ELECTROSTATICS

Definition
-It’s the study of forces between stationary electric charges.
- It is the study of electric charges at rest.
There are mainly two types of charges: - positive and negative charges.
Note
i. A negatively charged body is a body with more electrons than protons
ii. A positively charged body is a body with more protons than electrons
iii. A neutral body is a body with equal number of protons and electrons
Conductors and Insulators
A conductor is a substance which has free mobile electrons and conducts both heat and
electricity e.g. all metals, graphite, the human body, water, electrolytes e.t.c.
N.B

 A conductor has mobile free electrons which helps in conducting heat and electricity
 Conductors have electrons which are loosely bound to the nucleus.
An insulator is a substance which cannot conduct heat and electricity
It’s a substance which has its electrons tightly bound on its atom i.e. electrons are not fee to
move about.
N.B

 Insulators can be charged by rubbing since when it requires charges they are not
conducted away e.g. ebonite, silt, glass e.t.c.
 An insulator has no free mobile electrons; electrons are tightly bound t the nucleus.
Semi-conductors
A semi-conductor is one which can conduct electricity in one direction and acts as an insulator in
the opposite direction. Examples include a diode.
Charging an insulator
Insulators can only be charged by a process called electrification.
Electrification is the process of charging an insulator by rubbing or friction.
Example:
If a plastic pen is rubbed with a cloth, it attracts pieces of paper.

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When glass and silk are rubbed against each other, the glass atoms lose electrons to silk atoms.
As result the silk acquires a negative charge (due to excess electrons) while the glass acquires a
positive charge (due to excess protons).

Law of electrostatics
Like charges repel each other, unlike charges attract each other
Attraction of a neutral body by a charged body

+
- +
+
- +
+

When a positively charged body is brought near a neutral body, negative charges are attracted to
the near end and positive charges to the far end. Since the unlike charges are close to each other,
attraction is greater than repulsion and therefore the neutral body is then attracted to the charged
body.
Electric field and lines of forces
An electric field is a region or space around an electric charge where the electric force can be
experienced.
It’s represented by lines of forces or electric field lines.
An electric field line is a line in an electric field running from the positive to the negative charge.
Properties of electric field lines (lines of forces)

 They start from the positive charge and end into the negative charge
 They don’t intersect or meet.
 They are in a state of tension which makes them to be short.
Electric field patterns
(i) An Isolated negative charge (ii) An Isolated positive charge

- +

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 (iii) Positive charge close (iv) Positive charge close
to a negative charge to positive charge

(v) Negative charge close to a negative charge

(vi) A point charge close to a charged plate

a) A positive plate close to a negative point charge

b) A negative plate close to a positive point charge

c) A negatively charged plate close to a positively charged plate

d) A negatively charged plate close to a negative point charge

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 e) positively charge plate close to positive charge plate

f) Negatively charged plate close to negatively charged plate.

 X is the neutral point

NOTE
A neutral point is a point where the resultant electric field is zero or where the electric
force is not felt.
Difference between electric charges and poles of a magnet
Electric charges can be separated while it’s impossible to separate the poles of a magnet.

ELECTROSTATIC INDUCTION
This is a method whereby a neutral conductor becomes charged by being placed near a charged
body but not touching each other.
Charging a conductor negatively by induction:

 A neutral body is placed on an insulating stand.

 A positively charged rod is brought near the insulated neutral body

 Negative charges are induced to the near end and the positive charges are induced to the far
end
 While the rod is still in position, the conductor is earthed by connecting a wire from it to the
earth. The earthing wire conductors negative charges from the earth to the conductor.
 While the rod is still in position, the earthing is removed.
 The rod is taken away and charges in conductor redistribute themselves and hence the body
becomes negatively charged.

Insulating stand
 Charging a conductor positively by induction

 A neutral body is put on an insulating stand.

 A negatively charged rod is brought near the conductor.
 Positive charges are induced to the near end and negative charges to the far end
 While the rod is still in position, the body is earthed by touching momentarily.
 While the rod is still in position, the earthing is removed and then the rod is taken away
 Charges in conductor redistribute themselves and hence the body becomes positively
charged.

Insulating stand

Charging two spheres positively simultaneously and acquire a positive charge by induction.

 Two conductors P and Q are placed in contact on an insulating stand.

 A negatively charged rod is brought near P.
 Positive charges are induced on P and negative charges repelled to Q
 While the rod is still in place, Q is earthed by touching.
 While the rod is still in position, the earthing is removed and then the conductors separated.
 Both spheres acquire equal similar positive charges.

Insulating stand
Charging two spheres negatively simultaneously and acquire equal similar charges by
induction

 Two conductors P and Q are placed in contact on an insulating stand.

 A positively charged rod is brought near P.
 Negative charges are induced on P and positive charges to the further end of Q
 While the rod is still in place, Q is earthed by touching momentarily.
 While the rod is still in position, the earthing is removed and then the conductors are
separated.
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  Both spheres acquire equal similar negative charges.

Insulating stand

Charging two spheres simultaneously to acquire equal and opposite charges

 Two conducting metal spheres P and Q are placed in contact on an insulating stand.
 A positively charged rod is brought near P.
 Negative charges are induced on P and positive charges are repelled to Q
 While the rod is still in place, the spheres are separated.
 Both sphere acquire equal but opposite charges.

Insulating stand

THE GOLD LEAF ELECTROSCOPE (GLE)

STRUCTURE OF GLE

Metal cap
Insulator

Metal rod
Metal box

Metal plate Gold leaf

Insulator

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Charging a gold leaf electroscope negatively by induction:

 A positively charged rod is brought near the metal cap of the electroscope.
 Negative charges are induced on the metal cap and positive charges repelled down to the
metal plate and gold leaf
 While the rod is still in position, the metal cap is earthed by touching,
 Electrons flow from the earth to neutralize the positive charges.
 The rod is finally removed.
 On removing the rod, the negative charge on the cap is transferred down the metal rod to the
leaf and plate.
 Both the plate and leaf acquire negative charges and this causes the leaf to diverge.

Charging the gold leaf electroscope positively by induction

 A negatively charged rod is brought near the metal cap of the electroscope.
 Positive charges are induced on the metal cap and negative charges repelled down to the
metal plate and gold leaf
 While the rod is still in position, the metal cap is earthed by touching. The negative charges
move down to the earth.
 The earthing is then broken while the rod is still in it’s position. The rod is finally removed.
 On removing the rod, the positive charge on the cap is transferred down the metal rod to the
leaf and plate.
 Both the plate and leaf acquire positive charges and this causes the leaf to diverge.

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Uses of GLE
i. To detect the presence of charge on a body.
ii. To determine the size of charge on a body
iii. To test the sign of the charge on the body
iv. To test for insulation and conduction properties of a material

Detect the presence of a charge on the body

 The body to be tested is brought near a metal cap of an uncharged GLE.

 If the leaf diverges, it indicates that a charge has been induced on the plate and gold leaf
this means that the body is charged.
 If the leaf remains unaffected it means that the body is not charged.
Determine the size of the charge on the body

 Two spherical balls of different sizes are charged simultaneously

 Each one is brought near the cap of a charged electroscope
 It is observed that the small spherical ball shows a slight change in divergence of the leaf
and the large ball shows a greater change in divergence of the leaf
 This implies that the large ball had more charge than the small ball.
Test the sign of a charge on the body

 The GL is first charged, positively or negatively

 The charged body is brought near the metal cap of G.L.E.
 When the gold leaf increases in divergence, it means that the charged body has the same
charge as the gold leaf
 If the gold leaf experiences a decrease in divergence, it means that the body is either
uncharged or has the same charge as the leaf.
 This means that the only sure test for the sign of charge on a body is to obtain an increase in
divergence (we use repulsion to draw our conclusions).
 Below is a summary of deductions of charges

Charge on electroscope Effect on leaf divergence Charge brought near the cap
+ Increase
_ Increase
+ Decrease*
_ Decrease*
+or_ Decrease* Uncharged body

Test for insulation and conduction

 Electroscope is first charged positively or negatively.

 The body to be tested is held in hand and placed on the metal cap.
 If the gold leaf collapses immediately the material is a good conductor because conductors
have free electrons and hence a rapid loss of electrons e.g. copper, iron, aluminium, zinc,
graphite.
 If the gold leaf collapses slowly, the material is a semi conductor e.g. silicon, germanium.

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 If the gold leaf remains diverged the substance is a good insulator because good insulators
don’t allow electrons to flow ( there will be no leakage of charge) e.g. plastic, cotton, glass,
wood, paper e.t.c

Precautions when using a Gold leaf electroscope

 It must not be in dump conditions.
 It must not be touched by anything when it is being used.

CHARGE DISTRIBUTION ON THE SURFACE OF A CONDUCTOR

Charge distribution on a substance is investigated using a proof plane. The distribution of charge
on a conductor depends on the shape of a conductor. Charge is mostly concentrated at places
where the surface is sharply curved.
i. Spherical conductor iii. Cylindrical conductor

ii. Pear shaped conductor

Point Action
 Charges on a conductor are most concentrated of sharp points i.e. Charge is mostly
concentrated at places where the surface is sharply curved.
 At pointed ends, there is a high charge density which leads to ionization of surrounding
gaseous molecules. Ions opposite to those at pointed ends are attracted to sharp points
and neutralize charges there. This leads to apparent loss of charge known as corona
discharge.
 Ions similar to those at pointed ends are repelled and form space charge or electric wind.
PROOF PLANE
It is a small metallic conductor fixed on an insulator.

Insulating handle

9 Metal disc
An experiment to study the distribution of a charge on a conductor inform of a pear shape.

 Place a proof plane into contact with various points on the conductor.
 Then transfer it to the metal cap of a neutral gold leaf electroscope.
 The gold leaf of the electroscope will diverge showing presence of a charge.

 When the proof plane is placed at position A, the divergence at the leaf of the gold leaf
electroscope is greatest than the divergence produced when the proof plane is placed at
position B. This indicates that charges concentrate more at sharp points than any other point
on the conductor.
Definition of surface density
It is defined as the quantity of the charge per unit area on the surface at the conductor.

Application of Point Action

- Vander Graff generator
- Lightning conductor
Lightning conductor

 A building is protected from lightning damage by fixing a lightning conductor above the
highest part of the building.
 A lighting conductor takes the form of a thick copper strip buried in the ground, fixed on
an outside wall reaching the highest part of the building and ending in several sharp
spikes
Action of a lightning conductor
 When a negatively charged cloud passes over the spikes.
 Positive charges will be induced on the pikes and negative charges repelled to the copper
plate which is immediately dissipated to the earth
 Due to high charge density on the spikes, point action occurs; the air around the spikes is
ionized. Into positive and negative ions.
 The negative ions are attracted to the spikes and excess negative charges are conducted to the
ground through the copper plate.
 The positive ions are repelled to the cloud. This neutralizes the cloud hence protecting the
house.

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 Faraday’s ice pail experiment

 A metal can is placed on top of a metal cap of the electroscope to detect any presence of
charge on the outside of the can.
 A positively charged metal sphere attached on an insulating thread is lowered into the can
without allowing it to touch the can.
 The gold leaf is seen to diverge showing that the charge has been induced on the outside of
the can.
 The metal sphere is moved to different positions in the can and the divergence of the gold
leaf is not affected

- - + - - + +
+ - -+ + - -+ + +
+ - + - + +
- + - + +
+ - + + - +
- + - + +
+ + + + + + + + +
- - -
+ + +
+ + +
+ + + + + +

 If the sphere is allowed to touch the can there is no change in the divergence of the gold leaf.
 If the sphere is removed when it has not touched the can, the gold leaf collapses.
 If the sphere is allowed to touch the inner wall of the can, it is found to be totally discharged
when removed and tested.

PROTECTION OF PEOPLE FROM LIGHTNING

 Not using telephones or umbrellas during thunder storm.

 Avoiding tall solitary trees or other isolated objects in open areas
 Taking shelter in a house / any enclosed space
 Avoiding electronic equipment that use electromagnetic waves that pass thought air e.g.
mobile phones, radios e.t.c
Guiding questions
i. Describe the action of sharp points
ii. Describe corona discharge
iii. Describe how a pointed end loses charges
iv. With the aid of a diagram describe the ice pail experiment
v. Describe an experiment to show that the net charge on a hollow conductor resides outside
the conductor
vi. Describe a simple experiment to demonstrate the distribution of charge on a conductor
with a point end
vii. Describe a simple experiment to investigate the distribution of charge on a pear shaped
conductor.

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