Physics Electrostatics Vocab

Electric charge

The property acquired by a material due to rubbing, causing objects to attract or repel each other.

Like charges

Repel each other.

Opposite charges

Attract each other.

Electric force

The force exerted between charged objects.

Magnetic vs. electric interactions

Not the same; atoms have a neutral charge unless they gain or lose electrons.

Ion

An atom or object that has gained or lost electrons.

Positive ion

An object that has lost an electron.

Negative ion

An object that has gained an electron.

Conductor

A material that contains free-moving charged particles, allowing charge transfer.

Insulator (Dielectric)

A material where charges cannot freely move but can shift through polarization.

Electric charge symbol

q or Q.

Electric charge unit

Coulombs (C).

Quantization of charge

Charge changes only in specific increments.

Conservation of charge

Charge cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred.

Coulomb's Law

Describes the force between two charges: \( F = k \frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2} \).

Charge of a proton

\( 1.6 \times 10^{-19} \) C.

Charge of an electron

\( -1.6 \times 10^{-19} \) C.

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

\( F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2} \), describing gravitational force.

uninversal gravitational potential energy

mass (earth) mass (object) radius (E*O)

Potential energy bar charts

Show initial gravitational potential energy (\( U_g \)), work done, and final gravitational potential energy (\( U_g \)).