Physics: Gravity, Static Electricity, and Electric Fields Overview

What is the force of gravity on Earth?

The force of gravity is equal in all directions and affects objects based on their distance from Earth's center.

What happens to acceleration due to gravity as distance from Earth's center changes?

Acceleration due to gravity varies with distance from Earth's center.

What is the law of electric charges?

Opposite charges attract, while like charges repel.

What is an elementary charge?

The charge of a proton or electron, approximately ±1.60 × 10^-19 coulombs.

What are insulators?

Materials that do not allow electrons to move easily, e.g., glass, rubber, plastic.

What is static electricity?

A buildup of electric charge on insulators.

What are conductors?

Materials that allow electrons to move easily, e.g., metals.

What is gravitational force?

A force that causes objects to attract each other based on their mass.

What does universal gravitation state?

Every particle attracts every other particle, proportional to mass and inversely proportional to the square of the distance.

What is the formula for gravitational force?

F = G(m₁m₂/r²), where G is the gravitational constant.

What does the law of conservation of charge state?

Charge can be transferred, but the total charge in a closed system remains constant.

What is Coulomb's Law?

It describes the electric force between two point charges, given by Fe = k(q₁q₂/r²).

What is an electric field?

The region in which a force is exerted on an electric charge.

How is electric field strength defined?

Electric field strength is the force per unit charge at a point in space.

What is the significance of gravitational field strength?

It indicates the force of attraction per unit mass at a point in space.

What does the superposition principle state?

The resultant vector at a point equals the sum of individual vectors from all sources.

What is the direction of electric field lines for positive and negative charges?

Electric field lines point away from positive charges and toward negative charges.

What is the relationship between electric force and distance?

Electric force decreases as the distance between charges increases.

What is the effect of electric fields on objects?

Electric fields can affect objects without physical contact.

What is the gravitational field?

A collection of vectors that determines the magnitude and direction of the gravitational force around an object.

What happens to gravitational force as distance increases?

Gravitational force decreases as distance increases.

What is the magnitude of the gravitational force between two objects?

It is equal and opposite, meaning both objects exert the same force on each other.