All Flashcards
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.
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)
Define electric field.
The electric field at a point is the electric force experienced by a tiny positive test charge at that point, divided by the test charge itself:
What is a test charge?
A tiny, positive charge that's so small it doesn't significantly alter the electric field it's measuring.
Define electric field strength.
The magnitude of the electric field vector at a given point in space.
What is electrostatic equilibrium?
A condition where excess charge on a conductor resides on its surface and the electric field inside the conductor is zero.
Define electric force.
The force exerted on a charged particle by an electric field.