Electric Charge and Coulomb's Law

Electric Charge

• Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter
• There are two types of electric charges: positive and negative
• Like charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract each other
• The unit of electric charge is the coulomb (C)

Coulomb's Law

• Coulomb's Law states that the electric force between two point charges is proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
• Mathematically, Coulomb's Law can be expressed as:

F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2

• where F is the electric force, k is Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between them

Electric Field

• Electric field is a vector field that surrounds charged particles
• Electric field lines emerge from positive charges and enter negative charges
• The electric field strength (E) is the force per unit charge at a given point in space
• Electric field strength is measured in newtons per coulomb (N/C)

Electric Potential

• Electric potential is the potential energy per unit charge at a given point in space
• Electric potential is measured in volts (V)
• Electric potential difference (ΔV) is the difference in electric potential between two points in space

Electric Potential Due to a Point Charge

• The electric potential due to a point charge is given by:

V = k * q / r

• where V is the electric potential, k is Coulomb's constant, q is the magnitude of the charge, and r is the distance from the charge

Electric Potential Due to a System of Charges

• The electric potential due to a system of charges is the sum of the electric potentials due to each individual charge
• Superposition principle: the total electric field at a point in space is the vector sum of the electric fields due to each individual charge

Electric Charge

• Matter has a fundamental property known as electric charge, which comes in two types: positive and negative
• Like charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract each other
• The standard unit of electric charge is the coulomb (C)

Coulomb's Law

• The electric force between two point charges is proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
• Mathematically, Coulomb's Law is expressed as F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2, where F is the electric force, k is Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between them

Electric Field

• A vector field that surrounds charged particles, with electric field lines emerging from positive charges and entering negative charges
• Electric field strength (E) is the force per unit charge at a given point in space, measured in newtons per coulomb (N/C)

Electric Potential

• Electric potential is the potential energy per unit charge at a given point in space, measured in volts (V)
• Electric potential difference (ΔV) is the difference in electric potential between two points in space

Electric Potential Due to a Point Charge

• The electric potential due to a point charge is given by V = k * q / r, where V is the electric potential, k is Coulomb's constant, q is the magnitude of the charge, and r is the distance from the charge

Electric Potential Due to a System of Charges

• The electric potential due to a system of charges is the sum of the electric potentials due to each individual charge
• The superposition principle states that the total electric field at a point in space is the vector sum of the electric fields due to each individual charge