Electrostatics

Electricity:
• Electricity deals with the motion of the electric charge.
• Electric charge is a scalar quantity which unit is Coulomb.
• Electricity produced by the friction between two bodies is called static
electricity or frictional electricity e.g. generation of electric charge on rubbing
the plastic comb with dry hair.

Coulomb Law:
The magnitude of the electrostatic force of interaction between two charge points is
directly proportional to the scalar multiplication of the magnitudes of charges and
inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Electric Field:
• The space in the surrounding of any charge in which its influence can be
experienced by other charge is called electric field.
• Electric field intensity (E) at any point is defined as the electrostatic force
acting per unit positive test charge at that point. Its unit is Newton/coulomb.
• E=F/q
• Electric field intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance r
from the point charge.

Electric Field Lines:

• The electric field line is an imaginary lines or curve drawn through a region of
space so that its tangent at any point is in the direction of the electric field
vector at that point.
• Two lines an never intersect, electric field always start from the positive end
and always ends on the negative charge and do not start or stop in the mid.
Electric potential:
• The electric potential at any point in an electric field is equal to the work done
per unit charge in carrying at least a test charge from infinity to that point. Its
unit is joule/coulomb.
• The potential difference between two points in an electric field is equal to the
work done per unit charge in carrying a positive test charge from one point to
the other point.
• Potential difference decides the flow of charge between two points in the
electric field.
• Positive charge always tends to move from higher potential towards lower
potential.
• Inside the closed metallic body, the electric field is zero.

Electric current:
• Electric current is the flow of charge with respect to time.
• Electric current=q/t
• An electric current whose direction does not change with time is called direct
current (D.C).
• An electric current whose direction changes with time is called alternating
current (A.C).
• In solids- Current flow due to the flow of electrons
In the liquid- Current flow due to the flow of ions as well as electrons
In semiconductors- Current flow due to the flow of electrons and holes.

Resistance:
• The resistance offered by any material in the flow of current is called as
electrical resistance. Its S.I unit is ohm and [ML2T-3A-2] is its dimension.
• R=PL/A
• L=length of conductor
• A=cross sectional area
• The P= resistivity of the material.
Conductance
• Conductance or conductivity is the reciprocal of resistance and the resistivity
of the material respectively.
• Its SI unit is mho.

Resistivity
• The resistivity of a material is equal to the electrical resistance of its wire unit
length and of the unit area of cross-section.
• Its unit is ohm-meter.
• The resistivity of a material depends on the temperature and nature of the
material.
• It is independent of dimensions of the conductor, i.e. length, area of cross-
section.
• The resistivity of metals increases with increase in temperature.
• Resistivity is low for metals, more for semiconductors and very high for
alloys.

Combination of Resistances
• Resistance can be connected in two ways i.e. in parallel and in series.
• (a) Series
If resistance R1, R2 and R3 are connected in series their equivalent resistance
is given by
R= R1+R2+R3
In series combination equal current flows through each resistor.
• (b) Parallel
If resistance R1, R2 and R3 are connected in parallel then equivalent resistance
is given by.
1/R =1/R1 +1/R2 +1/R3

Ohm’s Law
• It states that if physical conditions of any conductor such as temperature,
pressure etc. remain unchanged then electric current(I) through it is directly
proportional to the potential difference(V) applied across its ends.
• V=IR
Kirchoff’s Law:
Kirchoff current law: states that the net current on a junction in an electrical circuit
will be zero. It is based on the conservation of charge.
Kirchoff’s Voltage Law- states that the algebraic sum of all potential difference along
a closed loop is Zero. It is based on conservation of energy.

Electric Cell:
• An electric cell is a device which converts chemical energy into electrical
energy.
• Electric cell is of two types:
(a) Primary cell: cannot be charged. Voltaic, Daniell and Leclanche cells are
primary cells.
(b) Secondary Cell: can be charged again & again. Acid and alkali
accumulators are secondary cells.

Joule’s Law of Heating

• Joule heating describes the process where the energy of an electric current is
converted into heat as it flows through a wire due to the resistance of the
wire. Heat produced in the conductor due to electric current in time “t” is
given by
• H=VIT=I2RT=V2t/r
• Electric bulb and heater work on the basis of the heating effect produced by
the current.

Chemical Effect of Electric current:

• When an electric current is passed through an acidic or basic solution, it
decomposes into its positive and negative ions. The positive ions collect at the
negative electrode(Cathode) and the negative ion is collected at the positive
electrode (anode). This phenomenon is called electrolysis.
Faraday’s Law of Electrolysis
First law:
• The total mass (M) deposited at an electrode in the process of electrolysis is
directly proportional to the total charge (q) passed through the electrolyte.
• M=Zq, where Z is the electrochemical equivalent of the substance deposited at
the electrode.
Second law:
• If the same strength of the electric current is allowed to pass through
different electrolytes for the same time, then mass deposited at the electrodes
is directly proportional to their chemical equivalent.
• M1/M2 =E1/E2

Electric Power
P = V2/R = I2R
Here P= Electric Power, V= Voltage, R= Resistance

Electric Fuse
• Used to preotect electric appliances from high current.
• Fuse wire made of the alloy of copper, tin and lead.
• The material of fuse wire should be low melting point and high resistance.

Shunt
• It is the wire of very small resistance.
• If we add shunt parallel to a galvanometer, then galvanometer acts like an
ammeter.
Note-
If we add high resistance in series with the galvanometer, then galvanometer acts
like a voltmeter.
 Electricity Questions
Instructions
For the following questions answer them individually

Question 1

Which one of the following pairs related to hydro-electricity projects and rivers is not correct ?

A Salal—Tapi

B Tehri—Bhagirathi

C Dul-Hasti- Chenab

D Jayakwadi— Godavari

Answer: A

Question 2

Statement (A) : Silver and copper are good conductors of electricity.

Statement (B) : Glass and rubber are insulators of electricity.
The correct answer is :

A (A) is not correct but (B) is correct.

B (A) and (B) are not correct.

C (A) is correct but (B) is not correct.

D (A) and (B) are correct.

Answer: D

Question 3

Acidic solutions in water conduct electricity because they produce

A Chloride

B Sulphide

C Hydrogen

D Hydoxide

Answer: C

Question 4

If one unit of electricity costs Rs.5 and the total electrical energy consumed in 1 month is 250kWh,what
is the cost of electricity in that month?

A RS.1500

B Rs.1100

C Rs.1250

D Rs.1000

Answer: B
Question 5

Which of the following is a good conductor of electricity?

A Phosphorous

B Sulphur

C Copper

D Nitrogen

Answer: C

Question 6

Which device converts sunlight into electricity?

A Dry cell

B Battery

C Solar cell

D Chemical cell

Answer: C

Question 7

In which natural phenomenon is static electricity involved?

A Rain

B Lightning

C Twister

D Hail storm

Answer: B

Question 8

The underground water due to the hot rocks present inside the Earth ____________which can turn the
turbines of generator to produce electricity.

A Cools down

B Turns to ice

C Turns to steam at high pressure

D Flows out

Answer: C
Question 9

A power plant where the heat required to make steam to drive turbines to make electricity is obtained
by burning fuels is called?

A Solar power plant

B Hydro electric power plant

C Nuclear power plant

D Thermal power plant

Answer: D

Question 10

Which of the following non-metals is a good conductor of electricity?

A Bromine

B Phosphorus

C Graphite

D Hydrogen

Answer: C