Electric Charges,

Forces, and
Fields

Physics 231

Lecture 1-1

Fall 2008

Electric Charges
Electric charge is a basic property of matter
Two basic charges
Positive and Negative

Each having an absolute value of

1.6 x 10-19 Coulombs
Experiments have shown that
Like signed charges repel each other
Unlike signed charges attract each other
For an isolated system, the net charge of the
system remains constant
Charge Conservation
Physics 231

Lecture 1-2

Fall 2008

Two basics type of materials

Conductors
Materials, such as metals, that allow the free
movement of charges

Insulators
Materials, such as rubber and glass, that dont
allow the free movement of charges

Physics 231

Lecture 1-3

Fall 2008

Coulombs Law
Coulomb found that the electric force between
two charged objects is
Proportional to the product of the charges on
the objects, and
Inversely proportional to the separation of the
objects squared

F k

q1q2
r

k being a proportionality constant, having a value of 8.988 x 109

Nm2/c2
Physics 231

Lecture 1-4

Fall 2008

Electric Force
As with all forces, the electric force is a Vector
So we rewrite Coulombs Law as

q1q2
F12 k 2 r12
r

This gives the force on charged object 2 due to charged

object 1
q1
q2
r12 is a unit vector pointing from object 1 to object 2

The direction of the force is either parallel or

antiparallel to this unit vector depending upon the
relative signs of the charges
Physics 231

Lecture 1-5

Fall 2008

Electric Force
The force acting on each charged object has the
same magnitude - but acting in opposite
directions

F12 F21

Physics 231

(Newtons Third Law)

Lecture 1-6

Fall 2008

Example
1 Q is fixed to a horizontal surface
A charged ball
1

as shown. When another massive charged ball

Q2 is brought near, it achieves an equilibrium
position at a distance d12 directly above Q1.
When Q1 is replaced by a different charged ball
Q3, Q2 achieves an equilibrium position at a
distance d23 (< d12) directly above Q3.

Q2
Q2

d12

d23

g
Q1

Q3

For 1a and 1b which is the correct answer

1a: A) The charge of Q3 has the same sign of the charge of Q1
B) The charge of Q3 has the opposite sign as the charge of Q1
C) Cannot determine the relative signs of the charges of Q3 & Q1
1b: A) The magnitude of charge Q3 < the magnitude of charge Q1
B) The magnitude of charge Q3 > the magnitude of charge Q1
C) Cannot determine relative magnitudes of charges of Q3 & Q1

Physics 231

Lecture 1-7

Fall 2008

Example 1
A charged ball Q1 is fixed to a horizontal surface
as shown. When another massive charged ball
Q2 is brought near, it achieves an equilibrium
position at a distance d12 directly above Q1.
When Q1 is replaced by a different charged ball
Q3, Q2 achieves an equilibrium position at a
distance d23 (< d12) directly above Q3.

Q2
Q2

d12

d23

g
Q1

Q3

1a: A) The charge of Q3 has the same sign of the charge of Q1

B) The charge of Q3 has the opposite sign as the charge of Q1
C) Cannot determine the relative signs of the charges of Q3 & Q1
To be in equilibrium, the total force on Q2 must be zero.
The only other known force acting on Q2 is its weight.
Therefore, in both cases, the electrical force on Q2 must be directed upward
to cancel its weight.
Therefore, the sign of Q3 must be the SAME as the sign of Q1
Physics 231

Lecture 1-8

Fall 2008

Example 1
A charged ball Q1 is fixed to a horizontal surface
as shown. When another massive charged ball
Q2 is brought near, it achieves an equilibrium
position at a distance d12 directly above Q1.
When Q1 is replaced by a different charged ball
Q3, Q2 achieves an equilibrium position at a
distance d23 (< d12) directly above Q3.

Q2
Q2

d12

d23

g
Q1

Q3

1b: A) The magnitude of charge Q3 < the magnitude of charge Q1

B) The magnitude of charge Q3 > the magnitude of charge Q1
C) Cannot determine relative magnitudes of charges of Q3 & Q1
The electrical force on Q2 must be the same in both cases it just cancels
the weight of Q2
Since d23 < d12 , the charge of Q3 must be SMALLER than the charge of Q1
so that the total electrical force can be the same!!
Physics 231

Lecture 1-9

Fall 2008

More Than Two Charges

Given charges q, q1, and q2
If q1 were the only other charge,
we would know
the force on q

due to q1 - Fq1q
If q2 were the only other charge,
we would know
the force on q
due to q2 - Fq 2 q

Fq

q1

1q

Fnet

Fq

2q

q2

What is the net force if both charges are present?

The net force is given by the Superposition Principle

Fnet F1 F 2
Physics 231

Lecture 1-10

Fall 2008

Superposition of Forces
If there are more than two charged objects
interacting with each other
The net force on any one of the charged
objects is
The vector sum of the individual Coulomb
forces on that charged object

qi
Fj q j k 2 rij
i j rij
Physics 231

Lecture 1-11

Fall 2008

Example Two
qo, q1, and q2 are all point charges
where qo = -1C, q1 = 3C, and
q2 = 4C
What is the force acting on qo?

y (cm)
4
3
2
1
1

F20 k

Physics 231

r102

q0 q 2
2
r20

x (cm)

Decompose F20 into its x and y

F10 F10 y

F20 F20 r

q2

What are F0x and F0y ?

Need to calculate F10 and F20

F10 k

q1

We have that F0 F10 F20

q0q1

qo

components

F20 F20 cos x F20 sin y

20

cos

Lecture 1-12

x 2 x0
r20

sin

y0 y 2
r20

Fall 2008

Example Two - Continued

Now add the components of

F10 and F20 to

X-direction: F0 x F10 x F20 x

F10 x 0

and

F0 y

y (cm)
4

F0 x F20 cos

3
2
1

Y-direction: F0 y F10 y F20 y

F0 y F10 F20 sin

Physics 231

F0 x

find

Lecture 1-13

qo

F10

q1
1

F20

F0

q2
3

x (cm)

Fall 2008

Example Two - Continued

Putting in the numbers . . .
cos 0.8
r10 3cm

y (cm)
4
3
2

r20 5cm

F10 30 N F20 14.4 N

qo

F10

q1
1

F20

F0

q2
3

x (cm)

We then get for the components

F0 x 11.52 N F0 y 38.64 N

The magnitude of F0 is

F0 F02x F02y 40.32 N

At an angle given by
tan 1 F0 y F0 x tan 1 (38.64 / 11.52) 73.40
Physics 231

Lecture 1-14

Fall 2008

Note on constants
k is in reality defined in terms of a more
fundamental constant, known as the
permittivity of free space.

1
k
4 0
with 0 8.854 x10
Physics 231

12

Lecture 1-15

C
2
Nm

Fall 2008

Electric Field
The Electric Force is like the Gravitational
Force
Action at a Distance
The electric force can be thought of as
being mediated by an electric field.

Physics 231

Lecture 1-16

Fall 2008

What is a Field?
A Field is something that can be defined anywhere
in space
A field represents some physical quantity
(e.g., temperature, wind speed, force)
It can be a scalar field (e.g., Temperature field)
It can be a vector field (e.g., Electric field)
It can be a tensor field (e.g., Space-time curvature)

Physics 231

Lecture 1-17

Fall 2008

A Scalar Field
73

77
82
84
83

72
71

75

77
68
80
64 73
82
88
55
66
88
80
75
88
83 90 91
92

A scalar field is a map of a quantity that has

only a magnitude, such as temperature
Physics 231

Lecture 1-18

Fall 2008

A Vector Field
73

77

72
71

82
84
83
88

75

68 64
80
73
57 56 55
66
88
75 80
90
83
92
91

77

A vector field is a map of a quantity that is

a vector, a quantity having both magnitude
and direction, such as wind
Physics 231

Lecture 1-19

Fall 2008

Electric Field
We say that when a charged object is put at
a point in space,
The charged object sets up an Electric
Field throughout the space surrounding
the charged object
It is this field that then exerts a force on
another charged object
Physics 231

Lecture 1-20

Fall 2008

Electric Field
Like the electric force,
the electric field is also a vector
If there is an electric force acting on an
object having a charge qo, then the
electric field at that point is given by

F
E
q0

Physics 231

(with the sign of q0 included)

Lecture 1-21

Fall 2008

Electric Field
The force on a positively
charged object is in the same
direction as the electric field at
that point,
While the force on a negative
test charge is in the opposite
direction as the electric field
at the point
Physics 231

Lecture 1-22

Fall 2008

Electric Field
A positive charge sets up
an electric field pointing
away from the charge

A negative charge sets up an

electric field pointing
towards the charge
Physics 231

Lecture 1-23

Fall 2008

Electric Field
Earlier we saw that the
force on a charged object
is given by

qi
k 2 rij

r
i j ij

Fj q j

The term in parentheses remains the same if we

change the charge on the object at the point in
question
The quantity in the parentheses can be thought of as the
electric field at the point where the test object is placed

The electric field of a point charge can then be

shown to be given by
Physics 231

q
E k 2 r
r
Lecture 1-24

Fall 2008

Electric Field
As with the electric force, if there are
several charged objects, the net electric
field at a given point is given by the
vector sum of the individual electric
fields

E Ei
i

Physics 231

Lecture 1-25

Fall 2008

Electric Field
If we have a continuous charge distribution
the summation becomes an integral

dq
E k 2 r
r

Physics 231

Lecture 1-26

Fall 2008

Hints
1) Look for and exploit symmetries in the
problem.
2) Choose variables for integration
carefully.
3) Check limiting conditions for
appropriate result

Physics 231

Lecture 1-27

Fall 2008

Electric Field
Ring of Charge

Physics 231

Lecture 1-28

Fall 2008

Electric Field
Line of Charge

Physics 231

Lecture 1-29

Fall 2008

Example 3
Two equal, but opposite charges are placed on the x axis. The
positive charge is placed at x = -5 m and the negative charge is
placed at x = +5m as shown in the figure above.
1) What is the direction of the electric field at point A?
a) up
b) down
c) left
d) right
e) zero
2) What is the direction of the electric field at point B?
a) up
b) down
c) left
d) right
e) zero
Physics 231

Lecture 1-30

Fall 2008

Example 4
Two charges, Q1 and Q2, fixed along the x-axis as
shown produce an electric field, E, at a point
(x,y) = (0,d) which is directed along the negative
y-axis.
Which of the following is true?
(a) Both charges Q1 and Q2 are positive

d
Q1

Q2

(b) Both charges Q1 and Q2 are negative

(c) The charges Q1 and Q2 have opposite signs
E
E

(a)
Q1
Physics 231

(b)
Q2

Q1

(c)
Q2
Lecture 1-31

Q1

Q2

Fall 2008

Electric Field Lines

Possible to map out the electric field in a
region of space
An imaginary line that at any given point
has its tangent being in the direction of the
electric field at that point
The spacing, density, of lines is related to
the magnitude of the electric field at that
point
Physics 231

Lecture 1-32

Fall 2008

Electric Field Lines

At any given point, there can be only one
field line
The electric field has a unique direction at
any given point
Electric Field Lines
Begin on Positive Charges
End on Negative Charges
Physics 231

Lecture 1-33

Fall 2008

Electric Field Lines

Physics 231

Lecture 1-34

Fall 2008

Electric Dipole
An electric dipole is a pair of point charges
having equal magnitude but opposite sign that
are separated by a distance d.
Two questions concerning dipoles:
1) What are the forces and torques acting on a
dipole when placed in an external electric field?
2) What does the electric field of a dipole look
like?
Physics 231

Lecture 1-35

Fall 2008

Force on a Dipole
Given a uniform external field
Then since the charges are of
equal magnitude, the force on
each charge has the same
value
However the forces are in opposite directions!
Therefore the net force on the dipole is
Fnet = 0

Physics 231

Lecture 1-36

Fall 2008

Torque on a Dipole
The individual forces acting on the dipole
may not necessarily be acting along the
same line.
If this is the case, then there will be a
torque acting on the dipole, causing the
dipole to rotate.

Physics 231

Lecture 1-37

Fall 2008

Torque on a Dipole

The torque is then given by

= qE dsin

q dE

d is a vector pointing from the negative charge to the

positive charge
Physics 231

Lecture 1-38

Fall 2008

Potential Energy of a Dipole

Given a dipole in an external field:
Dipole will rotate due to torque
Electric field will do work
The work done is the negative of the
change in potential energy of the dipole
The potential energy can be shown to be

U q d E

Physics 231

Lecture 1-39

Fall 2008

Electric Field of a Dipole

Physics 231

Lecture 1-40

Fall 2008