All Flashcards
What is the effect of placing a positive test charge in an electric field?
The test charge experiences a force in the same direction as the electric field.
What happens when a conductor is in electrostatic equilibrium?
Excess charge resides on the surface, and the electric field inside the conductor is zero.
What is the effect of increasing the density of electric field lines?
The strength of the electric field increases.
What happens when symmetry is present in electric field problems?
Calculations can be simplified, making the problem easier to solve.
Label the electric field lines around a positive and negative charge.
Positive Charge: Lines point radially outwards. Negative Charge: Lines point radially inwards.
Label the charge distribution on a charged conductor in electrostatic equilibrium.
Charge is distributed on the surface of the conductor.
Label a free-body diagram for a charged sphere suspended in an electric field.
1: Gravitational force (mg) downwards, 2: Electric force (qE) horizontally, 3: Tension (T) along the string.
Label the direction of the electric field vector at the surface of a charged conductor.
The electric field vector is perpendicular to the surface.
Label the components of tension in the string of a charged sphere suspended in an electric field.
1: Vertical component (Tcosθ), 2: Horizontal component (Tsinθ)
Compare charge distribution in conductors vs. insulators.
Conductors: Excess charge sits on the surface. | Insulators: Excess charge can spread throughout the interior and surface.
Compare electric field inside conductors vs. insulators.
Conductors: The electric field inside is zero in electrostatic equilibrium. | Insulators: The electric field inside can be nonzero.
Differentiate between electric field lines near positive and negative charges.
Positive charges: Electric field lines point away from the charge. | Negative charges: Electric field lines point towards the charge.