5.

1
ELECTRIC
FIELDS
 Wimshurst Machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA4aCd5qFWs
Learning outcomes
• State that there are two types of electric charge
• State and apply the law of conservation of charge
• Describe and explain the difference in the electrical
properties of conductors and insulators.
• State Coulomb’s law.
• Define electric field strength
• Determine the electric field strength due to one or more
point charges.
• Draw the electric field patterns for different charge
configurations.
• Solve problems involving electric charges, forces and
fields.
Balloon Activity
Blow the balloon and make it stick to
the wall without using any other items.
 Electric Charge and Electric Force
• Electric charge is a property of matter.
• Two types of charges: +ve and -ve
• What is meant by an object is electrically neutral?
• The number of positive charges is equal to the number of
negative charges.
• What can you say about the force between the charges
shown below?

+ -

• Like charges repel; opposite charges attract

• The electric forces constitute an action-reaction pair.
Think?
• What is happening when an object acquires a positive
charge?
• What is the charge of an electron?
• Are charges conserved?
• When an electron is transferred out of an object, it
acquires a positive charge.
• An electron has a charge of -1.6 x 10-19 C
• The law of conservation of charge states that charges can
neither be created nor destroyed.
• If you separate charges you get as many coulombs of
positives as negatives.
• If you combine the same amount of positive and negative
coulombs they will cancel out.
Electric Field
What is it?
• A field is a region of space within which a force is
experienced. An electric field is a region which extends
outward from every charge and permeates all of space.
• When a second charge is placed near the first charge, it
feels a force because of the electric field that is present.
The electric field at the location of the second charge is
considered to interact directly with the charge to produce
the force.
• Hence an electric field is a region of space where an
electric charge can experience an electric force.
How does this motor work?
The Electric Field Strength
• Electric Field strength, E /electric field intensity/ electric
field is defined as the electric force per unit charge
experienced by a small, positive point charge, q.
𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝐹𝐸
• 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ, 𝐸 = =
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑞
• SI unit of electric field is Newton per coulomb, NC-1
• It is a vector quantity.
• Its direction is directly away from a positive charge and
towards a negative charge.
Example
Find the force acting on an electron in an electric field
strength of 2.0 x 103 Vm-1.
Example
Find the force acting on an electron in an electric field
strength of 2.0 x 103 NC-1.

F= EQ = (1.6 x 10-19)(2.0 x 103 )

= 3.2 x 10-16 N
Electric Field Lines

Tell me as much as you can about charges (a), (b) and (c).
Electric Field Lines

• Electric Field can be represented as lines of force.

• The electric field lies around a positively charged particle point
radially outwards, and the field lines around a negatively charged
particle point radially inwards.
• The direction of field lines are taken to be the direction of force
exerted on a small positive test charge placed in that field. The lines
thus indicate the paths that a small positive test charge would take if it
is placed in the field.
• The field lines are closer together where the field is stronger and vice
versa.
What do you see?

• A uniform electric field wherein the field strength is the

same at all points could be illustrated as equally-spaced
parallel directed lines.
• What can you deduce about the
charges in diagrams (a) and (b)?
Diagram (a):
• Negative charges of equal - -
magnitude
Diagram (b):
• Positive and negative charges of
equal magnitude.
• If two or more point charges are
present, the field strength at point
in the field is the vector sum of
their individual field strength. + -
• An electrical neutral point is a
point in space where when a point
charge is placed there, it does not
feel a force.
Plasma Ball
 How a plasma ball works
• At the centre of a plasma ball is a large alternating voltage, typically a few kilovolts
oscillating at around 30 kHz.
• The low density of the gas in the globe (often neon) makes discharge significantly
more favourable than it is in air at atmospheric pressure (the breakdown voltage of
air which causes sparks from a Van de Graff generator, is 30,000 V/cm, whilst the
plasma ball can create arcs many centimetres long with just a few thousand volts).
• These fronds of plasma make their way from the centre of the globe to the edge, in
a bid to reach earth.
• Creating an enhanced path to earth by touching the globe increases the strength of
the discharge, which is why the arcs are attracted to your hand
• The alternating voltage at the centre creates electromagnetic waves, and the arcs
of plasma act as antennae, meaning that the extent of the electromagnetic field
surrounding the ball is significantly larger than the bounds of the glass globe.
• Bringing the fluorescent tube near to the plasma ball allows the electrons inside to
be accelerated by this field, and those moving electrons constitute an electric
current, which causes the bulb to light up.
• This demonstrates that an electromagnetic wave can be used to accelerate
particles.
(Department of Physics, University of Oxford)
Electric field strength of a point charge

𝟏 𝑸
•𝑬 =
𝟒𝒐 𝒓𝟐

𝐸= electric field of a point charge

𝜀𝑜 = permittivity of free space
Q = magnitude of electric charge
r = distance from centre of charge

Do you know what is the Coulomb constant, k?

Practice
• If a point charge establishes an electric field strength of E
at 10 cm away, at what distance will its strength be
reduced to 15% of E?
• 26cm away
TOK
Does a test charge affect the original field?
Force between point charge
• Coulomb’s Law states that the magnitude of the electrostatic
force between two point charges is proportional to the
magnitude of each charge and inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between them.
Q q
+ -
𝟏 𝑸𝒒 r
• 𝑭𝑬 =
𝟒𝒐 𝒓𝟐

• where 𝐹𝐸 = electric force between 2 charged particles

• 𝜀𝑜 = permittivity of free space
• Q, q = 2 charges
• r = distance between the charges
Example
A gold nucleus of charge 2.5 x 10-9 C is situated 1.0 mm
away from a radium nucleus of charge 1.7 x 10-7 C in
vacuum. Assuming them to be point charges, calculate the
magnitude of the electrostatic force acting on each of the
charges.
F= 3.8 N
Example
A gold nucleus of charge 2.5 x 10-9 C is situated 1.0 mm
away from a radium nucleus of charge 1.7 x 10-7 C in
vacuum. Assuming them to be point charges, calculate the
magnitude of the electrostatic force acting on each of the
charges.
F= 3.8 N

𝟏 𝑸𝒒 (𝟐. 𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟗 )(𝟏. 𝟕 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟕 )

𝑭𝑬 = 𝟐
= = 𝟑. 𝟖𝑵
𝟒𝒐 𝒓 𝟒𝝅 𝟖. 𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟐 𝟏. 𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 𝟐
Example

The electric permittivity of graphite is 12 times larger than

that of a vacuum. The force between two points charges in
a vacuum is F. The two charges are embedded in graphite
and their separation is doubled. Predict the new force
between the charges in terms of F.
Example
The electric permittivity of graphite is 12 times larger than
that of a vacuum. The force between two points charges in
a vacuum is F. The two charges are embedded in graphite
and their separation is doubled. Predict the new force
between the charges in terms of F.
1 𝑄𝑞
Since 𝐹 =
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 2

1 𝑄𝑞 1 1 𝑄𝑞 1
𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝐹′ = 2
= 2
= 𝐹
4𝜋(12𝜀𝑜 ) (2𝑟) 48 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 48
Note:
• The electric force will be in the
direction of the field if the
charge is positive and in the
opposite direction to the field if
the charge is negative.
• On a field pattern, how do you
identify the direction of the
force experienced by a
charged placed within the
field?
Note:
When the force is attractive in nature, it will have a negative sign i.e. the force is
always directed opposite to its increasing distances which forms a conservative
system.
Semolina Seeds Electric Field Expt
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhp63yvJAHs
Just for fun
• How much charge is required to pick up the bits of papers
via electrostatic attraction?
Example

Two charges, q1 = 2.0 C and q2 = 8.0 C, are placed

along a straight line separated by a distance of 3.0 cm.
a) Calculate the force exerted on each charge.
b) The charge q1 is increased to 4.0 C. Determine the
force on each charge now.
c) A positive charge q is placed on the line joining q1 and
q2. Determine the distance from q1 where the third
positive charge experiences zero net force.
Example
Two charges, q1 = 2.0 C and q2 = 8.0 C, are placed
along a straight line separated by a distance of 3.0 cm.
a) Calculate the force exerted on each charge.
b) The charge q1 is increased to 4.0 C. Determine the
force on each charge now.
c) A positive charge q is placed on the line joining q1 and
q2. Determine the distance from q1 where the third
positive charge experiences zero net force.

1 𝑄𝑞 (𝟐.𝟎×𝟏𝟎−𝟔 )(𝟏𝟖.𝟎×𝟏𝟎−𝟔 )
a) F = = = = 160N
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 2 𝟒𝝅 𝟖.𝟖𝟓×𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟐 𝟑.𝟎×𝟏𝟎−𝟐 𝟐

b) Since the charge doubles, the force doubles to F = 320

N on both charges.
c) A positive charge q is placed on the line joining q1 and
q2. Determine the distance from q1 where the third positive
charge experiences zero net force.
d

q1 q q2
x
c) A positive charge q is placed on the line joining q1 and
q2. Determine the distance from q1 where the third positive
charge experiences zero net force.
d

q1 q q2
x

𝑞1 𝑞 𝑞2 𝑞
𝐹1 = 𝑘 2 ; 𝐹2 = 𝑘
𝑥 (𝑑 − 𝑥)2
Since q will experience no net force, then 𝐹1 = 𝐹2 ,
𝑞1 𝑞 𝑞2 𝑞
𝑘 = 𝑘
𝑥2 (𝑑−𝑥)2
2.0 8.0
=
𝑥 2 (𝑑−𝑥)2
x = 1.0 cm
Van De Graaff Generator
https://youtu.be/lCdNE7w748M
Electroscope Video
 What are the various approaches to
charge an object?
• Charging by friction
• Charging by
induction
• Charging by
contact/conduction
Materials and Electric Field
• Conductors
• Materials which have free electrons that will drift in the opposite
direction of the applied electric field.
• Egs: all metals and electrolyte solutions.
• Insulators
• Materials which have little or no free charge carriers to conduct
electricity under an application of electric field.
• Egs: rubber, wood plastic
• Semiconductors
• Materials which have properties of the above two under different
temperature conditions. Holes drift in the direction of an applied
electric field but electrons drift in the opposite direction.
• Egs: Materials made from the Group IV elements of the Periodic
Table such as silicon, germanium.
Charge carriers
• Current of electricity consists of any movement of electric
charge carriers.
• The table shows the charge carriers in different materials.

Material type Charge carriers

Solid conductors Free electrons
Liquids Ions
Gases Ions and free electrons
Solid semi-conductors Electron-hole pairs
Electrical Properties of conductors and
insulators
• Conductors
• In solid metals, the atoms are fixed in position in a lattice but
there are many free electrons that do not belong to a
particular atom.
• These electrons can move and carry charge through the
metal.
• Materials that have many free electrons are called
conductors.
• Insulators
• Materials that do not have many free electrons so charge
cannot move freely. These materials are called insulators.
• What do you call the materials that have an
intermediate conductive property in between a
conductor and an insulator?
TOK
• Early scientists suggested
positive charges existed in
metals.
• The discovery of the
electron led to the
introduction of
conventional current
direction.
• Was this a suitable
solution to a major shift in
thinking? What role do
paradigm shifts play in the
progression of scientific
knowledge?
 Drift Speed of Charge Carriers
Consider a conductor , cross-sectional area A, with current, I
flowing through it. What is the average drift speed of the
charge particles in the conductor ?

Given that
I is current
𝑸 is total charge passing through a point
N is the number of particles passing a
point
t is time taken for N particles to pass 𝑄
through a point
𝐼 =
𝑡
𝒏 is the number of particles per unit 𝑁𝑞 𝐼
volume = 𝑣=
𝑡 𝑛𝑞𝐴
𝒗 is the average drift speed of the
particles
= nVq/t
𝑨 is the cross-sectional area of conductor = nqlA/t
V is the volume of the conductor
.  𝐼 = 𝑛𝑞𝑣𝐴
Practice
• Consider a current of 5.0 A flowing in a copper wire with a
cross section of 0.50 mm2. If the number density of
electrons in copper is 8.5 × 1028 per m3, what is the
average drift speed of these electrons?
• 7.4 x 10-4 m s-1
• Given such a low speed, why is it that the lights in the
room can be lit up instantly after the switch is depressed?
1) When a bulb is connected to a source of emf, e.g. cell,
the bulb lights up.
2) The cell converts chemical energy into electrical
energy.
3) The potential difference across the bulb drives current
through it. The electrical energy carried by the
electrons is converted into thermal and light energy in
the bulb.

V
 Potential Difference
• The potential difference, V, between two points is the work
done, W per unit charge, Q, to move a point charge from
one point to the other.
𝑊
•𝑉 =
𝑄
• SI unit is volt, V (1 V = 1 J C-1)
• The presence of potential difference between two points
implies the existence of an electric field.
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=qBbxSE
p3-6o
Electric Current
• Electric current is the rate of flow of electric charge Q.
𝑄
•𝐼 =
𝑡
• SI unit of current is ampere, A
Example
Two electrons are moving in a circle with a period of 1.0 x
10-10 s. What is the current due to the motion of these
electrons?
[I = 3.2 x 10-9 A]
Think:
• Is there such thing as a negative current?
• What causes the electrons to move in circular motion?

e-

nucleus
e-
Examples
The variation of current through a point with time is shown
in the diagram. Determine the total charge that flows
through the point from 0 to 25 s. [Q = 20 C]

I/A
1.0

Total Charge
= Area under graph 0 10 25 t/s
= (0.5)(1.0)(10) + (25-10)(1.0)
= 20 C
 Electronvolt
• The electronvolt, eV is a unit of
energy.
• 1 eV = 1.60×10−19 J
• This is commonly used as the
energy carried by electrons is
very small.
• An electronvolt is the amount
of kinetic energy gained by a
free electron when it accelerates
through an electric potential
difference of one volt.

Work done in an electric field, W= qV

Example
An electron initially at rest, is accelerated through a
potential difference of 180 V. Calculate for the electron
a) the gain in kinetic energy in eV and joules
b) the final speed.
KE = 180 eV = 2.9 x 10-17 J
v= 8.0 x 106 m s-1
Question:
How to determine whether work done is positive
or negative by observation?
Hence, can we also deduce the change in the
electric potential energy associated with any
particle?

Let’s look at the following

 r1 FE

Fext +q
+Q

r2 FE

Fext
+Q +q

Positive work is done by Fext when the unit charge +q is brought nearer to Q
since the direction of Fext and the displacement of q are the same.
Hence, electric potential energy of the unit charge has increased.
 r1 Fext

FE -q
+Q

r2 Fext

FE
+Q -q

Negative work is done by Fext when the unit charge -q is brought nearer to
Q since Fext and the displacement of q are in the opposite directions.
Hence, electric potential energy of the unit charge has decreased.
Think: How does movement of a charge within an electric field affect its
kinetic energy? Work done in an electric field, W= qV = ½ mv2
Role of Electricity in Society
Homework
Cambridge Text (Pg 205)
Q4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13