PHYS 1112 - Introductory Physics II
Lesson 1 - Electric Charges and Forces

Study Assignment:

Chapter 19, Sections 19.1 - 19.3

Lesson notes:

Since this is the first lesson of the course and you are receiving your syllabus on the first day of the course, the study assignment should be completed after class. During this first lesson of the course, we will cover administrative topics and then begin our study of electromagnetism by introducing electric charge and the Coulomb force.

Objectives:

1. Understand the overall objectives for the course.

2. Understand the fundamental characteristics of electric charge: types of charge, charge conservation and charge quanitization.

3. Know the definitions of a conductor and an insulator, and understand the behavior of electric charge on each.

4. Have a qualitative understanding of the process of charging by induction.

5. Know the meaning of each of the terms in Coulomb's law for the force between point charges.

6. Be able to use Coulomb's law to calculate the resultant force on a point charge due to the presence of other point charges.

Vocabulary:

ground
polarization
Coulomb's constant
permittivity of free space

Homework:

TQ: 19-1, 19-3, 19-7
TP:  19-11, 19-14, 19-16.

Note: In this course we will always use three significant figures on a homework, quizzes and examinations. The only exception to this rule is for work performed in the laboratory portion of the course.

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Additional sources of information:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology maintains a Web site devoted to describing the International System of Units (SI system).

A biography of Charles Augustin de Coulomb is provided by the University of St. Andrews.

Last update: August 07, 2007