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Point Charge

Definition

A point charge is an idealized model used in physics to represent a particle with all its charge concentrated at a single point. It has no physical size but possesses an electrical charge.

Analogy

Think of a point charge as a tiny speck that carries an electrical charge. Just like how you can imagine dividing any object into smaller and smaller pieces until you reach its smallest component, we consider this smallest component as a point charge in physics.

Related terms

Electric Field Lines: Electric field lines are imaginary lines used to visualize and represent the direction and strength of an electric field around a charged object.

Conductors vs Insulators: Conductors are materials that allow electrons to move freely, while insulators are materials that do not allow easy movement of electrons.

Conservation of Charge: The principle stating that within an isolated system, the total electric charge remains constant. Charge cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one object to another.

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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.