Electrostatics
By Aneesh
Electrostatics
Electric charge
• Charge is the property associated with matter due to which it produces and experience electrical and magnetic
effects
• Every atom is electrically neutral containing as many electron as the number of protons in nucleus
• Lose of electron gives positive charge and also loses mass
• Gain of electrons gives negative charge and gains mass
• Change in mass of the object is n x mass of electron
• N is the no of electrons transferred
• SI unit of charge is coulomb and dimensions are (AT)
Properties of charges
• Charge is transferable
• Charge is always associated with mass: charge can’t exist without mass
• Charge is conserved : charge can neither be created nor destroyed
Some imp observations regarding this law:
1. The net charge remains constant even through it may not be zero
2. If the universe is considered as a whole,conservation of charge means that the net charge remains
constant
3. This principle does not prohibit the creation and destruction of charge. However because of charge
conservation charged particles are created and destroyed only in pairs with equal and opposite charges.
• Invariance of charge: the numerical value of an elementary charge is indedependent of velocity
• Charged produces electric field and magnetic field.
• quantization of charge: Q=NE *n= number of electrons *E=1.67x10^19
• addivity of charge : total charge on a body is the algebraic sum of all charge located anywhere in body
Conductors
⚡ Physics & Electrical Engineering
1. Definition: A substance or material that permits the flow of electric charge (current) or heat.
2. Key Characteristics: They have loosely bound electrons that can move freely.
Examples: Metals like copper, aluminum, silver, and gold are excellent electrical conductors. Graphite, water,
and the human body also conduct electricity.
Insulators
1. An insulator is a material that resists the free flow of energy, such as electricity, heat, or sound, preventing
it from passing through easily.
2. their electrons are tightly bound, insulators do not allow energy to transfer freely, making them essential
for safety and efficiency
• 1. Electrical Insulators
• These materials have very high electrical resistance. They block the flow of electric current, protecting people
from electric shocks and preventing short circuits
• .Common Examples: Plastic, rubber, glass, dry wood, porcelain, and air.
Charging of bodies
1. Charging by friction :is the process of transferring electrons between two insulating materials
by rubbing them together. One material, having a weaker hold on its electrons, loses them to the other.
This results in one material becoming negatively charged and the other positively charged
Triboelectric series :
Charging by conduction
1. Charging by conduction is the process of charging an uncharged object by bringing it into direct physical
contact with a charged object.
2. Free electrons transfer between the two until their electric potentials equalize.
3. The initially neutral object always acquires the same type of charge as the original charging object
Charging by induction
1. Charging by induction is a method used to give an uncharged (neutral) object an electric charge without making
physical contact with a charged body.
2. It works by using a charged object to redistribute the internal charges of a neutral conductor
Note : if there is a positive and negative charges if they collides they do at centre of mass which remains
at rest throughout the process because there is no external force
Coulombs law
What Is Coulomb’s Law?
According to Coulomb’s law, the force of attraction or repulsion between two charged
bodies is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional
to the square of the distance between them. It acts along the line joining the two
charges considered to be point charges.
⑨
p
Key points on Coulombs law
Electric field
1. An Electric field can be considered an electric property associated with each point in the space where a
charge is present in any form.
2. An electric field is also described as the electric force per unit charge.
3. Electric fields are usually caused by varying magnetic fields or electric charges.
4. Electric field strength is measured in the SI unit volt per metre (V/m).
Note: we define a electric field as the space around a charge in which it influence can be felt by any other
charged particle
Electric field due to a point charge in vector notation