Physics #5 Flashcards
electrostatics
the study of stationary charges and the forces that are created by and which act upon these charges
gravity is ____ an attractive force
always
is static charge buildup/static electricity more significant in drier air or humid air?
drier air because the lower humidity makes it easier for charge to become and remain separated
what is the charge of an electron or a proton?
1 Coloumb
1.6x10^-19
like mass and energy, electric charge is governed by a _______. This law states that charge can neither be created nor destroyed.
law of conservation of charge
insulator
will not easily distribute a charge over its surface and will not transfer that charge to another neutral object very well.
why are insulators poor conductors?
on a molecular level, the electrons of insulators tend to be closely linked with their respective nuclei.
conductor
when given a charge, the charges will distribute approximately evenly upon the surface of the conductor.
why are conductors so good at transferring charge?
they are considered as positive nuclei surrounded by a sea of electrons.
where do electric field lines point?
toward the negative charge.
how do electric fields make their presence known?
by exerting forces on other charges that move into the space of the field.
what is small q vs. big Q
Q: source charge
q: test charge
Is electric field a vector or scalar quantity?
vector
by convention, the direction of the electric field vector is given as the direction that a____ test charge would move in the presence of the source charge
positive
what do the electric field lines look like for a neutral point in space?
there are none.
does the source charge or the point charge create the electric field?
the source charge
what is the sign on potential energy if the charges are like charges?
positive
what is the sign on potential energy if the sizes are not like charges
negative
what are q1 and q1 in the electrostatic force equation?
magnitude of charges
How is electrical potential energy defined?
for a charge at a point in space in an electric field it is the amount of work necessary to bring the charge from infinitely far away to that point.
A smaller (more negative) potential energy represents _____ stability
more
where do two like charges have the greatest stability?
furthest apart
where do two unlike charges have the greatest stability?
closest to each other
is electric potential a scalar quantity or vector quantity?
scalar