Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

OBJECTIVES
❑ Describe what charges are;
❑ Describe the different methods of charging;
❑ Differentiate conductors and insulators;
❑ Describe the relationship among electric force, charge and
distance between charges as indicated by Coulomb’s Law; and
❑ Apply Coulomb’s Law in determining the net electric force on
point charges
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NATURE OF CHARGES
▪ can be positive (+q) or negative (-q)
▪ LIKE charges REPEL, OPPOSITE charges
ATTRACT
▪ conserved
▪ measured in coulombs (C)
▪ charge of an electron (e) = -1.60 x 10-19 C
▪ charge of a proton (p) = +1.60 x 10-19 C
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

CHARGED OBJECTS
a CHARGED object has an
UNEQUAL number of protons
and electrons in its atoms

If the object is not charged, does it mean that it has no

positive or negative charges?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

HOW DOES AN OBJECT BECOME CHARGED?

▪ CHARGING BY FRICTION. transfer of electrons
between the two objects rubbed together

What determines
whether which
object loses or gains
the electrons?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

HOW DOES AN OBJECT BECOME CHARGED?

▪ CHARGING BY INDUCTION. bringing a charged object close to a
conductor without actually touching it
Conductors – materials
where electrons can freely
move

Polarization – separation
of opposite charges within
an object
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

HOW DOES AN OBJECT BECOME CHARGED?

▪ CHARGING BY CONDUCTION. contact between a charged object
and a neutral conductor
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

COULOMB’S LAW
COULOMB’S FIRST LAW
The size of the force of attraction/repulsion between the two charges is
directly proportional to the value of the charge.

COULOMB’S SECOND LAW

The size of the force of attraction/repulsion between the two charges is
inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two charges.
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

COULOMB’S LAW EQUATION

𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐
𝑭𝒆 = 𝒌 𝟐
𝒓
where:
𝐅𝐞 − electric force in newtons (N)
1
𝐤= = 9.0 x 109 Nm2/C2
4πε
𝐪𝟏 , 𝐪𝟐 − charge in coulombs C
𝐫 − distance between two charges in meters (m)
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

COULOMB’S LAW
The force between two charges q1 and q2 separated by a distance r is
given by:
𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐
𝑭=𝒌 𝟐
𝒓
How will the force change if q1 will be twice as great?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

COULOMB’S LAW
The force between two charges q1 and q2 separated by a distance r is
given by:
𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐
𝑭=𝒌 𝟐
𝒓
How will the force change if q1 will be reduced to half?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

COULOMB’S LAW
The force between two charges q1 and q2 separated by a distance r is
given by:
𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐
𝑭=𝒌 𝟐
𝒓
How will the force change if r will be thrice as great?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

COULOMB’S LAW
The force between two charges q1 and q2 separated by a distance r is
given by:
𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐
𝑭=𝒌 𝟐
𝒓
How will the force change if r will be reduced to one-third ?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

TRY THIS
✓ Two charges, q1 and q2 are separated by a distance r. If q2 will
tripled, by how much will the force between the charges change?

ANS: three times as great

 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

TRY THIS
✓ Two charges, q1 and q2 are separated by a distance r. If the distance
between the charges will be increased to four times as great, what
will happen to the force between the two charges?

ANS: reduced to 1/16

 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

TRY THIS
✓ Two charges, q1 and q2 are separated by a distance r. If q1 will be
reduced to one-fourth and the distance between the charges will be
reduced to one-half, what will happen to the force between the two
charges?

ANS: remains the same

 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

EXERCISE
▪ Two charges, q1 and q2 are separated by a distance r. How much will
the change in the force be if both q1 and q2 will be twice as great?
▪ Two charges, q1 and q2 are separated by a distance 3r. The value of
the charges are given by q1=3q2. How much will the change in the
force be if the distance will be reduced to r?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

EXERCISE
▪ Two charges, q1 and q2 are separated by a distance r/2. The value
of the charges are given by q1=q2/4. How much will the change in
the force be if the q1 will be quadrupled and the distance will be
increased to 2r?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

CAUTION CHECK YOUR

UNDERSTANDING
Suppose there are 2 charges, q1 and q2 separated
by a distance r. q2 is twice as large as q1. How Three charges, q1, q2
will you compare the force exerted by q1 on q2 and q3 are separated
by a distance r from
(F12) and the force exerted by q2 on q1 (F21)? each other. q1 is twice
as great as q2 and is
You may think that F21 is greater than F12 because equal with q3. Are the
forces F12 and F21
q2 is larger than q1. But actually, these two equal? How about F21
forces are equal in magnitude! and F31?
Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

DIRECTION OF FORCE
Suppose there is a proton p1 and an electron e that lie on a
straight line as shown.

What is the direction of force exerted by p1 on e? by e on p1?

 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

DIRECTION OF FORCE
Since p1 and e are opposite charges, they exert attractive force
on each other.

blue arrow: force exerted by e on p1

red arrow: force exerted by p1 on e
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Suppose there are two protons, p1 and p2 and an electron e
that lie on a straight line as shown.
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

What is the direction of the force exerted by p1 on e? by p2
on e?
Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Since p and e are unlike charges, e experiences an
attractive force due to p1 and p2 . Thus,
Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Since p1 is closer to e, the force it exerts (red arrow) is
greater than the force exerted by p2 on e (blue arrow).
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Now, using your knowledge of vector addition, what is the
direction of the net force acting on e due to p1 and p2?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Suppose there are three charges, Q, Q and q positioned at
the vertices of an equilateral triangle as shown. What is
the net force acting on q?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Since q and Q are like
charges, q will experience a
repulsive force due to the
two Q charges.
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Resolving the forces to their
components,
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

NET ELECTRIC FORCE

Since the forces along the
x-axis will cancel out, the
net force is given by
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

TRY THIS
✓ Two protons p1 and p2 and an electron e lie on a straight line as
shown.

What is the direction of the net force on p1 due to e and p2?

ANS: to the right

 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

TRY THIS
✓ Three positive charges, Q, Q and q are placed on the vertices of an
equilateral triangle as shown.

TRUE or FALSE. The force on Q (left side) due to Q (right side) and q is a
straight line parallel to the base of the triangle.

ANS: FALSE
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

EXERCISE
▪ Two protons p1 and p2 and an electron e lie on a straight line as shown.

a. How will you compare the magnitude of the force exerted by e on p2 and
the force exerted by p1 on p2?
b. Using an arrow, show the direction of the net electric force on p2 due to e
and p1?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

EXERCISE
DIRECTION: Answer the following.
▪ Two electrons, e1 and e2 and a proton p are placed on the vertices of an
equilateral triangle as shown. +

- -

Using an arrow, show the direction of the net electric force on the proton due to
the two electrons.
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

PROBLEM SOLVING ON COULOMB’S LAW (2D)

Two point charges are located on the positive x-axis of a
coordinate system. Charge q1 = 1.0 nC is 2.0 cm from the
origin and charge q2 = -3.0 nC is 4.0 cm from the origin.
What is the force exerted by q2 on q1?
Two point charges are located on the
positive x-axis of a coordinate
system. Charge q1 = 1.0 nC is 2.0 cm
from the origin and charge q2 = -3.0
nC is 4.0 cm from the origin. What is
the force exerted by q2 on q1?
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

PROBLEM SOLVING ON COULOMB’S LAW (2D)

Two point charges, q1 and q2 ,are located on the y-axis as
follows: charge q1 = -1.50 nC at y = -0.600 m, and charge
q2 = +3.20 nC at the origin (y = 0). What is the net force
exerted by these two charges on a third charge q3 = +5.00
nC located at y = -0.400 m?
Two point charges, q1 and q2 ,are
located on the y-axis as follows:
charge q1 = -1.50 nC at y = -0.600 m,
and charge q2 = +3.20 nC at the
origin (y = 0). What is the net force
exerted by these two charges on a
third charge q3 = +5.00 nC located
at y = -0.400 m?
Two point charges, q1 and q2 ,are
located on the y-axis as follows:
charge q1 = -1.50 nC at y = -0.600 m,
and charge q2 = +3.20 nC at the
origin (y = 0). What is the net force
exerted by these two charges on a
third charge q3 = +5.00 nC located
at y = -0.400 m?
Two point charges, q1 and q2 ,are
located on the y-axis as follows:
charge q1 = -1.50 nC at y = -0.600 m,
and charge q2 = +3.20 nC at the
origin (y = 0). What is the net force
exerted by these two charges on a
third charge q3 = +5.00 nC located
at y = -0.400 m?
Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

PROBLEM SOLVING ON COULOMB’S LAW (2D)

Three charges are at the corners of an
isosceles triangle as shown. Find the
force exerted by the two 5.00 𝜇𝐶
charges on the −10.00 𝜇𝐶 charge.
Three charges are at the corners of an isosceles triangle as shown. Find the force exerted by the
two 5.00 𝜇𝐶 charges on the −10.00 𝜇𝐶 charge.
Three charges are at the corners of an isosceles triangle as shown. Find the force exerted by the
two 5.00 𝜇𝐶 charges on the −10.00 𝜇𝐶 charge.
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

PROBLEM SOLVING ON COULOMB’S LAW (2D)

Four identical charges Q of value 1.00 𝑛𝐶 are placed at the
corners of a square of side L = 0.5 m. Find the magnitude
+
and
direction of the total force exerted on one charge by the other
three charges.
- -
Four identical charges Q of value 1.00 𝑛𝐶 are placed at the corners of a square of side L = 0.5 m. Find
the magnitude and direction of the total force exerted on one charge by the other three charges.
Four identical charges Q of value 1.00 𝑛𝐶 are placed at the corners of a square of side L = 0.5 m. Find
the magnitude and direction of the total force exerted on one charge by the other three charges.
Four identical charges Q of value 1.00 𝑛𝐶 are placed at the corners of a square of side L = 0.5 m. Find
the magnitude and direction of the total force exerted on one charge by the other three charges.
Four identical charges Q of value 1.00 𝑛𝐶 are placed at the corners of a square of side L = 0.5 m. Find
the magnitude and direction of the total force exerted on one charge by the other three charges.
 Electric Charge, Electric Force, and Coulomb’s Law

PROBLEM SOLVING ON COULOMB’S LAW (3D)

Suppose we have two like charges Q1 and
Q2. Let F2 is the force experienced by Q2,
the vector r1 be the position vector for
+

Q1 and the vector r2 be the position

vector for Q2. Then the vector R12 - -
represents the directed line segment
(distance) from Q1 to Q2.
 𝑘𝑄1 𝑄2
𝐹Ԧ𝑒 = 2 ෝ
𝒂 𝟏𝟐
𝑅12
TRY THIS

෡ 𝑵
ANS: 𝟒 𝒊Ƹ − 𝟐𝒋Ƹ − 𝟒𝒌