Physics 132: Electric Fields, Charges, and Optics Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering electric charges, grounding, conductors and insulators, electric and gravitational field fundamentals, and optical correction from Physics 132 lecture notes.

Conductor

A material in which electric charges are able to move freely.

Insulator

A material in which electric charges cannot move.

Grounding

The connection of an object to the Earth, which is a large conductor capable of absorbing or providing an essentially endless number of electrons.

Conservation of Charge

The fundamental principle stating that the total electric charge within an isolated system remains constant.

Electrograph

A device with movable leaves used to detect electric charge, which spread apart and repel each other when like charges are present.

Charging by Induction

A charging process where a charged rod is brought near a grounded conductor without touching it, the ground connection is severed, and the rod is removed, resulting in a net opposite charge on the conductor.

Polar Molecule

A molecule, such as water, that possesses oppositely charged ends and is attracted to external electric charges.

Gravitational Field ($\vec{g}$)

A field generated by a mass with units of $N/kg$ that has magnitude, direction, and energy, exerting a force $\vec{F}^G = m\bar{g}$ on other masses.

Electric Field ($\vec{E}$)

A field generated by electric charges with units of $N/C$ that has a magnitude, direction at each point, and energy, exerting an electric force on other charges.

Electric Force ($\vec{F}^E$)

The force experienced by a charge $q$ within an electric field $\vec{E}$, described by the formula $\vec{F}^E = q\bar{E}$, which produces an acceleration $\vec{a} = \frac{\vec{F}^E}{m}$.

Electric Field Lines

Directional lines pointing radially away from positive charges and toward negative charges, where a higher density of lines represents a stronger field.

Surface Area of a Sphere ($A = 4\pi r^2$)

The geometric equation governing how field lines spread out symmetrically in three dimensions from an isolated point charge.

Converging Lens

An optical element designed to bring parallel rays of light together to a single point, commonly used to correct hyperopia.

Diverging Lens

An optical element designed to spread parallel rays of light outward.

Hyperopia

A vision condition where the patient has a near point located further back than normal, which can be corrected using a converging lens to form an image on the retina.