Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 2
ELECTROSTATICS
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
ELECTROSTATICS
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Physics
Class: SHS 2
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 2
Grade code: 2.3.1.LI.3
Strand code: 3
Sub-strand code: 1
Content standard code: 2.3.1.CS.1
Indicator code: 2.3.1.LI.3
Theme: ELECTRIC FIELD, MAGNETIC FIELD AND ELECTRONICS
Subtheme: ELECTROSTATICS
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
Welcome, future scientists and engineers! Today, we are exploring the invisible forces that govern much of our world: electrostatics. Have you ever felt a small shock when you touched a metal doorknob during the Harmattan season? Or seen small pieces of paper jump towards a plastic ruler you've just rubbed on your hair? These are real-life examples of static electricity. Understanding these concepts is the first step towards understanding how essential technologies like photocopiers, paint sprayers, and even life-saving lightning conductors work.
This lesson builds on our previous knowledge of static charges and introduces the concept of the electric field. A. Recap: Electrostatic Force (Coulomb's Law)
Before we discuss the electric field, let's remember the force that creates it. The "Talk for Learning" exemplar reminds us to start here. Electrostatic Force: This is the force of attraction or repulsion between two stationary electric charges. Like charges (positive-positive or negative-negative) repel each other, while opposite charges (positive-negative) attract each other. Coulomb's Law gives us a way to calculate this force. It states that the force (F) between two point charges (q₁ and q₂) is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between them.
The formula is: ``` F = k * |q₁ * q₂| / r² ``` Where: F is the electrostatic force in Newtons (N). k is Coulomb's constant, approximately 9.0 x 10⁹ N⋅m²/C². q₁ and q₂ are the magnitudes of the charges in Coulombs (C). r is the distance between the charges in metres (m).
This force is what one charge *exerts on another*. But what if we only have *one* charge? Does it still affect the space around it? Yes, it does! And that brings us to the Electric Field. B. The Concept of an Electric Field