All Flashcards
Define electric charge.
A fundamental property of matter that can be either positive or negative.
What is a Coulomb (C)?
The standard unit of electric charge.
Define elementary charge (e).
The magnitude of the charge of a single proton or electron, approximately 1.6 x 10^-19 C.
What are conductors?
Materials that allow electric charge to move freely through them.
What are insulators?
Materials that restrict the movement of electric charge.
Define Coulomb's Law.
A law stating that the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of each charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
What are the key differences between conductors and insulators?
Conductors: Allow free movement of charge, typically metals | Insulators: Restrict charge movement, typically rubber, plastic, etc.
Compare and contrast charging by contact and charging by induction.
Contact: Requires physical touch, results in the same charge | Induction: No physical touch, can result in the opposite charge (if grounded)
Label the diagram of charging by induction.
1: Charged object, 2: Neutral object, 3: Polarization of charge, 4: Ground connection, 5: Induced charge