Lesson 18.2: Electrostatic Force

These flashcards cover key concepts related to electrostatic force, charging methods, and properties of electric charge.

Coulomb’s Law

A relationship that describes the force between two charged objects, stating that like charges repel and opposite charges attract.

Charging by Conduction

The process of transferring electrons from one object to another by direct contact.

Charging by Induction

The rearrangement of electrons on a neutral object caused by a nearby charged object, without direct contact.

Electroscope

An instrument used to detect electric charge, consisting of a metal knob connected to two thin metal leaves.

Insulator

A material that does not easily allow electricity to pass through.

Grounding

The process of removing excess charge from an object by connecting it to the earth.

Positive Charge

A condition where an object has more protons than electrons.

Negative Charge

A condition where an object has more electrons than protons.

Polarization

The process where charge separation occurs in a neutral object when placed in an electric field.

Magnitude of Electric Charge

The amount of electric charge carried by a particle, typically measured in coulombs (C).