All Flashcards
Define electric field.
The electric field is the force per charge that a charged object creates around itself, influencing other charges nearby. It is a vector quantity.
What is a test charge?
A test charge is a tiny charge used to measure the electric field at a point, small enough to avoid disturbing the original field.
Define electrostatic equilibrium in a conductor.
Electrostatic equilibrium in a conductor means excess charge resides only on the surface, and the electric field inside the conductor is zero.
What are electric field lines?
Electric field lines are lines used to represent the direction and strength of an electric field. Their density indicates field strength.
Define electric field vector.
A vector quantity that represents the electric field's magnitude and direction at a specific point in space.
What is the effect of placing a positive test charge in an electric field?
The test charge experiences a force in the same direction as the electric field.
What is the effect of excess charge on a conductor?
The charges redistribute until the electric field inside the conductor is zero, with all excess charge residing on the surface.
What is the effect of a strong electric field on an insulator?
Dielectric breakdown can occur, causing the insulator to conduct electricity.
What is the effect of increasing the density of electric field lines?
It indicates a stronger electric field.
What is the effect of placing a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium?
The electric field inside the conductor becomes zero.
Given an electric field line diagram around a positive and negative charge, what do the arrows represent?
The arrows represent the direction of the electric field at that point.
In an electric field line diagram, what does the density of the lines indicate?
The density of the lines indicates the strength of the electric field.
In a diagram of a charged conductor, where does excess charge reside?
Excess charge resides only on the surface of the conductor.
In a diagram of electric field lines, what do the starting and ending points of the lines represent?
Field lines start on positive charges and end on negative charges.
In a diagram representing a Faraday cage, what is the electric field inside the cage?
The electric field inside the cage is zero.