EXAM GUIDELINES P1
Electrostatics
(This section must be read in conjunction with the CAPS, p. 84–85.)
Coulomb's law
- State Coulomb's law:
The magnitude of the electrostatic force exerted by one point
charge (Q1 ) on another point charge (Q2 ) is directly proportional to the product of the
magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r)
between them:
- Solve problems using the equation:

for charges in one dimension (1D)
(restrict to three charges).
- Solve problems using the equation:

for charges in two dimensions (2D)
– for three charges in a right-angled formation
(limit to charges at the 'vertices of a right- angled triangle').
Electric field
- Describe an electric field as a region of space in which an electric charge experiences a
force. The direction of the electric field at a point is the direction that a positive test
charge would move if placed at that point.
- Draw electric field patterns for the following configurations:
- A single point charge
- Two point charges (one negative, one positive OR both positive OR both
negative)
- A charged sphere
NOTE:
Restrict to situations in which the charges are identical in magnitude.
- Define the electric field at a point:
The electric field at a point is the electrostatic force
experienced per unit positive charge placed at that point.
In symbols:
- Solve problems using the equation:
- Calculate the electric field at a point due to a number of point charges, using the equation:

to determine the contribution to the field due to each charge.
Restrict
to three charges in a straight line.