Electrostatics

Lecture 1.1
Properties of Charge
Coulomb’s Law
Introduction of Electric Field

A. Properties of charge

• There are two types of charges: Positive and Negative.

• Positively charged object means deficiency of electrons.
• Negatively charged object means, excess of electrons.
• C = coulomb = SI unit of charge.
• 1 C = 3 × 109 statC.

B. Coulomb is a large unit

Charge of an electron is 1.6 × 10−19 C. So, 1 C of charge contains

1
= 6.25 × 1018 electrons
1.6 × 10−19

C. Static charges
• If one object is rubbed with another object, one loses electrons (gets positively charged), another
gains electron (gets negatively charged).

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• Total charge is always conserved.

D. Like charges repel and unlike charges attract

E. Induction property of charges

If a charged object is placed near a conducting neutral object

• Opposite charge is induced at the near end of the uncharged object.
• Similar charge is induced at the far end of the uncharged object.
• Thus, near end is attracted and far end is repelled.

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 F. Charging a metallic object by induction

G. Contact between two charged objects

• If two charged objects (or, one charged and one neutral) are kept in contact, charge is transferred
from one object to another.
• This transfer takes place until they possess same amount of charge.
• The total amount of charge is equally divided between them.

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 • The contact should be made by touching them together or with a conducting object (metallic wire
or rod) placed between them.

Example 1.1.1: An object A has 6 µC charge and another object B has −3 µC charge. A third
neutral object C is first touched with A, then with B. Find the final charge in A, B and C.
Initially:
charge in A = 6 µC, charge in B = −3 µC and charge in C = 0 µC.
After toching A with C:
charge in A = 3 µC, charge in B = −3 µC and charge in C = 3 µC.
Now, after toching B with C: (Final charge)
charge in A = 3 µC, charge in B = 0 µC and charge in C = 0 µC.
H. Quantization of charge

• To produce a positively charged object, we have to take out some electrons from it.
• To produce a negatively charged object, we have to give it some electrons.
• Number of electrons taken from an object or given to it is always an integer.
• So, amount of charge in a positively or negatively charged object is integral multiple of the charge
of an electron.
• If charge of an object is q, and charge of an electron is e, then

q = ne , where n = ±1, ±2...

Example 1.1.2: Is it possible to possess q1 = 0.8 × 10−19 C charge and q2 = −1.6 × 10−17 C charge
by an object ?

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 To have q1 = 0.8 × 10−19 C charge, we need to remove number of electrons
q1 0.8 × 10−19 1
n1 = = −19
= −
e −1.6 × 10 2

which is not an integer. So, an object can not possess 0.8 × 10−19 C charge.
To have q2 = −1.6 × 10−17 C charge, we need to add number of electrons
q2 −1.6 × 10−17
n2 = = = 100
e −1.6 × 10−19

which is an integer. So, an object can possess −1.6 × 10−17 C charge.

I. Coulomb’s law of electrostatic force

• Force of attraction or repulsion between two charged objects q1 and q2 is directly proportional to
the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the linear distace between
them.

• If two charges are placed in vacuum at r distance apart, then force of attraction or repulsion between
them is
~F = 1 q1 q2 r̂
4πε0 r2

• 1/4πε0 = 9 × 109 Nm2 C−2 .

• ε0 = permittivity of free space or vacuum or air.
• ε0 = 8.85 × 10−12 C2 N−1 m−2 .
• ε = permittivity of any medium.
• ε/ε0 = εr = relative permittivity. (unitless and dimensionless)
• ε/ε0 = κ = Dielectric constant. (unitless and dimensionless)

Example 1.1.3: Two charges experience a force F between them when placed in air. If they are
placed inside water at same distance apart, what is the force between them now? Dielectric constant
of water (κ) is 80.

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 Let two charges q1 and q2 are placed at r distance apart. Permittivity of air is ε0 and that of water is ε.
Force in air
1 q1 q2
Fa = = F
4πε0 r2
Force in water
1 q1 q2
Fw =
4πε r2
So,
Fw ε0 1 1
= = =
Fa ε κ 80
or,
Fa F
Fw = =
80 80
So, if the charges are placed inside water, force between them decreases by a factor of 1/80.
Example 1.1.4: A particle of mass m carrying a charge −q1 is moving around a charge +q2 along
a circular path of radius r. Prove that the period of revolution of the charge −q1 about +q2 is given
by s
16π 3 ε0 mr3
T =
q1 q2

Suppose charge −q1 moves around charge +q2 with angular speed ω along the circular path of radius
r. Then, force of attraction between two charges = Centripetal force.
So,
1 q1 q2
2
= mω 2 r
4πε0 r
or, r
q1 q2
ω =
4πε0 mr3
The period of revolution of charge −q1 around +q2 is
s
2π 16π 3 ε0 mr3
T = =
ω q1 q2

Example 1.1.5: Two identical insulated charged copper spheres have charges q on each. An iden-
tical uncharged copper sphere is brought in contact with first A, then with B. Find the ratio of final
and initial repusion force between A and B placed same distance apart.
Initially charge on A and B both is q and force of repulsion between them is (placed at a distance r
apart)
1 q2
F =
4πε0 r2
After C is touched with A, total charge is (0+q = q) which is equally shared between C and A.
So, now, charge on A is q/2 and charge on C is q/2.
Now C is brought in contact with B, total charge (q/2 + q = 3q/2) which is equally shared between
C and B.

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 So, now, charge on B is 3q/4 and charge on C is 3q/4.
So, final repulsion force between A and B is
q
3q

0 1 2 4
F =
4πε0 r2
or,
1 q2
 
0 3
F =
8 4πε0 r2
or,
3F
F0 =
8
or,
F0 3
=
F 8

So, ratio of final and initial repulsion force between A and B is 3/8.
Example 1.1.6: Two identical charges, Q each, are kept at a distance r from each other. A third
charge q is placed on the line joining the above two charges such that all the three charges are in
equilibrium. What is the magnitude, sign and position of the charge q ?

To have the charge q in equilibrium, force exerted on it by charges at A and B are equal and opposite.
So,
1 Qq 1 Qq
2
=
4πε0 x 4πε0 (r − x)2
or,
x2 = (r − x)2
or,
x = r−x
or,
r
x =
2

q must be a negative charge.

Now, for equilibrium, force of repulsion between two Q charges is equal to attraction force between
any of the Q and q charge.
So,
1 Qq 1 Q2
=
4πε0 r 2 4πε0 r2


2

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or,
Q
q =
4

J. Electrostatic & Gravitational force

Electrostatic and gravitational force of attraction between an electron and a proton is

1 e2
Fe =
4πε0 r2
and
Gm p me
Fg =
r2
So,
Fe
' 1039
Fg

K. Problems Involving Coulomb’s Law and Vectors

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 Example 1.1.7: Two small spheres each having mass m kg and charge q C are suspended from a
point by insulating threads each L m long but of negligible mass. If θ is the angle each thread makes
with vertical when equilibrium has been attained, show that
q2 = 4πε0 4mgL2 sin2 θ tan θ

From the figure,

T cos θ = mg = gravitational force,
T sin θ = Fe = electrostatic Coulomb force
a = L sin θ
r = 2a = 2L sin θ
Now,
1 q2
Fe =
4πε0 r2
or,
q2
 
1
Fe =
4πε0 4L2 sin2 θ
and,
q2
 
Fe 1
tan θ = =
mg 4πε0 4mgL2 sin2 θ
or,
q2 = 4πε0 4mgL2 sin2 θ tan θ

Example 1.1.8: Three point charges are placed on the x−axis as shown in the figure. Find the net
force on the −5 µC charge due to the two other charges.

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 Unlike charges attract. So, the forces on −5 µC charge are given by

(3.0 × 10−6 )(5.0 × 10−6 )

F~E3 = (9.0 × 109 ) = 3.4 N
(0.20)2

(8.0 × 10−6 )(5.0 × 10−6 )

F~E8 = (9.0 × 109 ) = 4.0 N
(0.30)2

So, resultant force on −5 µC charge is

~E = F~E8 − F~E3 = 4.0 − 3.4 = 0.6 N
F

in the +ve x−direction.

L. Electric Field Strength

• Electric field strength (often called electric field) at a point in an electric field is defined as the
electrostatic force per unit positive test charge.
• If q is source charge and q0 is test charge, then electrostatic force between them, kept at a distance
r is
~F = 1 qq0 r̂
4πε0 r2

• Electric field strength is given by

~
~E = F = 1 q r̂
q0 4πε0 r2

• The electric field is a vector quantity and its direction is the same as the direction of the force on the
positive test charge.
• If source charge is positive, direction of electric field is away from the source charge q.
• If source charge is negative, direction of electric field is towards the source charge q.
• Unit of electric field is N/C or V/m.
• Electric field strength is proportional to the source charge.

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 Example 1.1.9: Calculate the electric field intensity which would be just sufficient to balance the
weight of a particle of charge −10 mC and mass 10 mg.
Force on charge q in an electric field is
Fe = qE

According to the problem

|Fe | = W
or,
|q|E = mg
or
mg
E =
|q|
or
E = 10 N/C

Example 1.1.10: Four electric charges, +q,+q, −q and –q are respectively placed on the vertices
A, B, C and D of square. The length of the square is a. Calculate the intensity of the resultant electric
field at the center.

All the electric charges are equidistant from the center O. If r is the distance of vertices from the
center, we have,
1 q
EA = EB = EC = ED =
4πε0 r2

The directions of these electric fields are as shown in figure.

1 2q
EA + EC = = E0
4πε0 r2

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and
1 2q
EB + ED = 2
= E 00
4πε0 r

So, resultant electric field is p

E = E 02 + E 002
or,
√
2 2 q
E =
4πε0 r2
Now,
a
r = √
2
So,
√ √
4 2 q 2 q
E = 2
=
4πε0 a πε0 a2

M. Limitations of Coulomb’s Law

• This law is applicable only for the point charges at rest.

• Coulomb’s Law can be only applied in those cases where the inverse square law is obeyed.
• It is difficult to apply Coulomb’s law for charges in arbitrary shape because in such cases we cannot
determine the distance between the charges.

*Charge at rest → Electrostatic field

*Charge at uniform motion → Magnetic field
*Charge at accelerated motion → Electromagnetic field

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