Electrostatics & Electromagnetism Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards generated from the Electrostatics & Electromagnetism review questionnaire.

Electrostatics

The study of stationary electric charges and how they interact.

Electrification

The process of giving an object an electric charge, typically by friction, contact, or induction.

Repulsion-attraction law

The law stating that opposite charges attract and like charges repel.

Inverse square law

The principle stating that as objects get closer, the electric or magnetic pull becomes stronger.

Charge distribution on a conductor

The concentration of charge on a conductor, which is highest where there is curvature.

Movement law of electrification

The electrification law stating that only negative charges move.

Three methods of electrification

Friction, conduction, and induction.

Conduction (electrification)

The method of electrification that involves direct contact.

Conductor

A material that allows electric charges to flow easily, such as copper and aluminum.

Semiconductor

Materials that allow electrons to flow under special conditions and have moderate conductivity, such as silicon and germanium.

Superconductor

A material category that has zero resistance at very low temperatures.

Conventional current

Electric current that flows in the direction from positive to negative potentials.

Electron flow

The flow of electrons directed from negative to positive potentials.

Ampere

The SI unit of electric current.

Volt

The SI unit of potential difference or voltage.

Ohm

The SI unit of resistance.

Ohm's law

The law represented by the equation $V = IR$.

Watt

The SI unit of power.

Electrical power equation

An equation for electrical power given by $P = IV$.

Electromagnetism

The study of the relationship between electricity and magnetism.

Magnetic flux

A measure of the number of magnetic field lines passing through a surface.

Magnetic induction

Generating an electric current in a conductor by exposing it to a changing magnetic field.

Paramagnetism

A type of magnetism describing materials with low permeability and weak attraction to magnetic fields.

Ferromagnetism

A type of magnetism describing materials that are highly permeable and greatly susceptible to induction.

Diamagnetism

A type of magnetism describing materials that weakly repel magnetic fields.

Mutual induction

The process where a changing current in one coil induces a current in another nearby coil, serving as the principle behind transformers.

Auto-transformer

A transformer with a single winding and an adjustable tap.

Copper loss

Transformer loss caused by resistance in the coils that produces heat.

Generator

A device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Motor

A device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Capacitor

A device that momentarily stores energy in the form of an electric charge.

Rectification

The conversion of AC (alternating current) to DC (direct current) using rectifiers.

N-type semiconductor

A semiconductor type that has an excess of electrons in the valence shell.

Doping

Adding a small amount of one substance to a large amount of another to change physical or chemical properties.

Diode rectifier

A component formed by joining a p-type and an n-type semiconductor to create a p-n junction diode.

Half-wave rectification

A rectification process where only half of the AC cycle is used or converted.

Full-wave rectification

A rectification process where both halves of the AC cycle are used.

Forward bias

A state in which a junction allows electric current to flow.

Reverse bias

A state in which a junction does not allow current to flow.

Voltage ripple

The difference between maximum and minimum voltages.