ELECTROSTATICS — SHORT NOTES (NEET)
k = 1/4πε₀ = 9 × 10⁹ N m²C⁻² | ε₀ = 8.85 × 10⁻¹² C²N⁻¹m⁻²
1. Electric Charge
Fundamental property of matter that causes electric force; it is quantised and conserved.
q = ne (n = integer, e = 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C)
2. Coulomb's Law
Force between two point charges is proportional to the product of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them.
F = k q₁q₂ / r² F(vector) = k q₁q₂ / r² r̂
3. Electric Field
Force experienced per unit positive test charge placed at a point in space.
E = F / q₀ = k Q / r² (due to a point charge)
4. Electric Field Lines
Imaginary lines showing the direction of E at every point; they never intersect and are denser where the field is stronger.
Uniform field → equally spaced parallel lines
5. Electric Dipole
A pair of equal and opposite charges separated by a small distance 2a.
p = q(2a) (dipole moment, direction −q → +q)
E(axial) = 2kp / r³ E(equatorial) = kp / r³ (r >> a)
Torque: τ = pE sinθ = p × E
6. Electric Flux & Gauss's Law
Flux measures field lines crossing a surface; Gauss's law relates total flux through a closed surface to the enclosed charge.
φ = E·A = ∮E·dA = q(enclosed) / ε₀
7. Applications of Gauss's Law
Gauss's law simplifies field calculation for symmetric charge distributions.
Infinite charged sheet: E = σ / 2ε₀ Charged conductor surface: E = σ / ε₀
Uniformly charged sphere: E(out) = kQ/r², E(surface) = kQ/R², E(inside, solid) = kQr/R³
Infinite line charge: E = λ / 2πε₀r
8. Electric Potential
Work done per unit positive charge in bringing it from infinity to that point without acceleration.
V=kQ/r V = W / q₀
9. Potential due to a System of Charges / Dipole
Net potential at a point is the scalar sum of potentials due to individual charges.
V = k Σ (qᵢ / rᵢ)
Dipole: V = k p cosθ / r²
10. Equipotential Surfaces
A surface on which potential is the same everywhere; always perpendicular to field lines, and no work is done moving a charge
along it.
ΔV = 0 along the surface ⇒ W = qΔV = 0
11. Relation between E and V
Electric field is the negative gradient of potential; it points in the direction of decreasing potential.
E = − dV/dr
12. Electrostatic Potential Energy
Work done in assembling a system of charges from infinite separation.
U = k q₁q₂ / r (two-charge system; for more charges, sum over all pairs)
13. Conductors & Electrostatic Shielding
In electrostatic equilibrium, the field inside a conductor is zero and all excess charge resides on its outer surface.
E(inside) = 0 E(just outside surface) = σ / ε₀
14. Capacitance
Ability of a conductor/system to store charge per unit potential difference.
C=Q/V Parallel plate: C = ε₀A / d
15. Capacitor with Dielectric
Inserting a dielectric between plates increases capacitance by the dielectric constant K.
C' = K ε₀A / d = K·C
16. Combination of Capacitors
Capacitors combine differently in series (same charge) and parallel (same voltage).
Series: 1/C = 1/C₁ + 1/C₂ + …
Parallel: C = C₁ + C₂ + …
17. Energy Stored in a Capacitor
Work done in charging a capacitor is stored as electrostatic potential energy in the field between plates.
U = ½CV² = ½QV = Q² / 2C
Energy density: u = ½ε₀E²
18. Van de Graaff Generator
Device that builds up very high electrostatic potential by continuously transferring charge via a moving belt to a large hollow
conducting sphere.
V(max) = Q / 4πε₀R