron in this
field?

b. What is the electric force on a proton in this

field?
Sample Problem 2
 E= 2.0 x 104 N/C , q= 1.6 x 10-19 C
 F=qE= 3.2 x 10-15 N for both the electron and
the proton

 What about the direction?

 The electric field is pointing along the positive x
axis (to the right) which means there’s a positive
E field
charge to the left +
 For the proton
 Since the electric field is pointing to the right,
if you put a proton in it, the proton will want to
move away towards the right and the direction
of the force on it will be to the right
F
+ +

 Answer: 3.2 x 10-15 N along the positive x axis

(to the right)
 For the electron
 Since there’s a positive charge causing the
electric field to point towards the right, an
electron would feel attracted to the positive
charge. Therefore, the force acting on it is
toward the left
+ -
F

 Answer: 3.2 x 10-15 N along the negative x axis

(to the left)
Sample Problem 3
 Find the electric field at a point midway between two
charges of +30 nC and 60 nC separated by a distance
of 30.0 cm
+30 nC +60 nC
 Solution
 For the 30 nC charge:  For the 60 nC charge:
kc q
E 2 
 
9 x109 (30 x10 9 )
 12, 000
N kc q
E 2 
 
9 x109 (60 x10 9 )
 24, 000
N
r  0.15m  2 C r  0.15m 2 C

 Direction of the E-field for both charges is “away”

since they’re both positive

+30 nC +60 nC
Sample Problem 4
 A constant electric field directed along the
positive x-axis has a strength of 2.0 x 10 3 N/C.
 Find the electric force exerted on a proton by the
field
 Find the acceleration of the proton
Solution
 F=qE=(1.6x10-19 C)(2.0 x 103 N/C)=
 3.2 x 10-16 N

 Direction?
E field F
+ +

Answer: 3.2 x 10-16 N along the positive x-axis (to the

right)
Solution
 B. What is the acceleration?

 Ask Newton!
 F=ma
 a = F/m= 3.2 x 10-16 N/1.6x10-27 kg

 a= 2 x 1011 m/s2 along the positive x axis

Magnetism!
 Magnets
 The ends of a bar magnet are called poles
 Like poles repel and unlike poles attract
 Regardless of their shape, all magnets have a north
and south pole
 Magnetic Fields
 Magnetic Field lines point from the north pole
to the south pole of the magnet
 The north pole of a compass needle always points
in the direction of the field (from North to South)
 Magnetic Field of the Earth
 The Earth’s geographic North pole is actually
the magnetic south pole
 The north pole of a compass points towards
geographic north and since opposites attract, we
know that the Earth’s geographic pole is magnetic
south
 Magnetic Field of a wire
 Moving charges
produce magnetic fields
 If there is a current
moving through a wire,
a magnetic field is
produced around the
wire
 Magnetic Field of a wire
 The “Right Hand Rule” for the magnetic field

 Point your thumb in the direction of the

current and curl your fingers in the direction of
the field
 Magnetic Force
 A charge moving through a magnetic field
experiences a force

Fmagnetic  qvB
q= magnitude of charge
v= speed of charge
B= Strength of the magnetic field (measured in Tesla, T)
 A second Right-Hand Rule
 Of course, force is a vector!

 To find the direction of the magnetic force use

another right hand rule
 Fingers point in direction of the field
 Thumb points in direction of v

 Palm points in direction of magnetic force

 Conventions for direction of
field
WARNING: The right
Direction Symbol
of Field hand rule is for the
Into the
page
X
direction of the force
acting on a POSITIVE
Out of the
page CHARGE.

To find the direction of

the force acting on a
negative charge, you’ll
have to use the rule and
change the sign!
 Examples
Direction of F Direction of v Direction of B Sign of Charge

Out of the page East North +

Into the page East North -

Out of the page West South +

Into the page West South -

South West Into the page +

South West Out of the page -

East North Out of the page +

South Out of the page East -

Out of the page South West -

Into the page west North +

Sample Problem 5
 A proton traveling to the right along the x-axis
enters a region where there is a magnetic field
of 2.5 T directed north. If the proton
experiences a force of 3.2 x 10-12 N, find the
speed of the proton. What is the direction of
the force exerted on the proton?
 The speed of the proton
Fmagnetic 3.2 x1012 N 6 m
v  19
 8.0 x10
qB (1.6 x10 C )(2.5T ) s

 What’s the direction of F? Use the RHR!!

 v is east, B is north…F is….
 Out of the page!

 If it was an electron, the force would be into the

page!
Sample Problem 6
 An electron is moving with a velocity of 6 x
106 m/s westward in a 3.0 T magnetic field
that is pointed out of the page.
 Find the magnitude and direction of the force
acting on the electron.
Solutions
19 m
Fmagnetic  qvB  (1.6 x10 C )(6 x10 )(3.0T )
6

 F= 2.88 x 10-12 N
 Direction? Use the RHR
 V points west, B points out of the page…

 F points SOUTH (remember it’s an electron!!)