Electrostatics

Front

What is electrostatics?

Back

Electrostatics is the branch of physics that studies electric charges at rest and the forces and fields associated with them.

Front

What is the principle of superposition in electrostatics?

Back

The principle of superposition states that the total electric field created by multiple charges is the vector sum of the electric fields created by each charge individually.

Front

What is an electric field?

Back

An electric field is a region around a charged object where other charged objects experience a force. It is represented by electric field lines that indicate the direction and strength of the field.

Front

How does the strength of an electric field change with distance from a point charge?

Back

The strength of an electric field decreases with the square of the distance from a point charge, following the inverse square law.

Front

What is the formula for calculating the electric force between two point charges?

Back

The electric force (F) between two point charges is given by Coulomb's law: F = k * |q1 * q2| / r^2, where k is Coulomb's constant, q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between the charges.

Front

What is the direction of the electric field created by a positive charge?

Back

The electric field created by a positive charge radiates outward from the charge.

Front

What is the direction of the electric field created by a negative charge?

Back

The electric field created by a negative charge points inward toward the charge.

Front

What happens to an electron placed in an electric field?

Back

An electron placed in an electric field will experience a force and will accelerate in the direction opposite to the electric field, as it is negatively charged.

Front

What is the safest place to be during a lightning storm?

Back

The safest place to be during a lightning storm is inside a building or a car, as they provide protection from lightning strikes.

Front

What is the relationship between electric field strength and force on a charge?

Back

The force (F) experienced by a charge (q) in an electric field (E) is given by F = qE. The force is directly proportional to both the charge and the strength of the electric field.