Electricity & Magnetism: Electric Force

Flashcards covering key concepts related to electric force, charges, and their properties.

Electric Charge is measured in?

Measured in Coulombs (C), it can be positive or negative. (1 Coulomb = 6.25×10^18 electrons or protons)

Neutral Charge

Condition where the number of protons equals the number of electrons, resulting in no net charge.

Positive Charge

Occurs when an object has fewer electrons than protons due to the loss of electrons.

Negative Charge

Occurs when an object has more electrons than protons due to the gain of electrons.

Law of Conservation of Charge

Total charge in an isolated system remains constant; charges are transferred between objects.

Conduction

Process by which charged objects transfer charge by direct contact with other objects.

Conductor

Material that readily transfers charge.

Insulator

Material that does not transfer charge.

Grounding

Neutralizing charge by connecting an object to the Earth.

Spark Discharge

Occurs when a charge is large enough for the air to ionize, resulting in a discharge (e.g., lightning).

Law of Electrostatics

Like charges repel each other while unlike charges attract.

Electric Force

The force that acts between charged objects, proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Electric Potential Energy

The energy stored in charged objects due to their position relative to each other.

Kinetic Energy

The energy of moving charges.