Capacitance and Voltage

This week in Physics we learned about capacitance.  A capacitance is energy stored.  It is the storage of lots of voltage but not a great deal of charge.  Some examples of of capacitance are keyboards and touch screen devices.  Let me try to relate my typing on this computer to this unit of physics that we are learning. The equation of a capacitance is C=(EA)/d [where C is the capacitance, E is the epsilon or permitivity of (air) free space, A is the area of plates (meters squared), and d is the distance between the plates (meter).  Every time I hit a key to type a letter, the capacitance changes because the distance between the two plates change.  The units of capacitance are Coulombs (Q)/Volts (V), also known as Farads (F).  This is what I learned this about in Physics this week.

"It's Electric...Boogie Woogie Woogie"

This week in Physics, we learned a little bit about Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy. Electric Potential Energy is the stored energy of a charged object in an electric potential field.  Its unites are in Joules.  During our lesson, Mr. Blake over and over said that Electric Potential DOES NOT equal Electric Potential Energy.  But, he did say that Electric Potential DOES equal Electric Potential Energy/Charge.  Electric Potential is also known as "Electric Potential Difference".  This unit of Electric Potential is in Volts (Voltages) because it is Joules/Coulombs.  Basically, Electric Potential is how much energy you get per unit of charge.  This is all I know of this unit so far and hopefully this week I get a better understanding of it!

"Opposites Attract"

This week in Physics, we kept learning about our unit of Electric Charges.  As I've said in my last blogpost, opposite charges attract while similar charges repel.  I've related this concept to my relationships with people.  Although relationships don't specifically deal with charges, it has the same idea of opposites attracting.  For example, me and my boyfriend are not really alike.  He does different sports than I do. He is extremely social. I am not. He enjoys speech, and I definitely do not like speech. He is always confident in himself, and I lack in that area of self-confidence.  Although we are not similar, we are attracted to each other. Another example would be me and my friends.  In our entire group, everyone is uniquely different.  Some of us play similar sports and have a few things in common, but we are not entirely alike.  That is a reason why we are attracted to each other.  I kind of enjoyed learning about this unit in Physics because I learned the real reason why things are attracted to each other and how opposite charges attract.  I will not ever forget this concept in Physics because of the slogan, "Opposites Attract".

MAGNETSSS!

This week we learned about Electric Charges, Forces, and Fields.  One of the basic concepts of this unit (also something I understand pretty well) was about the electric charges.  Their are 3 types of charges: positive (protons), negative (electrons), and no charge (neutron). Protons are represented by a +1.  Electrons are represented by a -1. Neutrons have no charge, so their symbol is 0.  According to the Charge Force Law, like charges will repel each other and unlike charges will attract each other.  For example, if 2 object are both negative, they will repel each other.  If one is positive and one is negative they will attract.  If two objects are neutral, they will have no effect. Also, if one object is either positive or negative and the second object is neutral, they will attract.  I related this concept of physics to my refrigerator door.  Everyday I go in and out of the fridge to get food to eat.  I see the calendar on the door everyday as I open and close the door.  The calendar is hanging from a magnet which is on top the fridge door.  I made the connection from the door and the magnet to this physics concept of electric charges.  Because the magnet is able to stick to the fridge door means that they have opposite charges.  The magnet sticks to the fridge door because it is attracted to it. It all makes sense now!!