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Electrostatics Notes
My notes written for this chapter are not yet available on-line, so will be handed to you as a packet at the beginning of this unit. An outline of the topics expected to be discussed is provided below. Most of the topics have links to the World-Wide-Web: use these sites to reinforce or clarify the information presented to you in class. The structure of this page may seem to be a bit disjointed, because I am writing the material below as I consider each site. Almost certainly, this page will change in appearance by tomorrow.
When you go to our selection of electrostatics problems, you will find links to one or more of the web sites listed on this page.
Tom Henderson's, The Physics Classroom (Glenbrook South High School, IL), has an excellent "Multimedia Physics Studios" page listing a selection of GIF animations explaining the processes involved in placing a charge on a body in a variety of ways. It appears Henderson's project is under construction as well, but the animated tutorials currently available are excellent, and should be reviewed as you complete the various tasks on our Electrostatics Lab.
Electrostatics Notes - Outline
(A) Three Kinds of Electric Charge
(B) Types of Materials Used in Electrostatics: Think Quest Inc., Chapter 11, Section 2
(C) Laws of Electrostatics: Univ. of Winnipeg, Canada
(D) Types of "Generators" of Electrostatic Charge
- Friction Pads and Rods
- Electrophorus (Bakelite and Lucite)
- Whimshurst
- Leyden Jars
- Induction Coil
(E) Electroscopes
- Leaf Electroscope
- Pith-ball Electroscope
(F) Types of Charging Methods
- Conduction
- Temporary Induction: Think Quest Inc., Chapter 11, Section 3
- Permanent Induction: Single Sphere, Bakelite Electrophorus Plate, Induction Spheres
(G) Quantity of Charge: Think Quest Inc., Chapter 11, Section 4
(H) Coulomb's Law of Electrostatics: Univ. of Boston (http://physics.bu.edu/~demos/Physlab2/) - Look in the left text window, under "Physlab Menu" click on "Electric Forces and Fields", then click on "Forces Between Charges", then "Parallel Between Gravity and Electrostatics"
- Think Quest Inc., Chapter 11, Section 5. Also, solve the problems in the chapter 11 quiz.
- Think Quest Inc., Chapter 12, Section 1.
- Also, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Department of Physic, lecture on "The Electric Force".
(I) Electric Field Lines of Force: Univ. of Boston - click on "Electric Field from a Point Charge", then click on the terms "positive" and "negative" in the bottom text window. Also, click on another interactive E-Field demonstration.
- Think Quest Inc., Chapter 12, Section 2.
- Laval University, Canada - "Exploring Electric Fields". Read "A Bit of Theory" and "A Brief Explanation", then place two charges (set the magnitude for each in the box that appears) by clicking on "place a charge" button. Click on "trace field lines" button, then place your cursor in the animation box in several locations as you click.
(J) Electric Field Intensity: Univ. of Boston - click on "Electric Field from a Point Charge". "Where is the Field Zero?" illustrates a type of problem you will be asked to solve in class. "Applying Gauss' Law" illustrates a problem given to the class during lab.
- Univ. of Winnipeg, Canada.
(K) Electric Potential: Univ. of Boston - Under the Physlab Menu in the left text window, click on "Electric Potential and Potential Energy", then click on "The Electric Potential".
- Think Quest Inc., Chapter 12, Section 3. Also, solve the problems in the Chapter 12 Quiz.
(L) Electric Potential Difference: Univ. of Boston - Under the Physlab Menu in the left text window, click on "Electric Potential and Potential Energy", then click on "Electric Potential Energy".
- Univ. of Winnipeg, Canada.
(M) Mutual Electrostatic Potential Energy
(N) Electrostatic Phenomena
- car-door sparks: http://www.amasci.com/emotor/zapped.html
- interesting articles: http://www.amasci.com/emotor/statelec.html
(O) Electrostatics Lab