Unit 6: Static Electricity Objectives

Unit 6: Static Electricity Objectives

Focus Question:

• How is electrical charge conserved as a result of particles coming near and/or coming in contact with one another?

You Should KNOW:

• SI units (International System of units).
• Objects with electric charge can exert electrical forces on each other.
• Electrical forces can be attractive or repulsive.
• Strength and direction of forces between objects can be represented with field lines by using a positive test particle.
• The inverse square law (Coulomb's Law) applies to electrical fields.
• Energy can be stored in electric fields. This energy may be transferred through conductors or through space, and may be converted to other forms.
• Electrical charge can be transferred resulting in an equal distribution of charge.
• Charge is quantized on two levels. On the atomic level, charge is restricted to multiples of the elementary charge (charge on the electron or proton).
• Only electrons can be transferred.
• Electric potential, or voltage, at any point in an electric field is the electrical potential energy per charge for a charged object at that point.
• Electric field lines go from positive to negative.

You Should BE ABLE TO:

• Develop skills and protocols in selecting and using proper formulas that require calculating force, charge, electric field strength, or potential difference (voltage) depending on the given values.
• Convert between charges (elementary charge → coulombs).
• Calculate the resulting charges on objects after being brought in contact with one another.
• Observe and explain polarization, induction, and conduction.
• Evaluate the relationships between variables in a given equation (i.e. inverse square law: F_e, r).
• Map the electrical field of simple charge configurations.

You Should UNDERSTAND:

• All charge transfers are governed by the law of conservation of charge.
• Energy and matter interact through forces that result in changes in motion.