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electrostatics

(Encyclopedia)electrostatics, study of phenomena associated with charged bodies at rest (see charge; electricity). A charged body has an excess of positive or negative charges, a condition usually brought about by ...

electrophorus

(Encyclopedia)electrophorus, device used to generate static electric charges. It has two parts: a nonconducting plate (e.g., of hard rubber) that is negatively charged and a metal plate with an insulated handle. A ...

Aepinus, Franz Ulrich Theodosius

(Encyclopedia)Aepinus, Franz Ulrich Theodosius fränts o͝olˈrĭkh tāˌōdōˈzēo͝os âpēˈno͝os [key], 1724–1802, German physicist. He studied at Jena and Rostock and taught mathematics at Rostock from 174...

potential, electric

(Encyclopedia)potential, electric, work per unit of electric charge expended in moving a charged body from a reference point to any given point in an electric field (see electrostatics). The potential at the refere...

Poisson, Siméon Denis

(Encyclopedia)Poisson, Siméon Denis sēmāôNˈ dənēˈ pwäsôNˈ [key], 1781–1840, French mathematician and physicist. From 1802 he taught at the École polytechnique, Paris, and was also on the faculty of sc...

charge

(Encyclopedia)charge, property of matter that gives rise to all electrical phenomena (see electricity). The basic unit of charge, usually denoted by e, is that on the proton or the electron; that on the proton is d...

physics

(Encyclopedia)physics, branch of science traditionally defined as the study of matter, energy, and the relation between them; it was called natural philosophy until the late 19th cent. and is still known by this na...

electricity

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Electrical and radio symbols electricity, class of phenomena arising from the existence of charge. The basic unit of charge is that on the proton or electron—the proton's charge is designate...

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