Electrostatics, Electric Fields and Capacitance

What the resources cover

The page moves from everyday static electricity to the mathematics of fields and capacitors. At the simple end, the quiz Static Electricity: Quiz asks about the unit of charge and why a Perspex rod charges when rubbed with cotton. The flashcards P4b- Uses of electrostatics cover defibrillators and dust precipitators in chimneys.

Further in, Static Electricity: Coulomb's Law deals with the formula, permittivity and the direction of force between charges. The A2 flashcards A2 Physics Capacitance go through dielectrics, the farad, dielectric breakdown and combining capacitors in parallel.

Where to start

1. Begin with the basics: the notes Static Electricity: Electric Charge and the mind map Static electricity.
2. Move to forces between charges with Coulomb's Law maps and flashcards.
3. Take on fields and potential with Electric Fields and potential.
4. Finish with capacitors, including the quizzes on charging and discharging a capacitor and on the physical features that determine capacitance.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first to see how the ideas connect, then test yourself. The quiz 9702 U17 Electric Fields asks for the field strength between two plates 2mm apart with 1000V across them. U17 Electric Field Plenary on Electric Potential balances the weight of a charged oil drop against the electric force. If a question trips you up, go back to the matching map or flashcard deck, then try the quiz again.

Teachers will find slide sets such as Electric Fields and electrostatic potential and capacitance alongside the quizzes, ready to adapt for a lesson.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the Electricity and Magnetism strand of Physics. Some resources sit beside gravitational fields, such as the mind map Gravitational fields, which is handy for comparing field ideas.

Choose one quiz today, see what you miss, and use the maps and flashcards to fill the gaps.