IB Physics Topic D.2.1 Electric Field Properties and Laws Revision Notes (SL/HL)

IB Physics Topic D.2.1 Electric Field Properties and Laws Revision Notes (SL/HL) | RevisionDojo

Written by official IB examiners

Electric Charge

Positive and Negative Charges

Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter, existing in two types: positive and negative.

Note

Protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge of equal magnitude.

Example

When you rub a plastic rod with a wool cloth, electrons transfer from the wool to the rod.
The rod becomes negatively charged, while the wool becomes positively charged.

Conservation of Charge

The total charge in an isolated system remains constant.

Example

If two spheres with charges of +4 μC and -2 μC touch and then separate, the total charge remains +2 μC.
Each sphere ends up with +1 μC.

Quantization of Charge

Charge is quantized, meaning it exists in discrete units of the elementary charge $e = 1.6 \times 10^{-19} \, \text{C}$.

Note

The charge of any object is always an integer multiple of $e$.

Millikan's Oil-Drop Experiment

Robert Millikan measured the charge on tiny oil droplets held between two charged plates, balancing the electric force against gravity.
Every droplet carried a charge that was a whole-number multiple of e, which is the direct evidence that charge is quantized.

Methods of Charging

Objects become charged when electrons move between them. Protons stay fixed in the nucleus, so it is always electrons that transfer.

Charging by friction
1. Rubbing two materials together transfers electrons from one to the other, so a plastic rod rubbed with wool becomes negatively charged.
Charging by contact
1. A charged object touching a conductor shares its charge, leaving both with the same sign of charge.

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Electric Charge

Positive and Negative Charges

Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter, existing in two types: positive and negative.

Note

Protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge of equal magnitude.

Example

When you rub a plastic rod with a wool cloth, electrons transfer from the wool to the rod.
The rod becomes negatively charged, while the wool becomes positively charged.

Conservation of Charge

The total charge in an isolated system remains constant.

Example

If two spheres with charges of +4 μC and -2 μC touch and then separate, the total charge remains +2 μC.
Each sphere ends up with +1 μC.

Quantization of Charge

Charge is quantized, meaning it exists in discrete units of the elementary charge $e = 1.6 \times 10^{-19} \, \text{C}$.

Note

The charge of any object is always an integer multiple of $e$.

Millikan's Oil-Drop Experiment

Robert Millikan measured the charge on tiny oil droplets held between two charged plates, balancing the electric force against gravity.
Every droplet carried a charge that was a whole-number multiple of e, which is the direct evidence that charge is quantized.

Methods of Charging

Objects become charged when electrons move between them. Protons stay fixed in the nucleus, so it is always electrons that transfer.

Charging by friction
1. Rubbing two materials together transfers electrons from one to the other, so a plastic rod rubbed with wool becomes negatively charged.
Charging by contact
1. A charged object touching a conductor shares its charge, leaving both with the same sign of charge.

Definition

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Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

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Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

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Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Topic A - Space, time and motion5 subtopics

Topic B - The particulate nature of matter5 subtopics

Topic C - Wave behaviour5 subtopics

Topic D - Fields4 subtopics

Topic E - Nuclear and quantum physics5 subtopics

IB Physics D.2.1 Electric Field Properties and Laws Notes

Electric Charge

Positive and Negative Charges

Conservation of Charge

Quantization of Charge

Millikan's Oil-Drop Experiment

Methods of Charging

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Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

Electric Charge

Positive and Negative Charges

Conservation of Charge

Quantization of Charge

Millikan's Oil-Drop Experiment

Methods of Charging

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

Topic A - Space, time and motion5 subtopics

Topic B - The particulate nature of matter5 subtopics

Topic C - Wave behaviour5 subtopics

Topic D - Fields4 subtopics

Topic E - Nuclear and quantum physics5 subtopics