Chapter 21

Electric Charge and

Electric Field
Lecture 1: Sec. 21.1 - 21.4
1

Goals for Chapter 21

To study electric charge and charge conservation
To see how objects become charged
To calculate the electric force between objects
using Coulombs law
To learn the distinction between electric force and
electric field

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Introduction
Water makes life possible
as a solvent for biological
molecules. What
electrical properties allow
it to do this?
We now begin our study
of electromagnetism, one
of the four fundamental
forces.
We start with electric
charge and look at
electric fields.
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Water (H2O)

21.1. Electric charge

Two positive or two negative charges repel each other. A positive
charge and a negative charge attract each other.
Figure 21.1 below shows some experiments in electrostatics
(charging by contact).

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Laser printer
A laser printer makes use of forces between
charged bodies.

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Electric charge and the structure of matter

The particles of the atom
are the negative electron,
the positive proton, and the
uncharged neutron.
Protons and neutrons make
up the tiny dense nucleus
which is surrounded by
electrons (see Figure 21.3
at the right).
The electric attraction
between protons and
electrons holds the atom
together.
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Atoms and ions

A neutral atom has the same number of protons as electrons.
A positive ion is an atom with one or more electrons removed.
A negative ion has gained one or more electrons.

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Conservation of charge
The proton and electron have the same magnitude
charge.
The magnitude of charge of the electron or proton is a
natural unit of charge. All observable charge is
quantized in this unit.
The universal principle of charge conservation states
that the algebraic sum of all the electric charges in any
closed system is constant.

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21.2. Conductors and insulators

A conductor permits the
easy movement of charge
through it. An insulator
does not.
Most metals and humans
are good conductors, while
most nonmetals are
insulators. (See Figure
21.6 at the right.)
Semiconductors are
intermediate in their
properties between good
conductors and good
insulators.

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Charging by induction
In Figure 21.7 below, the negative rod is able to charge the metal
ball without losing any of its own charge. This process is called
charging by induction.

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Charge by Induction

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Electric forces on uncharged objects

The charge within an insulator can shift slightly. As a result, two
neutral objects can exert electric forces on each other, as shown in
Figure 21.8 below.

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Electrostatic painting
Induced positive charge on the metal object attracts the
negatively charged paint droplets.

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Point Charge
When we say charge we really mean a charged
object:
Point charge is particle of zero size carrying a charge,
e.g. electrons and protons.
M precisely, particles separation is much larger than
particle dimension.
We can have few charges separated by large distances,
or many charges spread like touching each other:
Continuous Charge Distribution
Later on, see charge distribution over length, surface,
volume

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21.3. Coulombs law

Coulombs Law: The

magnitude of the electric

force between two point
charges is directly
proportional to the
product of their charges
and inversely proportional
to the square of the
distance between them.
(See the figure at the right.)

Mathematically:

F = k|q1q2|/r2 = (1/40)|q1q2|/r2

k is a constant called Coulomb constant

In empty space (Air) and in SI system
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Nm2
ke 9 x10
C2
9

Measuring the electric force between point charges

The figure at the upper
right illustrates how
Coulomb used a torsion
balance to measure the
electric force between
point charges.
Example 21.1 compares
the electric and
gravitational forces.
Follow it using Figure
21.11 at the lower right.

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Force between charges along a line

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Coulombs Law: examples

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Coulombs Law: examples

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Coulombs Law: examples

2A.

2B.

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21.4. Electric field

A source charged body produces an electric field in the space
around it (see Figure 21.15 at the lower left).
We use a small test charge q0 to find out if an electric field is
present (see Figure 21.16 at the lower right).

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Definition of the electric field

If the source distribution is a point charge q , it is easy to nd
the electric eld that it produces. We call the location of the
charge the source point, and we call the point where we are
determining the eld the eld point. It is also useful to introduce
a unit vector that points along the line from source point to eld
point

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The Electric Field

The electric field E at a point in space is defined as the electric
force F acting on a positive test charge placed at that point
divided by the magnitude of the test charge qo.
qo is a positive test charge
q the charge that produces the electric field
r the separation between their centers

q0 q0 q

Coulomb'
Law FF

k
r

Coulomb' s Law

k
r
e
qqqq
e
0
2
0
r2 r

F F
q q
By
ByDefinition
Definition EE ke k e2 r 2 r
q 0q 0 r r
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r : a unit vector directed from q to q o

Direction of E F
qo is a positive test charge

q the charge that produces the E

F
r the separation between their
centers

r : a unit vecto r directed from q to qo

q is positive

q is negative

The electric field

The electric field

E points radially

E points radially

outward from q

inward toward q

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Electric field of a point charge

Follow the discussion in the text of the
electric field of a point charge, using
Figure 21.18 at the right.
Follow Example 21.5 to calculate the
magnitude of the electric field of a
single point charge.
The field E strength decreases with
increasing distance.

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Electric-field vector of a point charge

Example 21.6
A point charge q = -8.0 nC is located at the origin.
Find the electric-field vector at the field point x =
1.2 m, y = -1.6 m.

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2.5 Superposition of electric fields

The total electric field at a point is the vector sum of the fields
due to all the charges present. (See Figure 21.21 below)

q3
q1
q2
E ke 2 r1 ke 2 r2 ke 2 r3
r1
r2
r3

E2

E E1 E2 E3 (Vector Sum)

r1

+q0

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E3

r2

r3
q2+

q1+

qi
E ke 2 ri
i ri

E1

q3-

Example 21.8
Point charges q1 = 12 nC and q2 =
-12 nC are placed 10 cm apart.
Compute the E-field caused by
q1 , the field caused by q2, and
the total field:
a) at point a;
b) at point b; and
c) at point c

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Example : Electric Field due to two charges

A charge q1 = 7 C is located at the origin and a second charge q 2 = -5 C is located
on the x-axis 0.30 m from the origin.
Find the resultant electric field at point P, which has the coordinates ( 0.0 , 0.40)m?
E1 : has one component to +y direction

2
6
q1
9 Nm 7x10 C
5 N

E1 ke 2 9x10

3
.
9
x
10
C 2 0.4m 2
C
r1

E2 has two components

an x component (to x direction )

a y component (to y direction )

N
E1 3.9 x105 j
C

E2 x E2 cos

E2 y E2 sin

2
6
q2
9 Nm 5x10 C
5 N

E2 ke 2 9x10

1
.
8
x
10
C 2 0.5m 2
C
r2

5
5 0.3
5 N

E2 x 1.8x10 cos i 1.8x10

i 1.1x10 i
0.5
C

5
5 0.4
5 N

E2 y 1.8x10 sin j 1.8x10

j 1.4 x10 j
0.5
C
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N
E1 3.9 x105 j
C

N
E2 x 1.8x105 cos i 1.1x105 i
C

N
E2 y 1.8x105 sin j 1.4x105 j
C

N
E2 (1.1x105 i 1.4x105 j )
C

E E1 E2 (Vector Sum )

E2x

E2y

N
E [( 3.9x105 j ) (1.1x105 i 1.4 x105 j )]
C

N
E [(1.1x105 i 2.5x105 j )]
C
N
E (1.1x10 ) ( 2.5x10 ) 2.73x10
C
5 2

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5 2

2.5
tan
66
1.1
1

Exercise Find the electric force exerted on a charge of 2x10-8 C located at P?

At point P we have ,
N
E 2.73x10
C
5

F
E
q

F qE
Please continue

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N
E [(1.1x105 i 2.5x105 j )]
C

tan 1

2.5
66
1.1
2x10-8 C

Motion of a charged particle in a uniform electric field

When a particle of charge q and mass m is placed in
an electric field E, the electric force on the charge

is :

1.

F qE

F ma

qE
a
m

Owing to Newtons 2nd Law

m a qE

The acceleration of the particle motion is constant as far

as E is constant (Uniform field)

In a uniform electric field a is constant and all

kinematic equations are valid

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Direction of the acceleration

qE
a
m
1.

The direction of the acceleration should

depend on the sign of q.

If the charge is positive, the acceleration is

in the same direction of E.

If the charge is negative , the acceleration is

a direction opposite to that of E.

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V=0

Example: An accelerating positive charge

A positive point charge q of mass m is released from rest in a uniform electric field E
directed along the x-axis.
Describe its motion ? i.e. give equations of for displacement, velocity, acceleration, and
kinetic energy

Particle Acceleration

1.

qE
a
cons tan t
m

Kinematic Equations for motion in one dimension.

1 2
x f xi v xi t a x t
2
v xf v xi a x t
2

v xf v xi 2a ( x f xi )

Taking xi = 0 and vxi = 0, we get

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1 qE 2
xf
t
2 m
qE
v xf
t
m
qE
2
v xf 2 ( x f )
m

Motion to a uniform electric field

An electron of charge - e is projected horizontally into a uniform electric field in the +y
direction
Describe its motion?

Initially,

xi 0, yi 0
v xi vi , v yi 0

Since E is in the +y direction, the electron will

be accelerated in the y direction

eE
ay
j, a x 0
m

1 2
x f xi v xi t a x t
2
v xf v xi a x t
1 2
y f yi v yi t a y t
2
v yf v yi a y t
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x f vi t
v xf vi
U sin g
xi 0, yi 0
v xi vi , v yi 0

1 eE 2
yf
t
2 m
eE
v yf t
m

Omitting t , we obtain the trajector y equation

x f vi t
1 eE 2
yf
t
2 m

xf
vi

1 eE 2
1 eE x f 2
yf
t
( )
2 m
2 m vi
2
1 eE 2
1 eE
yf
t
(xf )
2
2 m
2 mvi

yf

2
1 eE
(
x
)
Constant
f
2
2 mvi

(xf )

Hence, the trajectory is a parabola

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Example: An accelerated Electron

An electron enters the region of a uniform electric field, as shown in the Fig. below, with
vi=3x106 m/s and E=200N/C. The horizontal length of the plates is l = 0.100 m .
a) Find the acceleration of the electron while in the electric field ?

eE
a
j
m

1.6x10

19

C ( 200

9.1x1031 kg

N
)
C j

m
a 3.51x1013 j 2
s
b) Find the time it takes to travel through the
region of the electric field ?

xf
vi

l
t
vi

0.100
8
t

3
.
33
x
10
s
6
3x10

c) What is the vertical displacement y of the electron while it is in the electric field ?

1
1
y f yi v yi t a y t 2 a y t 2
2
2

1
y f ( 3.51x1013 )( 3.33x108 ) 2
2

y f 1.95 cm

Ex. Find the speed of the electron as it emerges from the electric field ?

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Electron in a uniform field

Example 21.7: When the terminals of a battery are connected to two
parallel conducting plates with a small gap between them, the
resulting charges on the plates produce a nearly uniform electric
field E between the plates. (In the next section well see why this
is.) If the plates are 1.0 cm apart and are connected to a 100volt battery as shown in Fig. below, the field is vertically upward
and has magnitude E=1 X 104 N/C. (a) If an electron (charge e=
-1.6 x 10-19C, mass m= 9.11 x 10-31kg) is released from rest at the upper
plate, what is its acceleration? (b) What speed and kinetic energy does it
acquire while traveling 1.0 cm to the lower plate?(c) How long does it take
to travel this distance?

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Many practical applications

TV and computer screens (old
ones)
Radiotherapy equipment
Particle accelerators: CERN!
Internet (& book) are full of
animations of cyclotrons!
Really enjoyable!

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Class Activities

Customized by: Physics Department, UAEU, 2014.

Q1
Threepointchargeslieatthe
verticesofanequilateraltriangleas
shown.Allthreechargeshavethe
samemagnitude,butCharges#1
and#2arepositive(+q)andCharge
#3isnegative(q).

Charge#2
+q
Charge#1
+q
y

ThenetelectricforcethatCharges
#2and#3exertonCharge#1isin
A.the+xdirection.

B.thexdirection.

C.the+ydirection.

D.theydirection.

E.noneoftheabove

43

q
Charge#3

Q2
TwopointchargesandapointPlie
attheverticesofanequilateral
triangleasshown.Bothpoint
chargeshavethesamemagnitudeq
butoppositesigns.Thereisnothing
atpointP.

Charge#1
q
P
y

ThenetelectricfieldthatCharges
#1and#2produceatpointPisin
A.the+xdirection.

B.thexdirection.

C.the+ydirection.

D.theydirection.

+q
x

Charge#2

E.noneoftheabove
44

Q3
TwopointchargesandapointPlie
attheverticesofanequilateral
triangleasshown.Bothpoint
chargeshavethesamenegative
charge(q).Thereisnothingat
pointP.

Charge#1
q
P
y

ThenetelectricfieldthatCharges
#1and#2produceatpointPisin
A.the+xdirection.

B.thexdirection.

C.the+ydirection.

D.theydirection.

q
Charge#2

E.noneoftheabove

45

Summary

Customized by: Physics Department, UAEU, 2014.

Customized by: Physics Department, UAEU, 2014.