Physics - Terms

• Coulomb Force


  Another term for the electrostatic force
• Coulomb Interaction


  The interaction between two charged particles generated by the Coulomb forces they exert on one another
• Coulomb’s law


  The mathematical equation calculating the electrostatic force vector between two charged particles
• Conductor


  A material that allows electrons to move separately from their atomic orbits
• Electric charge


  Physical property of an object that causes it to be attracted toward or repelled from another charged object; each charged object generates and is influenced by a force called an electromagnetic force
• Electric field lines


  A series of lines drawn from a point charge representing the magnitude and direction of force exerted by that charge
• Electric field


  Three-dimensional map of the electric force extended out into space from a point charge
• Electromagnetic force


  One of the four fundamental forces of nature;the electromagnetic force consists of static electricity, moving electricity and magnetism
• Electron


  A particle orbiting the nucleus of an atom and carrying the smallest unit of negative charge
• Electrostatic equilibrium


  An electrostatically balanced state in which all free electrical charges have stopped moving about
• Electrostatic force


  The amount and direction of attraction or repulsion between two charged bodies
• Electrostatic repulsion


  The phenomenon of two objects with like charges repelling each other
• Electrostatics


  The study of electric forces that are static or slow-moving
• Field


  A map of the amount and direction of a force acting on other objects, extending out into space
• Free charge


  An electrical charge (either positive or negative) which can move about separately from its base molecule
• Free electron


  An electron that is free to move away from its atomic orbit
• Grounded


  When a conductor is connected to the Earth, allowing charge to freely flow to and from Earth’s unlimited reservoir
• Induction


  The process by which an electrically charged object brought near a neutral object creates a charge in that object
• Insulator


  A material that holds electrons securely within their atomic orbits
• Law of conservation of charge


  States that whenever a charge is created, an equal amount of charge with the opposite sign is created simultaneously
• Point charge


  A charged particle, designated Q, generating an electric field
• Polar molecule


  A molecule with an asymmetrical distribution of positive and negative charge
• Polarization


  Slight shifting of positive and negative charges to opposite sides of an atom or molecule
• Polarized


  A state in which the positive and negative charges within an object have collected in separate locations
• Proton


  A particle in the nucleus of an atom and carrying a positive charge equal in magnitude and opposite in sign to the amount of negative charge carried by an electron
• Static electricity


  A buildup of electric charge on the surface of an object
• Test charge


  A particle (designated q) with either a positive or negative charge set down within an electric field generated by a point charge
• Capacitance


  Amount of charge stored per unit volt
• Capacitor


  A device that stores electric charge
• Defibrillator


  A machine used to provide an electrical shock to a heart attack victim's heart in order to restore the heart's normal rhythmic pattern
• Dielectric strength


  The maximum electric field above which an insulating material begins to break down and conduct
• Dielectric


  An insulating material
• Electric potential


  Potential energy per unit charge
• Electron volt


  The energy given to a fundamental charge accelerated through a potential difference of one volt
• Equipotential line


  A line along which the electric potential is constant
• Grounding


  Fixing a conductor at zero volts by connecting it to the earth or ground
• Mechanical energy


  Sum of the kinetic energy and potential energy of a system; this sum is a constant
• Parallel plate capacitor


  Two identical conducting plates separated by a distance
• Polar molecule


  A molecule with inherent separation of charge
• Potential difference (or voltage)


  Change in potential energy of a charge moved from one point to another, divided by the charge; units of potential difference are joules per coulomb, known as volt