Electric Charges and Fields

1.2 Electric Charges 1.9 Electric Field Lines

1.3 Conductors and Insulators 1.10 Electric Flux
1.4 Charging by Induction 1.11 Electric Dipole
1.5 Basic Properties of Electric Charge 1.12 Dipole in a Uniform External Field
1.6 Coulomb’s Law 1.13 Continuous Charge Distribution
1.7 Forces between Multiple Charges 1.14 Gauss’s Law
1.8 Electric Field 1.15 Applications of Gauss’s Law

Topicwise Analysis of Last 10 Years’ CBSE Board Questions (2016-2007)

VSA SA I SA II VBQ LA

5
Number of questions

0
1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15
Topic

8 Maximum weightage is of Applications of Gauss’s 8 Maximum SA II and LA type questions were

Law. asked from Applications of Gauss’s Law.
8 Maximum VSA type questions were asked from 8 No VBQ type questions were asked till now.
Gauss’s Law.
 KEY POINTS
8 Charge : Electric charge is an intrinsic property e0 = 8.85 × 10–12 C2 N–1 m–2 and its dimensional
of elementary particles of matter which gives formula is [M–1L–3T4A2].
rise to electric force between various objects. Vector form of the law (q1 and q2 are like
X Quantization : Charge is always in the form charges)
of an integral multiple of electronic charge and  1 q1q2  
(i) F12 =   (r − r )
never its fraction. 4 pe0 | r1 − r2 |3 1 2
q = ±ne 1 q1q2 
where n is an integer and e = 1.6 × 10–19 C. = r
3 21
4 pe0 r21
X Millikan’s oil drop experiment showed the
discrete nature of charge. Charge cannot be  1 q1q2   q1q2 1 
(ii) F21 =   3 (r2 − r1 ) = r
fractional multiple of e. 4 pe0 | r2 − r1 | 4 pe0 r123 12
X Conservation of charge : Net charge of an  
F12 F21
isolated physical system always remains
constant. Charge can neither be created nor +q1 +q2
destroyed. It can be transferred from one body 8 Electrostatic force due to continuous charge
to another. distribution
X Electric charge is additive, i.e., total charge The region in which charges are closely
is the algebraic sum of the individual charges. spaced is said to have continuous distribution
X Electric charge is invariant as it does not of charge. It is of three types :
depend upon the motion of the charged body X Linear charge distribution
or the observer.
8 Coulomb’s inverse square law : It states
that the electrostatic force of attraction or
repulsion acting between two stationary point
charges is given by
 1 q1q2
F=
4 pe0 r 2
where F denotes the force between two dq = l dl
charges q1 and q2 separated by a distance where, l = linear charge density
r in free space. e0 is a constant known as   1 q (l dl)
1 q0(dq) 
permittivity of free space. Free space is vacuum =
dF ⋅ 2
r ⇒ dF = ⋅ 0 2 r
and may be taken to be air practically. 4pe0 | r | 4pe0 | r |
1 N m2 
Net force on charge q0 , F = q0 ∫ l dl r
= 9 × 109
4pe0 C2 4pe0 l | r |2
X If free space is replaced by a medium, then e0 is X Surface charge distribution
replaced by (e0K) or (e0er) where K is known as
+ + + +
dielectric constant or relative permittivity.
+ +
 1 q1q2 1 q1q2 1 q1q2 + r
= F = 2 2
= dS 
4 pe r 4 pe0 K r 4 pe0er r 2 + + + + q0 dF

e e dq = s dS
K= or er = where, s = surface charge density
e0 e0

K = 1 for vacuum (or air) and K = ∞ for Net force on charge q0, F = q0 ∫ s dS r
conductor/metal. 4pe0 S | r |2
X Volume charge distribution Ei
En
Fi F2 E2
Fn
r1 P F1
q1 E1
r2
ri rn
qn
q2
qi
dq = r dV A system of charges
where, r = volume charge density
 8 Electric dipole : Two equal and opposite
Net force on charge q0, F = q0 ∫ rdV r charges (q) each, separated by a small distance
4pe0 V | r |2 (2l) constitute an electric dipole. Many of the
8 Electric field intensity : The electric field atoms/molecules are dipoles.  
intensity at any point due to source charge (i) Electric dipole moment, p = 2q l .
is defined as the force experienced per unit (ii) Dipole moment is a vector quantity and is
positive test charge placed at that point without directed from negative to positive charge.
disturbing the source charge. It is expressed as (iii) Unit of dipole moment is coulomb metre
 (Cm).
 F
E = lim (iv) Dimension of dipole moment = [ATL]
q0 →0 q0
X Intensity of electric field due to a dipole
Here, q0 → 0, i.e., the test charge q0 must be – Along axis at distance r from centre of

small, so that it does not produce its own dipole O p B P 
 A E
electric field.  1 2p +q
E= 2l
SI unit of electric field intensity (E) is N/C and 4 pe0 r 3 r
it is a vector quantity. Direction of E is along the direction of dipole
X Electric field intensity due to a point charge moment. 
EPB 
EPBsin
Electric field intensity at P is, – Along equator of
 1 q dipole at distance r 
= E ⋅ 2 r from centre
EPBcos
 P
4pe0 | r |   
 −1 p EPAcos
q P E=
E 4 pe0 r 3 
EPA

EPA sin
r
Direction of E is r
The magnitude of the electric field at a point P
antiparallel to direction
is given by A B
of p. +q
1 q
=
|E| ⋅ – At any point along 2l
4pe0 r 2 direction q
If q > 0, i.e., positive charge, then E is 1 p
directed away from source charge. On the
= E 1 + 3 cos2 q
4 pe0 r 3
other hand if q < 0, i.e., negative charge, The direction of E makes an angle b
then E is directed towards the source charge. with the line joining the point with centre of
1 1
E∝ 2 dipole where tan b = tan q.
r 2
X Electric field due to a system of charges 8 Electric dipole in a uniform electric field
    
= E1 + E2 + E3 + ......... + En
E X The resultant q
 qE
 1 n qi  electric force on p
 
⇒ E= ∑
4pe0 i =1 | r |2
ri dipole = qE – qE = 0 qE
E
X Two forces [qE and (– qE)] equal and opposite,
separated by a distance constitute a couple
(torque).
+q
X Torque on a dipole
= pE sin q numerically.
Vectorially,
   (iv)
Torque (t) = p × E
X The direction of t is perpendicular to the plane X Flux from a cube
  (i) If q is at the centre of cube, total flux
containing p and E . q
X The torque tends to align the dipole in the (f) =
e0
direction of field. q
Torque is maximum when q = 90° i.e., dipole is (ii) From each face of cube, flux =
X 6e 0
perpendicular to E.
X Electric field due to a thin, infinitely long
\ Maximum torque = pE.
straight wire of uniform linear charge
When q = 0° or 180° then tmin = 0.
density l,
X When dipole is parallel to electric field, it is in
 l
stable equilibrium. When it is antiparallel to E= , where r is the perpendicular
electric field, it is in unstable equilibrium. 2 pe0 r
distance of the observation point from the
8 Gauss’s law : For a closed
wire.
surface enclosing a net
charge q, the net electric X Electric field due to uniformly charged thin
flux f emerging out is spherical shell of uniform surface charge
  q density s and radius R at a point distant r from
given by=
f ∫ E ⋅ dS = e0 the centre of the shell is given as follows :
S At a point outside the shell i.e., r > R,
X If a dipole is enclosed by a closed surface, flux f  1 q
is equal to zero. E=
4 pe0 r 2
Here the algebraic sum of charges (+ q – q = 0) is  1 q
zero. At a point on the shell i.e., r = R, E =
4 pe0 R2
X The electric field lines due to positive and 
negative charges and their combinations are : At a point inside the shell i.e., r < R, E = 0
Here, q = 4pR2s
X Electric field due to a thin non conducting
infinite sheet of charge with uniform
+q  s
surface charge density s is E =
2e 0
X Electric field between two infinite thin
(i) (ii) plane parallel sheets of uniform surface charge

density s and – s is E = s/e0.
X Gaussian surface
– For a sphere or spherical shell : A concentric
+q +q sphere.
– For cylinder or an infinite rod : A coaxial
cylinder.
(iii) – For a plate : A cube or a cuboid.