Philippine Christian University

Sampaloc 1, Dasmariñas City, Cavite 4114

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
S.Y. 2025-2026

MODULE IN GENERAL PHYSICS 2

QUARTER 3 - WEEK 1 (NOVEMBER 3-7, 2025)

LESSON 1: ELECTRIC CHARGE, FIELD AND FLUX

Overview
Electricity is all around us — powering technology like our cellphones, lights, computers, and air
conditioners. It’s tough to escape it in our modern world. Even when you try to escape electricity, it’s still at work
throughout nature, from the lightning in a thunderstorm to the synapses inside our body. But what exactly is
electricity? This is a very complicated question, and as you dig deeper and ask more questions, there really is not a
definitive answer, only abstract representations of how electricity interacts with our surroundings.

Photo: The Eruption of Taal Volcano in the Philippines - The Atlantic. Creator: Ezra Acayan|Credit: 2020 Getty Images

Course Learning Outcome

Third Quarter
1. Define and explain the differences of electric charge, electric field and electric flux and how to determine the
electric field created by point charges or symmetric distributions of electric charge.
2. Analyze electric circuits to compute currents and voltage drops, both in stationary and time-dependent
situations.
3. Apply knowledge and understanding by conducting basic experiments such as creating an electric circuit to
show the relationship between electricity, magnetism and optics.

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
 Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Describe using a diagram charging by rubbing and charging by induction
2. Explain the role of electron transfer in electrostatic charging by rubbing
3. Describe experiments to show electrostatic charging by induction
4. Calculate the net electric force on a point charge exerted by a system of point charges
5. Describe an electric field as a region in which an electric charge experiences a force
6. Calculate the electric field due to a system of point charges using Coulomb’s law
7. Calculate electric flux
8. Analyze electric field diagrams.
9. Solve problems regarding electric charge, electric field and electric flux.
10. Give real life scenarios where the topics discussed are applied.

Essential Question
• How does a charge interact with other charges and how do they react with one another?
• What do you think would happen if one day, there’s a total outage of electricity in the entire world?

Test Yourself
To test your knowledge about rotational matter, take yout yime to recall and label each of the parts of an atom.

ATOMIC STRUCTURE

Complete the table below:

SUBATOMIC PARTICLE RELATIVE ELECTRIC CHARGE ATOMIC LOCATION
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
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 Study these terms
✓ Elektron a Greek word which means ‘’amber’’.
✓ Electric Charge is the basic property of matter carried by some elementary particles that governs how
the particles are affected by an electric or magnetic field.
✓ Electric field is defined as the direction that a positive test charge would be pushed when placed in the
field.
✓ Electric flux is the rate of flow of the electric field through a given area.

Lesson Proper

ELECTRIC CHARGE
We can trace all electrical effects to electrons and protons inside every atom. This is because these particles
have a property called electric charge.

Electrons are negative and surround a dense, positive nucleus.

Protons, which are positive, and neutrons reside in this nucleus.
Neutrons are neutral and do not participate in electrostatic interactions.

Just like mass, charge is a fundamental property of subatomic particles. The smallest amount of charge is called
the elementary charge, indicated universally by the symbol e.
➢ The elementary charge has a magnitude of 𝟏. 𝟔𝟎 𝑿 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟗 𝐶
➢ The unit C stands for coulomb, named after French physicist Charles Agustin Coulomb.

Example 1.1
How many electrons must an object lose so that it has a net positive charge of +1 C?
Solution
If the object loses one electron, its charge is + 1.60 x10−19 C ; if two electrons are lost, the object gains has a
net charge of 2 x + 1.60x10−19 C = 3.20x10−19 C and so forth.
If we let n be the number of electrons lost and e the charge of each electron, then the total charge Q is
Q=ne
Thus, the number of electrons the object must lose so that it has a net positive charge of +1C is
Q 1C
n= = −19
= 6.25 x1018
e 1.60 x10 C
Or more than six quintillion electrons!

This problem simply shows us that a charge of 1C is enormous.

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
 Example 1.2

Aluminum has atomic number 13. This means that it has 13 electrons and 13 protons. What is the total charge
of all the electrons in an aluminum atom?

Solution
We are given the number of electrons n. The charge of one electron is − 1.60 x10−19 C . So if we have 13
electrons, each of which has a charge of one electron is − 1.60 x10−19 C , then the total charge is:
Q = ne = 13(−1.60x10−19 C) = −2.80x10−18 C
Thirteen electrons altogether still have a very small charge.
proton

electron

Normal (neutral) atom Positively charged atom Negatively charged atom

An atom normally contains the same number of electrons and protons, so the overall negative charge is just
balanced by the overall positive charge. The resulting charge is zero, and thus, the atom is neutral. And just like
mass, charge is conserved. This means that charges are neither created nor destroyed. There is the same amount
of charge in the universe now as there has always been.

CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS

Parameter of
CONDUCTOR INSULATOR
Comparison

It refers to the elements that allow It refers to the elements that do not
Definition electric current or heat to pass permit electric current or heat to travel
through them. through them.

Electrons It has free-flowing electrons. It has tightly knit electrons.

It is found on the surface of the

Electric field It does not exist in the material.
material.

Conductivity High Low

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
 Parameter of
CONDUCTOR INSULATOR
Comparison

Making electric wires, switches and Making outer cover of the wires,
Used for
sockets. switches and sockets.

CHARGING
In general, a material can be given a net charge by adding or removing electrons. There are several ways of doing
this:
1. Using friction - by rubbing things together, electrons can peel off one material and remain in the other.
When you walk, your shoes lose a little bit of material to the ground. Electrons can be transferred in this
way.
2. By touching - when a charged object comes into contact with another object, electrons are
transferred, thereby charging the second object.
3. By induction - in this method, there is no actual contact between the charged object and that which is
being charged. In this way, the charge object does not lose its charge to the object that gets charged in the
process.

ELECTRIC FIELD

Why does rock fall to the ground? One way to explain this is to say that there is a downward force acting
on the rock, its weight, or the pull of gravity on the rock. Another way to explain this is to say that there is
gravitational field (a force field) that surrounds the Earth. Any object with mass which happens to be within that
field is attracted or pulled by the Earth’s field. We have drawn arrows directed toward the Earth to indicate the
direction of the force on the skydiver, the airplane, the moon, and everything else which has mass within the
Earth’s field.

A B C

Figure 1.1

Analogy between gravitational field and electric field. (A) The Earth’s gravitational field is inward. All
masses within this field are pulled down toward the Earth. (B) The electric field of a positive charge is directed
outward. (C) The electric field of a negative charge is directed inward.

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
 Similarly, there are two ways to explain why a charged particle may either be attracted or repelled by
another charge. A way to explain these interactions is to say that there is a force field around every charge.

When a mass m placed in the Earth’s gravitational field, it experiences a gravitational force Fg in the same
direction as the force field (Figure 1.2-A). When positive charge q is placed in an electric field E directed downward,
it experiences an electrostatic force 𝑭𝒆 also directed downward. However, a negative charge q placed in an electric
field E directed downward experiences an upward force 𝑭𝒆

g E E

+ q Fe
m

- q

Fg Fe

A B C

Figure 1.2

The gravitational field is attractive. The electric field can either be attractive or repulsive.

The magnitude of the gravitational force on the mass is directly proportional to the gravitational field. It is the same
with electric fields and forces. The magnitude of the electrostatic force Fe is proportional to the magnitude of the
electric field E.

Fe = qE

From this, we can define the electric field as the force per unit charge placed within that field:

Fe
E=
q

So given two charges in space, Q sets up an electric field E around it. Then, we place a small charge q within this
field, which experiences a force Fe due to Q . We can write the force using Coulomb’s law:

Qq
Fe = k
r2
Substituting this to the definition of electric field, we get:

Fe Qq 1
E= =k 2 •
q r q

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
This will cancel the q, which makes sense because the electric field of Q does not depend on any charge placed in
its field. Therefore, the magnitude of the electric field is given by the equation:

|Q|
E=k
r2

Wherein,
Fe= Electrostatic force
E= Electric field
K= electrostatic constant =9 x 109 N.m2/C2
Q= magnitude
r= distance

From the definition of electric field (force per unit charge), we get its units: newton per coulomb (N/C). in this
equation, remember to use the absolute value of charge so the answer is positive all the time.

THE DIRECTION OF ELECTRIC FIELD

As shown in (Figure 1.1 B and C), the electric field is always directed away from a positive charge and always directed
toward a negative charge.

E E
Fe

+ Fe -

A B

(A) For a positive test charge in an external electric field E, the directions of the electric field and the electrostatic
force Fe are the same. (B) For a negative charge placed within the field, the directions of the electric field E and
electric force Fe are opposite.

Note that the field lines are invisible and so are the arrows, but there are ways of tracing the lines. The
directions of the arrows are defined for positive and negative charges as shown in the (Figure 1.2 B and C):
away from a positive charge, toward a negative charge.

Sample Problem 1

The charge Q has a magnitude of 2.00x10−6 C

1. Calculate the strength of the electric field at point A.

2. What is the direction of the electric field at point A?

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
 3. Calculate the magnitude of the electrostatic force exerted by Q on a charge

q = 2.00 x10 −20 C placed at point A.

Q

A + B

0.700m 0.500m
Figure 1.3

4. What is the direction of this force?

Solution

1. Since we know Q and r = 0.700m , we can calculate the magnitude of the electric field at A by directly
substituting to the Equation.

−6
|Q| 2 2 2.00 x10 C
E A = k 2 = 9 x10 Nm C
9
2
= 3.67 x104 N / C
r (0.700m)

2. We know that the electric field is directed away from a positive charge so at point A, an arrow pointing away Q
is directed to the left (Figure 1.4)

Q
A B
+
EA

0.700m 0.500m
Figure 1.4

3. When a charge q is placed at point A, the force exerted on it by the electric field is:

Fe = qEA = (2.00x10−20 )(3.67 x104 N / C) = 7.35x10−16 N

4. The force is also directed to the left. It helps to remember that because the test charge is positive, the direction
of the force on it is the same as that of the electric field.

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
ELECTRIC FLUX
There is a quantitative way of “counting” the number of electric field lines. Electric flux is the number of
electric field lines crossing a surface around a charge or a distribution of charges. If the surface is perpendicular to
the electric field, then electric flux is defined as the product of the electric field E and area A .
By this definition, we get the SI unit for electric flux as Nm2 / C .
The concept of electric flux is illustrated in Figure 1.41 where we see an electric field E directed from left to
right. A square shape is drawn enclosing an area A . A few electric field lines pass through the surface at right
angles. Electric flux quantities how many electric field lines are going through this area. If we increase the area, we
will get a greater flux; if electric field increases, we will also get a greater flux.

A
E

Figure 1.41 If the electric field is perpendicular to the area, Figure 1.42 We can think of electric flux in
then the electric flux is the product of the area and electric terms of something flowing like water in pipe.
field magnitude.

➢ The word “flux” is from the Latin word fluxus which means flow.

To understand the concept of flux, let us compare it with the flow of water in a pipe. In Figure 1.42, the red
arrows represent water flowing. In the first case, we put a circular hoop in the water such that its area is
perpendicular to the arrows. In the second case, we rotate the same hoop at an angle. Even though the size of
the hoop remains the same, this is not as efficient in letting water go through than the first case. Therefore, the
flux is smaller. In the third case, we rotate the hoop such that its area is parallel to the arrows. In this way, water
just goes over and under the hoop instead of passing through it; the flux is then zero.

Electric flux is affected by the position of the surface

relative to the electric field. It is therefore necessary to
identify the area as a vector that is always perpendicular
to the surface. The area vector is the black arrow in
Figure 1.43. If there is an angle  between the electric
field vector and the area vector, then the electric flux
through a surface is
 = E • A cos A B C

FIGURE 1.43: A is parallel to A, so the angle between them is 0 ̊. B There is an angle φ between the area vector and
electric field. C The angle between the area vector and the electric field is 90 ̊.

For the case where the area vector is parallel to the electric field, the angle  is zero. This gives a cosine of 1
and reduces the electric flux equation to  = EA just like before. Additionally, in the case where the surface is
parallel to the electric field, the angle between the area vector and the electric field is 90 . Since cos 90 = 0 ,
there is no electric flux.

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
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 The choice of area is arbitrary. It can be any surface that can enclose the charge being studied. It could be any
shape that we want; it could be a shopping bag, a box, or a sphere. Say we are given a charge Q in space. We
enclose this charge with the “bag”, and then we pick a small area unit of area A on the bag and use that to
calculate the flux  through that small area. We repeat this process over the entire bag, and then take the sum of
all these small increments of flux  and come up with the total flux  . This mathematical process is called
integration. It can often be simplified by our choice of shape to enclose the charge.
Electric flux through any surface is scalar quantity. It may be positive or negative. Electric flux is positive when
there are more lines going out the surface. It is negative when there are more lines going into the surface. For a
closed surface, we define the area as being directed outward.

Example
A cube with sides measuring 5cm is placed in an electric field with magnitude 3x10 N / C as shown in Figure
3

1.44.
1. Calculate the flux in each of the six faces of the cube.

2. Calculate the total flux through the cube.

E
5 cm

FIGURE 1.44
Solution
1. Since the sides of the cube have the same area, we only have to calculate the area of each face once.

A = s 2 = (0.05m)2 = 0.0025m2
The side facing us (shaded) is parallel to the electric
field so the flux through it is zero. Specifically, the area vector
for this surface is an arrow pointing our of the paper. This

makes an angle of 90 with the electric field, making the
electric flux through that surface zero.
The same thing is true for the side of the cube facing
toward the back. This time, though, the area vector points
toward the page, away from the cube. The top and bottom
faces of the cube also have zero electric fluxes. The top face
has an area vector pointing up; the bottom face has an area vector pointing down.

This leaves us with the left face and the right face of the cube. For the left face, the vector points to the left.

Since the electric field points to the right, then the angle  is 180 . We substitute this to the equation for
electric flux.

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 left = EA cos = (3x10 3 N / C )(0.0025 m 2 ) cos180  = 7.5 N • m 2 / C

For the right face, the electric field and the area vector are parallel, making  = 0 . Substitute,


right = EA cos  = (3x10 3 N / C )(0.0025 m 2 ) cos 0 = 7.5 N • m 2 / C

Adding up all the zeros (for the four faces) and the values we just calculated, we get:
total = −7.5 N • m 2 / C + 7.5 N • m 2 / C = 0

Summary
Atoms remain neutral because the positive charge of protons is balanced by the negative charge of
electrons. The conservation of charge means that the total amount of charge in the universe is constant—charges
cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred. This transfer can happen in several ways:

• Friction: Rubbing materials together can transfer electrons from one material to another, resulting in a net
charge. For example, when you walk, electrons can be transferred between your shoes and the ground.

• Touching: When a charged object touches another object, electrons can be transferred, charging the
second object.

• Induction: In this method, a charged object induces a charge in another object without direct contact, so
the original charged object retains its charge.

Gravity causes objects to fall towards the Earth due to a gravitational force, which acts within the Earth's
gravitational field. Any object with mass within this field experiences a downward force. Similarly, in an electric
field, a positive charge experiences a force in the direction of the field, while a negative charge experiences a force
in the opposite direction.

Electric flux quantifies the number of electric field lines passing through a surface around a charge or
distribution of charges. The flux depends on the orientation of the surface relative to the electric field, with the
maximum flux occurring when the surface is perpendicular to the field lines.

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
 Assessment: Written Work 1

PROBLEM SOLVING
Solve for the missing values. Make sure to show your solution and write legibly.

Q
A B
+
EA

0.700m 0.500m
−6
For this situation, where Q = 2 x10 C , determine:

1. The electric field strength at point B.

2. The direction of the electric field at point B.

−20
The magnitude and direction of the electrostatic force exerted by the electric field on a charge q = −2 x10 C
placed at point B.

A cylinder is placed with its long side parallel to the

electric fields from a vertical circle. The electric field
on the left of the vertical circle is directed to the left
and has a magnitude of 85 N/C. The electric field
on the right of the vertical circle is directed to the
right and also has a magnitude of 85 N/C.
Given that the radius of the flat ends of the cylinder
is 20cm, solve the following:
1. The electric flux on all surfaces of the cylinder
2. The total electric flux through the entire cylinder

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.
 Learning Resources
Gadong, E and Belleza, R. (2016). General Physics 2. Vibal Group. pp. 25-40

Electricity. (n.d). Britannica. Retrieved January 23, 2021, from

[Link]
Electrostatic Constant. (n.d). The Physics Hypertextbook. Retrieved January 23, 2021, from
[Link]
Electricity. (n.d). Sparkfun. Retrieved January 23, 2021, from
[Link]
Electric Flux. (n.d). Britannica. Retrieved January 23, 2021, from
[Link]
Electric Field. (n.d). Khan Academy. Retrieved January 23, 2021, from
[Link]
Conductor and Insulator. (n.d). Ask Any Diffrence. Retrieved January 23, 2021, from
[Link]/difference-between-conductor-and-insulator/.

Supplemental Readings and Materials

You may copy and paste the link then enter to the search engine to play video/s:
Electric Charge [Link]
Electric Fields [Link]
Electric Flux [Link]

Prepared by: Checked by: Approved by:

ELEZE ABRAHAM P. AMBRAD, LPT JOANE ELIZABETH L. ORENDAIN, LPT MARIA BEATRIZ B. SICO, MM.
MARIE ELAINE B. CAPARAS, MAEd, LPT Subject Lead Teacher, Science 12 Principal
JOHN KARLO C. NARVAEZ, LPT
ROBIN C. PADON, LPT
Subject Teachers

Disclaimer: This module is adapted and modified from the source materials listed in the references list. This is the exclusive property of Philippine
Christian University-Dasmariñas SHS and is provided only to enrolled students for their educational use. This module is provided for free by the
school through softcopy and printed media. Reproduction of this module without official permission is prohibited.