BEACONHOUSE

Physics 5054
Electrical quantities
BASIC CONCEPT
• An object can store electric charges that cannot flow. These charges are called
STATIC CHARGES where the word static means stationary.
Where do these charges come from?
• All the materials made up of tiny particles called ATOM.
• An atom contains electrons, protons and neutrons

• Electrons orbit the nucleus.

• Protons and neutrons resides inside the nucleus and are collectively known as
nucleons.
• Neutrons have no charge, electrons are negatively (-) charged and protons are
positively (+) charged.
• An atom is electrically neutral the number of protons is equal to the number of
electrons.
• When excess electrons are added to an atom, the atom becomes negatively
charged.
• When electrons are removed from an atom, the atom becomes positively charged

• LAW OF ELECTROSTATICS:
Like charges attract each other whereas the unlike charges repels each other
ELECTRIC CHARGE AND IT’S MEASUREMENT:
‘’An electric charge is anything that produces an electric field in the space

around it. It can be positive or negative’’

• Electric charge is a scalar quantity and its represented by a symbol q.
• The amount of electric charge (q) flowing through a point in a circuit is given by the
product of current ( I ) and time (t) of flow of the current across the point, that is:

q=Ixt
• Alternatively, q = ne
(where n = number of electrons or protons, e = charge of an electron or proton)
• Magnitude of charge e = 1.6x 10-19 C
• S.I unit of electric charges (q) is coulomb (C)
• The coulomb is defined in terms of the ampere. If 1 ampere of current flows in 1
second, then the total charge moved is 1 coulomb.
• Calculate the number of electrons in 1 C
charge.
• 1 C of electric charge
• q = ne
• n= q/e
• 1 / 1.6x10-19 = 6.25 x 1018 electrons
CONDUCTORS
• Conductors are materials that allow electric charges to flow through
them easily. E.g. metals ( e.g. copper, aluminium, steel, iron) etc..
• metallic conductors are made up of positively charged metal ions with
their outermost electrons delocalised. This means the electrons are free
to move
INSULATORS
• Insulators are materials that do not allow electric charges to flow
through them easily.
• The electrons are tightly bound to the atoms and they are not free to
move.
• E.g. plastic, rubber, wood, glass etc..
Electron model of conductors and insulators
Describe an experiment to distinguish between
electrical conductors and insulators
CHARGING BY FRICITON
TRY IT YOURSELF:
• Rub a plastic ruler with a piece of cloth and then hold it near some tiny pieces of
paper. The rubbed plastic ruler attracts the piece of paper.

• Rub a balloon with a piece of cloth and then hold it near (but not touching) a thin
stream of water from tap. The rubbed balloon attracts the stream of running
water.

Both ruler and balloon got charged because of friction with the piece of cloth.
EXPLANATION:
When two uncharged/ neutral objects rubs together, some electrons from one object
moves onto the other object. The object gaining the electron becomes negatively
charged while the object loosing the electrons becomes positively charged.
For Example:
When a cloth rubbed with a Perspex rod it becomes positively charged as shown
below.
BEFORE RUBBING AFTER RUBBING

The Perspex rod becomes positively charged and the cloth becomes negatively
charged, that is because from the rod electrons transferred into cloth. So there are
net positive charge in rod and net negative charge in cloth.
Describe experiments to show electrostatic
charging by friction
• When certain insulating solids are rubbed against
each other, they can become electrically charged
– This is called charging by friction
• The charges remain on the insulators and cannot
immediately flow away
– One gains a net positive charge and the other gains a
net negative charge
• An example of this is a plastic or polythene rod
being charged by rubbing it with a cloth
– Both the rod and cloth are insulating materials
The experimental results of charging by friction are given in the table below

Material Positive charge Negative charge

Glass rod rubbed with silk Glass Silk

Ebonite rod rubbed with fur Fur Ebonite

Plastic comb rubbed with hair Hair Comb

Perspex ruler rubbed with cloth Perspex Cloth

Polythene strip rubbed with cloth Cloth Polythene

NOTE:
Charging of solid object involves movement/ transfer of electrons from one object to
another. However, there is no movement of positive charges (which are the nuclei of
the atoms).
 Precautions
• Reduce the effects of environmental factors (e.g. close
windows to reduce drafts) to ensure the motion of the
polythene rod is due to electric forces only

• Make sure not to touch the ends of the rods once they
have been charged (if the ends are touched, the rods
will discharge and the forces will no longer be present)

• Produce greater deflections by rubbing the rods for a

longer period to transfer more charge (ensuring that the
time spent rubbing each rod is the same)
CHARGING BY INDUCTION
‘’When a charged object is bought near a neutral one, then positive and negative
charges on neutral object are separated. This effect is called electrostatic induction”
CHARGING OF TWO METAL SPHERE BY INDUCTION:
Step 1: keep two metal spheres in contact with each other on insulating stands.
Step 2: Rub the Perspex rod with cloth to make the rod positively charged and Place the
positively charged rod near sphere A. This causes the electrons from sphere B to be attracted to
the left of sphere A, leaving the right side positively charged.
Step 3: With the positively charged rod in place, sphere B is moved away from sphere A.
Step 4: Now take the positively charged rod away from the sphere A. The net charge on sphere A
is negative and on B is positive. These induced charges then distribute themselves uniformly
over the surface of the metal sphere.
CHARGING OF A SINGLE METAL SPHERE BY INDUCTION:
Earthing: The process by which electrons flow to or from the earth through a conducting path.
The symbol for earthing is:

Step 1: keep the negatively charged rod near a neutral sphere. The positive and negative charges
are induced on the sphere.
Step 2: Earth the negative side of the sphere. The electron move out from sphere to earth,
leaving positive charges on sphere.
Step 3: Disconnect the earth connection and then move the rod away from the sphere. The
induced charges spread uniformly over the surface of the metal sphere and charge on sphere
remains positive.
CHARGING OF A NEUTRAL OBJECT BY CONDUCTION ( CONTACT )

• A metal sphere with an excess of negative charge is brought near to a neutral

object.
• Upon contact, electron move from the sphere to the object and spread about
uniformly.
• The metal sphere now has less electrons and the object is now negatively charged.
DISCHARGING OF INSULATORS

• HEATING
Heating the air causes ionization of the air molecules. A charged insulator in ionized
air will then discharge either by loosing or gaining electrons and becomes neutral.
• HUMIDITY
In humid weather, the water molecules held in air provides a conducting path to the
charges at the surface of the insulator and makes it loose or gain electrons to become
neutral.

DISCHARGING OF CONDUCTORS

One way to discharge a charged conductor is by earthing it. Earthing a charged

conductor is to provide a path for the excess electrons to flow away or for electrons to
flow into the conductor. This will cause the conductor to lose its charge and become
neutral.
ELECTRIC FIELD:
Concept
• Electric charges create electric fields in the regions surrounding them
(Similar to the way in which magnets create magnetic fields)
• The electric field is the region in which another charge will experience a force.
• Electric field is represented by electric field lines around the charge.

BASIC CONVENTIONS WHEN DRAWING FIELD LINES

• Field lines extend out from positive charges

• Field lines go into negative charges
• All field lines are continuous curves or lines without breaks
• Field lines never cross each other’s path
• Field lines in the same direction tend to stay as far apart as possible
• Field lines in the opposite direction tend to cancel each other
• When electric field strength increases (i.e. charge is stronger), the number of field
lines increase.
• Field lines are always perpendicular from its source.
• Examples of Electric field line patterns:
(a) Electric field of an Isolated positive charge (b) Electric field of an Isolated negative charge

(c) electric field between two unlike charges (d) electric field between two like positive charges

weaker
field

Stronger
field

Null or neutral point

(e) electric field between two like negative charges (f) electric field between two parallel
plates Arc at
the edge

Uniform
field

Null or neutral point

(g) electric field between a negatively charged plate and a

positively charged sphere

(h) electric field between a positively charged plate and a

negatively charged sphere
 HAZARDS OF STATIC ELECTRICITY
• LIGHTNING
In a thunderstorm, the clouds gets charged due to the friction between the water
molecules and air molecules as the wind shifts them around. When charged cloud comes
above the buildings, trees and ground, the buildings trees and ground induces
opposite charge as in cloud. So the large potential difference between cloud and
Earth is produced, as a result electrons moves through the air and collide with air
molecules in the air and cause them to give out lightning flash. It can burn forests,
damage houses and kill peoples.
LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR:
Buildings, especially tall ones, are frequently subjected to lightning attacks. If a
building is not suitably “protected”, its structure would be severely damaged in the
process. Lightning rods are now fitted in top of buildings for protection. When
thunderclouds are nearby, positive charges are induced on the lightning conductors.
The induced positive charges remove the electrons from the nearby air and ionize the
surrounding air. The positively charged air then flow upwards to neutralize the
thundercloud.
• REFUELING:
When the oil tanks are refueling, the oil and refueling pipe may charge up because of
the friction. So the charges build up may collide/get attracted with each other and
spark may produce, which leads to catch the fire in the oil tank. So to stop building up
the charge, the oil tank must be earthed.
• Tyres of a moving truck acquire negative charge by friction from the road. Parts of
the metal body of the truck near the tyres then become positively charged by
induction and sparks may be produced. This can cause flammable material in the
truck to catch fire or explode. That is why trucks carrying inflammable liquids
usually have a metal chain dangling to the ground at the rear. Oil tanks and pipes
are earthed to prevent static electricity from building up.

• Aircraft tyres are made of slightly conductive rubber so that during touchdown, the
charges that have built up on the body of the aircraft during flight can be
discharged harmlessly.
 USES OF STATIC ELECTRICITY
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR
Tiny particles of soot, ash, and dust are major components of the airborne emissions from fossil
fuel-burning power plants and from many industrial processing plants. Electrostatic precipitators
can remove nearly all of these particles from the emissions. The fuel gas containing the particles is
passed between the series of positively charged metal plates and negatively charged wires. The
strong electric field around the wires creates negative charges in the particles. The negatively
Charged particles are attracted by positively charged plates and collect on them. Periodically, the
plates are shaken so that the collected soot, ash, and dust slide down into a collection hopper.
PAINT SPRAYING/CROP SPRAYING
The principles &electrostatics are used in the process of spraying for e.g. in the automotive
Industry to paint cars. The nozzle of the spray gun is given a charge. The paint droplets exiting the
nozzle gain this charge. As the droplets all hold the same charge they repel each other so that
they spread out into a fine mist and are attracted to the opposite charged object to be painted.
The same principle is used in crop spraying. Fertilizer pesticide is given the same charge so the
droplets repel to form a larger cloud thereby increasing the coverage. These are then attracted to
the crops.
Advantages:
• Less wastage and mess--All the paint/pesticide ends up on the car body/crop, very little is
wasted.
• Good adhesion--Because of attraction between the opposite charges the paint/pesticide
adheres well.
• Neater job - The paint is distributed evenly across the surface giving a uniform coating.
PHOTOCOPIER/LASER PRINTER:
Photocopiers consist of a light sensitive drum which is positively charged. Image of document to
be copied is projected on to the drum using a light beam. The dark areas on the paper absorb the
light and the white areas reflect the light back onto the drum. The reflected light neutralizes the
positive charges while the dark areas on the paper (text or picture) that do not reflect light leave
regions of positive charges on the surface of the drum. Negatively charged toner (ink) is then
sprayed over the drum which gets attracted to the positively charged pattern on the drum. A
sheet of paper (also positively charged) is then passed over the drum. The particles of toner are
attracted to it and fused into place by a short burst of heat. A laser printer works on the same
principle as the photocopier except that In a laser printer laser beam is used to transfer the image
data on drum.
 PHET SIMULATION

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PAST PAPER QUESTIONS
M/J 06/P1/Q29
M/J 06/P1/Q29
M/J 08/P1/Q28

O/N 08/P1/Q27
M/J 08/P1/Q28

O/N 08/P1/Q27
M/J 17/P22/Q8
SOLUTION M/J 17/P22/Q8
M/J 05/P1/Q26
M/J 05/P1/Q26
O/N 18/P11/Q24 AND Q25
O/N 18/P11/Q24 AND Q25
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SOLUTION O/N 13/P22/Q6