magnitude of force between two point charges is directly proportional to product of their charges and inversely proportional to square of the distance
Comparing the two
electrostatic force > gravitational force
for subatomic particles
because they have greater charges in comparison to their masses
Electric field strength
force per unit charge experienced by an object in an electric field
constant in uniform field
varies in radial field
Uniform and radial fields
uniform field exerts same electric force everywhere
radial field depends on distance between the two charges
Uniform electric fields
-can sometimes be used to determine whether a particle is charged
-if it is charged it will experience a constant electric force either in or opposite the direction of the field, causing particle to accelerate and so it follows a parabola
Absolute electric potential
the potential energy per unit charge of a positive point charge at that point in the field
greatest at the surface of a charge and as the distance from the charge increases, the potential decreases, so electric potential at infinity is zero
Electric potential
can be negative or positive, depending on the sign of the charge
