All Flashcards
Compare charge distribution in conductors vs. insulators.
Conductors: Excess charge resides only on the surface. | Insulators: Excess charge can be distributed throughout the volume and on the surface.
Compare electric fields inside conductors vs. insulators in electrostatic equilibrium.
Conductors: Electric field inside is always zero. | Insulators: Electric field inside can be non-zero.
Compare charge mobility in conductors vs. insulators.
Conductors: Charges move freely. | Insulators: Charges are fixed and do not move freely.
Compare the behavior of electric field lines near positive and negative charges.
Positive charges: Field lines point radially outward. | Negative charges: Field lines point radially inward.
Compare the effect of an external electric field on conductors and insulators.
Conductors: Charges redistribute to cancel the external field inside. | Insulators: Charges do not move freely, so the external field can penetrate.
Define electric field.
The electric field is the force per charge that a charged object creates around itself, influencing other charges nearby. It is a vector quantity.
What is a test charge?
A test charge is a tiny charge used to measure the electric field at a point, small enough to avoid disturbing the original field.
Define electrostatic equilibrium in a conductor.
Electrostatic equilibrium in a conductor means excess charge resides only on the surface, and the electric field inside the conductor is zero.
What are electric field lines?
Electric field lines are lines used to represent the direction and strength of an electric field. Their density indicates field strength.
Define electric field vector.
A vector quantity that represents the electric field's magnitude and direction at a specific point in space.
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 is the effect of excess charge on a conductor?
The charges redistribute until the electric field inside the conductor is zero, with all excess charge residing on the surface.
What is the effect of a strong electric field on an insulator?
Dielectric breakdown can occur, causing the insulator to conduct electricity.
What is the effect of increasing the density of electric field lines?
It indicates a stronger electric field.
What is the effect of placing a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium?
The electric field inside the conductor becomes zero.