Physics Electric Field Lecture Overview

Study Notes

Assessment not 100% exam-based.
Grade distribution includes:
- Participation Quizzes and Assignments: 20%
- Midterm Exam: 10%
- Lab Book Reports: 15%
- Practical Exam: 15%
- Final Exam: 40%
Overall weighting:100%
Coursework includes attending lectures, presentations, projects and assignments and quizzes.

Lecture Layout Includes:
- Electric charges:
- Conductors and Insulators
- Charging
- Activities

Charge (q or Q) is measurable. Unit: Coulomb (C)
Charge is quantized (comes in units of 1.6 x 10⁻¹⁹ C).
Elementary particles in atoms include:
- Protons: +e = +1.6 x 10⁻¹⁹ C
- Neutrons: Uncharged
- Electrons: -e = -1.6 x 10⁻¹⁹ C
Neutral bodies have equal positive and negative charge.
Charged bodies exert force on each other.
- Like charges repel.
- Opposite charges attract.

Electrical Conductors: materials that have free electrons that move through the material.
When a conductor is charged in a small area, it distributes over the entire material surface.
- Example: Copper is a conductor.
Electrical Insulators: materials with no free electrons, electrons are bound to atoms.
- Example: Plastic is an insulator.
Semi Conductors: materials with properties between conductors and insulators; resistivity increases with decreasing temperature.
- Examples: Silicon and Germanium.

Charging by conduction: Direct contact between charged and neutral objects. Charged object shares charge with the uncharged object.
Charging by induction: No contact required. Charged object induces charge on another object.

Questions are posed about physical phenomena and concepts involving charge and electricity.
A charged rod attracts dry cork dust but bounces away after touching it.
Ways to discharge a charged insulator are mentioned.
The reason why a coin does not become charged by friction.