Electrostatics Test Review Flashcards

Electrostatics Concepts

• Attract: A force that brings bodies closer together.
• Conduction: Involves direct contact with a charged object to transfer charge.
• Conductor: A material, like metals, that facilitates the easy movement of electric charge.
• Coulombs: The unit of electric charge represented as "C".

Fundamental Laws

• Coulomb's Law: Defines the force between two charges; it is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them and directly proportional to the product of the charges: F = k(q1*q2)/d².

Measurement Tools

• Electroscope: An instrument used to detect and measure the presence of electric charge.
• Electric Field: Describes how a charged particle influences other charges around it; attractive or repulsive forces depend on the nature of the charges involved.

Electric Charge Properties

• Positive Charges: Repel positive charges and attract negative charges.
• Negative Charges: Attract positive charges, creating various interaction scenarios.
• Electric Field Lines: Visual representation of electric field strength and direction, indicating how charges will interact.

Key Electrical Concepts

• Electric Field Strength (E): Calculated using the formula E = F/q, where F is force and q is charge.
• Elementary Charge: The charge of a single electron, approximately 1.60 x 10^-19 C.
• Grounding: Provides a pathway for excess charge to safely dissipate into the Earth.

Charging Methods

• Induction: A method of charging objects without direct contact, leading to polarization.
• Insulator: Materials that do not allow charge movement (e.g., rubber, glass) and do not release electrons.

Charge States

• Negative Charge: Results from gaining electrons.
• Neutral Charge: Generated when charged objects attract uncharged objects.
• Positive Charge: Arises from the loss of electrons (e.g., hair losing electrons when removing a hat).

Additional Electrical Terminology

• Voltage (V): The potential difference acting as an electron pump, essential for current flow.
• Electric Current (I): The movement of electric charges in a unified direction, measured in Amperes.
• Electric Resistance (R): A measure of how much a material opposes the flow of current, measured in Ohms.

Fundamental Equations

• Ohm's Law: Relates voltage, current, and resistance: V = IR.
• Electric Power (P): The rate of electrical energy transfer, calculated with P = IV.

Units of Measurement

• Electric Current: Measured in Amperes (A).
• Electric Resistance: Measured in Ohms (Ω).
• Electric Field Strength: Measured in Newtons per Coulomb (N/C).

Constants and Calculations

• Coulomb's Constant: Value is approximately 9.0 x 10^9 Nm²/C².
• Charge Relationships: 1 Coulomb equals approximately 6.25 x 10^18 electrons, emphasizing the scale of charge.

Additional Facts

• Heat Generation: High resistance in materials causes friction, which leads to heat production during current flow.
• Force Relationship: The force between charges decreases when distance doubles, decreasing proportionality as 1/d².