A potential energy of 12.5kJ is noted at the midpoint charges: 3.65nC and 7.82nC. find the distance between the charges
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Study of charges at “rest”
Electrostatics deals with the study of any effect resulting from the existence ofstationary electric charges. Electric charges (q) is the fundamental quantity of electricity.The SI Unit of charge is the coulomb (C) in honor of Charles Augustin del Coulomb. 1 C= charge of
18
1025.6
protons/electrons. “Like charges repel” “Unlike charges attract”
Figure 1.1 Basic Law of charges
Static electricity may have been noticed first around 600 B.C. by Thales ofMiletus. He conducted experiments with amber, the fossilized resine of pin sap. Henoticed that amber, which had been rubbed with wool cloth, attracted to bits of straw.Since then, the Greek word for amber, electron has been used to describe this invisibleforce of attraction.In 1500, Sir William Gilbert devised an apparatus called a versorium consisting of a tiny metal arrow that pivoted freely on a needle. He discovered that rubbing somematerials, such as amber, gems, and certain rocks with wool cloth induced them to exert aforce of attraction on the arrow of his versorium. When he held one of these chargedobjects near the versorium, the arrow pivoted in the directions of the object. Thesematerials he called “electrics” or what we know now as conductors. He also discoveredthat certain other materials, especially metals, could not be induced to attract the arrow nomatter how hard or how long they were rubbed. These materials he called “nonelectrics”,which we know now as insulators.
Figure 1.2 Versorium
During the sixteenth century, researchers theorized that some invisible substancemust flow into “electrics” when they are rubbed with cloth. This invisible “fluid” wascalled electricity.