electron that is free to move away from its atomic orbit

material that allows electrons to move separately from their atomic orbits; object with properties that allow charges to move about freely within it

total source charge composed of so large a number of elementary charges that it must be treated as continuous, rather than discrete

SI unit of electric charge

another term for the electrostatic force

mathematical equation calculating the electrostatic force vector between two charged particles

two equal and opposite charges that are fixed close to each other

physical property of an object that causes it to be attracted toward or repelled from another charged object; each charged object generates and is influenced by a force called an electric force

physical phenomenon created by a charge; it “transmits” a force between a two charges

noncontact force observed between electrically charged objects

particle surrounding the nucleus of an atom and carrying the smallest unit of negative charge

phenomenon of two objects with opposite charges attracting each other

amount and direction of attraction or repulsion between two charged bodies; the assumption is that the source charges have no acceleration

phenomenon of two objects with like charges repelling each other

study of charged objects which are not in motion

smooth, usually curved line that indicates the direction of the electric field

number of field lines per square meter passing through an imaginary area; its purpose is to indicate the field strength at different points in space

flat sheet in which the dimensions making up the area are much, much greater than its thickness, and also much, much greater than the distance at which the field is to be calculated; its field is constant

straight wire whose length is much, much greater than either of its other dimensions, and also much, much greater than the distance at which the field is to be calculated

material that holds electrons securely within their atomic orbits

atom or molecule with more or fewer electrons than protons

net electric charge of a closed system is constant

amount of charge in an element of a charge distribution that is essentially one-dimensional (the width and height are much, much smaller than its length); its units are C/m

neutral particle in the nucleus of an atom, with (nearly) the same mass as a proton

also called the permittivity of free space, and constant describing the strength of the electric force in a vacuum

slight shifting of positive and negative charges to opposite sides of an object

useful fact that we can simply add up all of the forces due to charges acting on an object

particle in the nucleus of an atom and carrying a positive charge equal in magnitude to the amount of negative charge carried by an electron

buildup of electric charge on the surface of an object; the arrangement of the charge remains constant (“static”)

concept that states that the net electric field of multiple source charges is the vector sum of the field of each source charge calculated individually

amount of charge in an element of a two-dimensional charge distribution (the thickness is small); its units are C/m2

amount of charge in an element of a three-dimensional charge distribution; its units are C/m3

SI unit for current; 1A=1C/s

complete path that an electrical current travels along

current that flows through a circuit from the positive terminal of a battery through the circuit to the negative terminal of the battery

flow of charge through a cross-sectional area divided by the area

nonohmic circuit device that allows current flow in only one direction

velocity of a charge as it moves nearly randomly through a conductor, experiencing multiple collisions, averaged over a length of a conductor, whose magnitude is the length of conductor traveled divided by the time it takes for the charges to travel the length

measure of a material’s ability to conduct or transmit electricity

rate at which charge flows, I=dQdt

time rate of change of energy in an electric circuit

type of a material for which Ohm’s law is not valid

(Ω) unit of electrical resistance, 1Ω=1V/A

empirical relation stating that the current I is proportional to the potential difference V; it is often written as V=IR , where R is the resistance

type of a material for which Ohm’s law is valid, that is, the voltage drop across the device is equal to the current times the resistance

electric property that impedes current; for ohmic materials, it is the ratio of voltage to current, R=V/I

intrinsic property of a material, independent of its shape or size, directly proportional to the resistance, denoted by ρ

graphical representation of a circuit using standardized symbols for components and solid lines for the wire connecting the components

energy produced per unit charge, drawn from a source that produces an electrical current

resistance of a combination of resistors; it can be thought of as the resistance of a single resistor that can replace a combination of resistors in a series and/or parallel circuit

amount of resistance to the flow of current within the voltage source

sum of all currents entering a junction must equal the sum of all currents leaving the junction

set of two rules governing current and changes in potential in an electric circuit

algebraic sum of changes in potential around any closed circuit path (loop) must be zero

difference in electric potential between two points in an electric circuit, measured in volts

loss of electric potential energy as a current travels across a resistor, wire, or other component

circuit that contains both a resistor and a capacitor

hazard in which an electric current passes through a person

potential difference measured across the terminals of a source when there is no load attached

hazard in which an excessive electric current causes undesired thermal effects

wiring system used at present for safety reasons, with live, neutral, and ground wires

amount of charge stored per unit volt

device that stores electrical charge and electrical energy

insulating material used to fill the space between two plates

factor by which capacitance increases when a dielectric is inserted between the plates of a capacitor

energy stored in a capacitor divided by the volume between the plates

components in a circuit arranged with one side of each component connected to one side of the circuit and the other sides of the components connected to the other side of the circuit

system of two identical parallel conducting plates separated by a distance

components in a circuit arranged in a row one after the other in a circuit

system of two equal but opposite charges a fixed distance apart

quantity defined as p=qd for all dipoles, where the vector points from the negative to positive charge

potential energy per unit charge

the change in potential energy of a charge q moved between two points, divided by the charge.

potential energy stored in a system of charged objects due to the charges

energy given to a fundamental charge accelerated through a potential difference of one volt

filters that apply charges to particles in the air, then attract those charges to a filter, removing them from the airstream

two-dimensional representation of an equipotential surface

surface (usually in three dimensions) on which all points are at the same potential

process of attaching a conductor to the earth to ensure that there is no potential difference between it and Earth

small ink droplets sprayed with an electric charge are controlled by electrostatic plates to create images on paper

substance that is an insulator until it is exposed to light, when it becomes a conductor

machine that produces a large amount of excess charge, used for experiments with high voltage

change in potential energy of a charge moved from one point to another, divided by the charge; units of potential difference are joules per coulomb, known as volt

dry copying process based on electrostatics

emf generated by a running motor, because it consists of a coil turning in a magnetic field; it opposes the voltage powering the motor

an equation giving the magnetic field at a point produced by a current-carrying wire

comprised of particles that originate mainly from outside the solar system and reach Earth

device for converting mechanical work into electric energy; it induces an emf by rotating a coil in a magnetic field

induced emf is created in a closed loop due to a change in magnetic flux through the loop

G, unit of the magnetic field strength; 1G=10−4T

superposition of circular motion with a straight-line motion that is followed by a charged particle moving in a region of magnetic field at an angle to the field

short-lived voltage generated by a conductor or coil moving in a magnetic field

continuous curves that show the direction of a magnetic field; these lines point in the same direction as a compass points, toward the magnetic south pole of a bar magnet

measurement of the amount of magnetic field lines through a given area

force applied to a charged particle moving through a magnetic field

using your right hand to determine the direction of either the magnetic force, velocity of a charged particle, or magnetic field

SI unit for magnetic field: 1 T = 1 N/A-m