Electric Charge:
A fundamental intrinsic property of matter that gives rise to the attractions and repulsions between electrons and protons.
Coulomb:
The typical unit for measuring charge; a set number of electrons.
1 Coulomb = 6.25x1018 electrons
Charging by Contact:
The transfer of electric charge from one object to another by simple contact or conduction.
Charging by Induction:
Redistribution or charging of an object by bringing a charged item in close proximity to, but not touching, an uncharged object.
Coulomb’s Law:
Mathematical relationship between electric force, charge, and distance. The electric force varies directly with the product of the charges, and inversedly to the square of the distance between the charges.
Polarization:
Separation or alignment of the charges in a neutral body so that like charges are grouped together, resulting in a positive and a negative region.
Electric Field:
A force field that fills the space near any charge.
Electric Potential:
The ratio of electric potential energy to electric charge at a particular spot in an electric field. It is often referred to as voltage since it is measured in volts.
Equipotential Line:
A line where all points have an equal electric potential, or voltage.