It deals with the phenomena and properties of stationary or slow-moving electric charges. It essentially dives into the world of static electricity, the kind you experience with shocks from doorknobs or hair standing on end after rubbing a balloon.
Principals
Charges: The core concept is electric charge, a fundamental property of matter that comes in two types: positive and negative. Like charges repel each other, while opposite charges attract.
Coulomb's Law: This law quantifies the force between two charges. It tells us that the force is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
Electric field: A charged object creates an invisible electric field around it. This field exerts forces on other charges placed within it. The strength and direction of the field depend on the charge's magnitude and sign.
Types of charges: We've touched upon positive and negative charges, but did you know there are fundamental particles associated with each? We can explore protons, electrons, and their roles in creating charged objects.
Conductors and insulators: How materials react to charges depends on their properties. We can dive into the differences between conductors, where charges flow freely, and insulators, where they remain localized.
Electric potential and voltage: Understanding these concepts helps quantify the "push" or "pull" experienced by charges. We can explore potential differences, equipotential lines, and how they relate to voltage.
Common phenomena:
Applications: