6/18/2023

Hasan Murad
Lecturer
Dept. of Physics
Cumilla Victoria Govt. College
Former Lecturer Port City
International University, Chittagong

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Lecture-1
Electric
Charge Coulomb’s
Law

Charge
Charge is a fundamental and characteristic property of
the elementary particles which make up matter . This
particles are protons, electrons and neutrons. Of these,
protons are positively charged electrons are negatively
charged and neutrons are neutral. The magnitude of
the charge of a Proton is a same as that of an electron.
There are two kinds of charge, positive and negative
and an ordinary piece of a matter contains equal
amount of each kind. The charge of a body then refers
to a net charge or access charge.

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When we say that an object is charged we mean that it

has an access charges, either and access of electron in
the case when the object is negatively charge or access
of protons in the case when the object is positively
charged

Quantization of Electric Charge

The smallest amount of

charge that has been
discovered is that of an
electron or of a Proton. The
magnitude of this charge is
1.602E-19 C. The charge of a
microscopic body is an
integral multiple of this
number. From these it
follows that charges
quantized.

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Statement of Coulomb’s Law

The magnitude of the Electrostatics force of interaction
between two point charges is directly proportional to the scalar
multiplication of the magnitudes of charges and inversely
proportional to the square of the distances between them.

F  q1q 2
1
and F 
d2
q1q 2
F 
d2

Explanation of Coulomb’s Law

Let us consider, q1 and q2 are two charges and d is the distance
between two charges. If the attractive or repulsive force acting between
two charges is F, then according to Coulomb’s law,
q q
F  1 22
d
qq
Or , F  C 1 2 2
d
Where, C is proportionality constant. The value of this constant is
dependent upon the medium that the charged objects are immersed in
and the units of the quantities.

In the case of vacuum and using S.I. units, the value

1
C = 9.0 x 109 Nm2 C-2 = 4  0
Where ε0 is the permittivity constant for vacuum and the value is
 0  8 . 854  10  12 C 2 N  1 m  2

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Explanation of Coulomb’s Law

Therefore, in vacuum Coulomb’s law can be represented by

1 q1q2
F
40 d 2

For any other medium it can be represented by

1 q1q2
F
4 d 2

Explanation of Coulomb’s Law

A revolving electron in a H atom experiences an EM force due to the

proton at the centre. Calculate its magnitude. Compare it with the
gravitational force acting between them.

1 q1q2
F
4 d 2

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Definitions
Dielectric Constant
The ratio of the acting force between two charges of definite distance in
vacuum and the acting force between same charges and distance in another
medium is known as the dielectric constant for that medium. It is denoted by K.
F 
K 0 
Fm 0
Where F0 is the acting force between the charges in vacuum and Fm is the
acting force between the charges in another medium.

Electric Field
Electric field is the region surrounding a charged particle within which
another charged particle experiences a attractive or repulsive force.

Electric Field Intensity

The force that would be exerted on a unit charge placed at a point of an
electric field is known as the electric field intensity at that point. It is represented
by F
E 
q

Expression for Electric Intensity

Let us consider, a positive point charge +q situated in a point A in a medium
of dielectric constant K. We will find the magnitude of electric intensity in a point P
which is apart a distance r from +q charge.

Suppose, a small charge +q0 placed in the point P. Now the force acting on
the charge q0 is
1 q q0
F ………... 1
4 0 K r 2
But, the electric intensity can be defined as the force exerted on a unit
charge. Therefore, the electric intensity at the point P
F
E  ………... 2
q0 +q0
P
+q r

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Expression for Electric Intensity

Putting the value of F from Eq.-1 into Eq.-2, we get

1 q q0
E
4 0 K r 2 q0

1 q
Or, E 
4 0 K r 2

In vacuum, the value of dielectric constant (K) is equal to 1. Therefore, the

electric intensity in vacuum

1 q
E
4 0 r 2
This is the required expression for electric field strength/intensity

Related Mathematical Problems

 Two positive electric charges, one 2 times as strong as the other, exert a force
of 8×10–5N on each other when they are placed 0.05m apart in air. Find the magnitude
of each charge. [Ans. 3.33×109 C, 6.66×109 C]

 What is the magnitude of electric field in which an electron will experience a

force equal to its weight? [Ans. 5.57×1011 NC1]

 A plastic ball of charge 3.23×10–19C is kept hanging in a uniform electric field of

2.6×104Vm-1. If the acceleration due to gravity at that place is 10ms–2, find the mass of
the ball. [Ans. 8.4×1016 kg]
 A pith ball of mass 0.002 kg is charged with 104C. What is the magnitude of
electric field needed to keep the ball at rest in gravitational field? [Ans.196 NC1]

 Two point charges of 15C & 30C are placed at 10m apart from each other. Find
the point on the straight line joining them where the magnitude of electric field intensity
will be zero. [Ans. At a distance 4.14m from weak charge to strong charge]

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Lecture-2
Electric
Field Electric
Field
Intensity

Definitions
Electric Field
Electric field is the region surrounding a charged particle within which
another charged particle experiences a attractive or repulsive force.

Electric Field Intensity

The force that would be exerted on a unit charge placed at a point of an

electric field is known as the electric field intensity at that point. It is represented
by

F
E 
q

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Electric Lines of Force

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Concept of electric flux

Number of electric lines of force passing

through either a real or fictitious plane in an electric
field is called electric flux. It is denoted by φ or φE.
dE  E ds cos
 E  ds

So,  E   E  ds

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Gravitational field strength g=F/m

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What is meant by a test charge?

Why is it chosen close to zero?
Physics Part-II, Art: 27-2

Model Questions
1. What is meant by a charge? Explain Quantization of
charges.
2. State and Explain Coulomb’s law. Find out an expression for
Electric field Intensity by using the law.
3. Find out an expression for E at a distance y from a long
current carrying line. [cp-27, Ex-6]
3. Explain Electric Field and Electric flux.
4. Explain Electric Field Strength.
5. Visualize and explain the lines of forces for i) a +ve charge
ii) a –ve charge iii) two +ve charges placed at a small distance
apart iv) a electric Dipole.
6. Explain the term “Test Charge”

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Lecture-3
Electric
Potential Potential
Difference

Electric Potential and Potential Difference

Electric Potential
The electrical state for which flow of charge between two charged
bodies takes place is called electric potential.

The amount of work done in bringing a unit positive charge from

infinity to a point in electric field is called electric potential at that point.
It is denoted by V.
So, V = W/q

Potential Difference
The difference of potentials at two points in an electric field is
called potential difference.

Work done in transferring a unit positive charge from one point to

another point in an electric field is called potential difference between
the two points.

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Relation between E and V

VB
B
VA r
Let A and B be two close points in an A
electric field and let the electric potentials be +q
respectively VA and VB . Where VA > VB .

So, the potential difference between two

points A and B,
V = VA - VB

= Work done in bringing a unit positive charge from B to A

= Force acting on a unit positive charge X distance AB
= Electric field intensity (E) X distance (r)
= E X r

Therefore, V = Er

Potential due to a point charge

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Potential due to a point charge

Potential due to a group of charges

Calculate the Potential at

the centre of the square.
Art 29-4, Ex-5

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Electric Potential Energy

What is electric potential energy?

Electric potential energy is the energy that is
needed to move a charge against an electric field.
You need more energy to move a charge further in
the electric field, but also more energy to move it
through a stronger electric field.

Electric Potential Energy

In a H atom an electron revolving the proton

from a distance 0.53A. What is their mutual
potential energy?

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Librarywork

Related Mathematical Problems

 33.3×109C charge is given to a spherical conductor of radius 0.3m. Find the

electric potential at distance of 0.5 m and 0.1 m from the centre of the sphere.
[Ans. 599.4V, 999V]
 Charge of 10C is given to a circle of diameter 10cm. Find the electric potentials
at the centre of the sphere. [Ans. 18×1011V]
 Charges of 6×109C, –12×109 C and +14×109C are placed at three corners of
a square respectively. What amount of charge is to be placed at the fourth corner, so
that the potential at the centre of the square becomes zero? [Ans. –8×109C]
 In each corner of a square of side of 1m, 5×109C charge is given. Calculate
the potential at the centre of the square. [Ans. 254.52V]
 The area of each plate of a parallel plate capacitor is 1.5 m2 and the thickness
of air between the plates is 0.02m. Determine the capacitance of the capacitor in micro
farad? [Ans. 6.63×10–4F]

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