IIT JEE Physics Study Diary - Ch.3 Forces - Day 2

Day 2
4.3 Electromagnetic (EM) forces
Ex. 4.1


Points to note

Electromagnetic force

Apart from gravitational force between any two bodies, the particles may exert upon each other electromagnetic forces.

If two particles having charges q1 and q2 are at rest with respect to the observer, the force between them has a magnitude

F = (1/4πε0)(q1q2/r^2)

Where ε0 = permittivity of air or vacuum = 8.8549 x 10^-12 C² /N-m²
The quantity (1/4πε0) = 9.0 x 10^9 N-m² /C²

q1, q2 = charges
r distance between q1 and q2

This is called coulomb force and it acts along the line joining the particles.

Atoms are composed of electrons, protons and neutrons.

Each electron has 1.6*10^-19 coulomb of negative charge. Each proton has an equal amount of positive charge.

In atoms, the electrons are bound by the electromagnetic force exerted on them by charge on protons. Even the combination of atoms in molecules are brought about by electromagnetic forces only. A lot of atomic and molecular phenomena result from electromagnetic forces between subatomic particles (for example, theory is put forward that charged mesons are responsible for the stability of nucleus).

Examples of electromagnetic force:

1. Bodies in contact: The contact force between bodies in contact arises out of electromagnetic forces acting between the atoms and molecules of the surfaces of the two bodies. The contact force may have a component parallel to the contact surface. This component is known as friction.

2. Tension in a string: Tension in the string is due to electromagnetic forces between atoms or electrons and protons (free electrons and nucleus in metals).

3. Force due to spring: If a spring has natural length x0 and if it is extended to x, it will exert a force

F = k|x-x0| = k|∆x|

k, the proportionality constant is called the spring constant. This force comes into picture due to the electromagnetic forces between the atoms of the material.

Formulas in the session

F = (1/4πε0)(q1q2/r^2)

Where ε0 = permittivity of air or vacuum = 8.8549 x 10^-12 C² /N-m²
The quantity (1/4πε0) = 9.0 x 10^9 N-m² /C²

q1, q2 = charges
r distance between q1 and q2

Each electron has 1.6*10^-19 coulomb of negative charge. Each proton has an equal amount of positive charge.

Force due to spring: If a spring has natural length x0 and if it is extended to x, it will exert a force

F = k|x-x0| = k|∆x|

k, the proportionality constant is called the spring constant.