electrostatics

Introduction
Coulomb’s law
- Calculating the value of an electric field
- Superposition principle
- Electric potential
- Deriving electric field from potential
Capacitance
- Principle of the capacitor
- Dielectrics, polarization, and electric dipole moment
- Applications of capacitors

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

The science behind static electricity

A graph with x and y axes shows two points labeled Q1 and Q2 representing electric charges. A dashed line labeled r connects the charges, with arrows indicating the electric force F acting on Q1 and negative F acting on Q2.

A diagram showing the electric force vector F between two charges, with its x and y components represented by dashed arrows. The x component points right and is labeled Fx = 3.6 times 3/5 newtons; the y component points downward and is labeled Fy = -3.6 times 4/5 newtons. The force vector F has a magnitude of 3.6 newtons and points diagonally down and right from the origin.

A coordinate plane diagram shows three point charges: Q1 at (0.04, 0), Q2 at (0, 0.03), and Q3 at (-0.03, 0). Blue arrows at Q1 indicate the electric field vectors E1,2 and E1,3, and their total E1, all pointing away from Q1 at different angles.

A diagram shows a positive charge labeled Q on the left and two dashed paths from point B to point A on the right. Path 1 goes directly from B to A, while path 2 follows a route from B to C to D to A. Both paths illustrate possible ways to move a second charge q in the presence of Q.

A 3D plot shows two potential energy surfaces: section A, shaded red, rises sharply to illustrate the repulsive potential between two positive charges; section B, shaded blue, dips downward to show the attractive potential between a negative and a positive charge.

Diagram of an electrode configuration inside a metal tube, showing a blue circular rod at -20 volts and a red L-shaped bracket at +20 volts, with the tube itself at zero volts.

A grid of numbers on a gray background represents electrostatic potentials in volts. Central rows show red numbers at 20 volts and blue numbers at negative 20 volts, with other values decreasing outward and zeros along the edges.

A diagram of equipotential surfaces shows contour lines labeled with voltages from plus 20 volts near a red L-shaped object to minus 20 volts around a blue circle, illustrating how electric potential changes in space.

Diagram showing electric field lines as dashed curves radiating from a blue circle and bending around a red L-shaped object, with denser lines indicating stronger electric fields.

electrostatics: References & Edit History

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Article History

Type	Description	Contributor	Date
	Modified link of Web site: Physics LibreTexts - Conductors and Applications of Electrostatics.	Grace Young	Nov 01, 2026
	Add new Web site: Openstax - University Physics Volume 2 - Applications of Electrostatics.	Emily Rodriguez	Dec 27, 2024
	Add new Web site: Yale University - Open Yale Courses - Electrostatics.	Gloria Lotha	Nov 14, 2024
	Add new Web site: University of Saskatschwan - Introduction to Electricity, Magnetism, and Circuits - Applications of Electrostatics.	Grace Young	Sep 30, 2024
	Add new Web site: LSU College of Sciences - Department of Physics and Astronomy - Introduction to Electrostatics.	Gloria Lotha	Jul 12, 2024
	Add new Web site: Caltech's Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy and The Feynman Lectures - Electrostatics.	Grace Young	May 16, 2024
	Add new Web site: College of DuPage Digital Press - Conceptual Physics - Electrostatics.	Gloria Lotha	Apr 05, 2024
	Add new Web site: OpenStax - College Physics 2e - Applications of Electrostatics.	Gloria Lotha	Apr 04, 2024
	Add new Web site: Victoria State Government - Department of Education - Electrostatics: A non-contact force.	Gloria Lotha	Feb 23, 2024
	Add new Web site: University of Central Florida Pressbooks - Applications of Electrostatics.	Gloria Lotha	Nov 28, 2023
	Add new Web site: Physics LibreTexts - Conductors and Applications of Electrostatics.	Gloria Lotha	Oct 06, 2023
	Add new Web site: OpenStax - College Physics 2e - Applications of Electrostatics.	Gloria Lotha	Aug 25, 2023
	New article added.	Erik Gregersen	Jun 25, 2020