Lecture 2

Electric force and field

August 12, 2016

Objectives

Calculate the net electric force on a point charge exerted by a system

of point charges
Determine the electric field due to a point charge
Establish the relationship between the electric field and the electric

force on a test charge

Predict the trajectory of a massive point charge in a uniform electric

field

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Coulombs law

F =k

|q1 q2 |
r2

where
k = 9.0 109 N m2 /C2
Compare with the gravitational
force:
F =G

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m1 m2
r2

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ConcepTest!
Two positively charged spheres are firmly fastened to insulating stands.
The charge on sphere 2 is three times the charge on sphere 1. Which force
diagram correctly shows the magnitude and direction of the electric forces?

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Coulombs law
Example
What is the electric force between an electron (q = 1.6 1019 C,
m = 9.1 1031 kg) and a proton (q = +1.6 1019 C,
m = 1.7 1027 kg) spaced 1.0 mm apart? How about the gravitational
force? Which is stronger?
Use Coulombs law. (Ill remove the units for brevity.)
Fe = k

|q1 q2 |
r2

= (9.0 109 )

|(1.6 1019 )(1.6 1019 )|

(1.0 103 )2

= 2.3 1022 N .

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Coulombs law
Example
What is the electric force between an electron (q = 1.6 1019 C,
m = 9.1 1031 kg) and a proton (q = +1.6 1019 C,
m = 1.7 1027 kg) spaced 1.0 mm apart? How about the gravitational
force? Which is stronger?
Use the law of gravitation.
F =G

m1 m2
r2

= (6.7 1011 )

(1.7 1027 )(9.1 1031 )

(1.0 103 )2

= 1.0 1061 N .
The electric force is much stronger than the gravitational force.
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Coulombs law

Example
Three charged particles of the
same magnitude Q are arranged
as shown. What is the net force
on the middle particle?

Let the +x-axis point to the

right.
F~net,2 = F~1on2 + F~3on2
=k

Q2
Q2

+
k

d2
d2

= 2k

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Q2
.
d2

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Exercise!
Three 1.00- C spheres are located at distances d1 = 0.300 m and
d2 = 0.400 m. What is the magnitude of the net electrostatic force on
sphere B due to spheres A and C ?

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Exercise!

Let the +x-direction be to the right and the +y -direction be upward.

F~net,B = F~AonB + F~C onB
= (9.0 109 )

(1)2
(1)2
9

(9.0

10
)

(0.300)2
(0.400)2

= (1 1011 N) (5.625 1010 N)

The magnitude is
q
Fnet,B = (1 1011 )2 + (5.625 1010 )2 = 1.15 1011 N .

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What is a field?
Fieldmap
scalar field temeperature map, elevation map
vector field wind map, ocean current map

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What is a field?
Fieldmap
scalar field temeperature map, elevation map
vector field wind map, ocean current map

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Electric field
Electric field is electric force per unit charge.
F~0
E~ =
q0
Unit: N/C
Example: In a certain point in space, a 2- C charge feels a force of 4 N to
the left. Then the electric field at that point is
4 N to the left
= 2 N/C to the left.
E~ =
2C
A 3- C will feel a force of 6 N to the left, a 4- C will feel a force of 8 N to
the left, and so on.

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Electric field

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Electric field

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Electric field

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Electric field

1. A charged body sets up an electric field; and

2. another charged body feels a force due to the field.
The force is given by
F~0 = q0 E~

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Gravitational field

Compare the electric relation

F~0 = q0 E~
with the gravitational relation
F~ = m~g

Remark
The acceleration due to gravity, ~g , is the gravitational field.
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Electric field due to a point charge

For a point particle of charge q,
F0 = k

q0 q
r2

The electric field magnitude is

F0
q0


k qr02q
=
q0
q
=k 2
r

E=

Let r be a unit vector pointing radially outward

from q. Then
q
E~ = k 2 r
r
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Electric field due to a point charge

q
E~ = k 2 r
r
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Electric field due to a point charge

(q)
E~ = k 2 r
r
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Force due to an electric field

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Force due to an electric field

Example
An electron (q = 1.6 1019 C, m = 9.1 1031 kg) is released from
rest in a region where the electric field uniformly points upward with
magnitude 1.0 104 N/C. What is its acceleration in this region?

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Force due to an electric field

Example
If an electron (q = 1.6 1019 C, m = 9.1 1031 kg) is released from
rest in a region where the electric field uniformly points upward with
magnitude 1.0 104 N/C. What is its acceleration in this region?
Let the +y -direction be upward. Solve for the force.
F~0 = q0 E~ = (1.6 1019 )(+1.0 104 ) = (1.6 1015 N)
Solve for the acceleration using Newtons 2nd law.
F~0
1.6 1015
=
= (1.8 1015 m/s2 ) .
F~0 = m~a ~a =
m
9.1 1031

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Force due to an electric field

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ConcepTest!
An electron moves in an electric field pointing uniformly upward. It passes
by points A to D with velocities as shown. At which of the those points is
the electron speeding up?

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