Electric Field and Electric Charge

Chapter 21:
Electric Charge and Electric Field

General Physics 2
Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Goals:
To study electric charge and see how charge behaves in
conductors and insulators
To calculate force with Coulomb’s Law
To consider the electric field as a map of force on a test charge
To see how electric fields superimpose
To visualize and consider the path of electric field lines around
a charge or charges
To see the unique applications of electric dipole

Electromagnetic interactions involve particles that have a property
called electric charge.
Electric spark you feel when you scuff your shoes across a
carpet and reach for a metal doorknob.
Electric currents in flashlight, portable CD players, television,
etc.
Forces that hold atoms together to form a solid matter.

Today we say that the amber has acquired a net electric charge or
has become charged.
Electric - ”elektron” meaning amber
Electrostatics - the interactions between electric charges that
are at rest (or nearly so).
At electrostatic equilibrium, no net force is acting on a charged

particle, it doesn’t accelerate.

.. Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field
..
Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
- suggested the term ”negative” and ”positive” to
the two kinds of charges.
Two positive charges or two negative charges
repel each other.
A positive charge and a negative charge attract
each other.
Laser Printer
..
Structure and Electric Properties of Atoms
..
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of
protons in the nucleus and the net electric charge (the algebraic
sum of all the charges) is exactly zero.
..
For a given body to be negatively charged, add negative
charges and remove positive charges.
For a given body to be positively charged, add positive

charges or remove negative charges.

There are two very important principles:
1 Conservation of Charge:
The algebraic sum of all the electric charges in any closed
system is constant.
In any charging process, charge is not created or destroyed, it
is merely transferred from one body to another.
2 The Charge is Quantized. The magnitude of charge of the
electron or proton is a natural unit of charge.
Q = ne n - integer, e - charge of electron

= 1.602 E = 19 C

..

Charging by Induction
..

A charge body can exert forces even on objects that are not
charged themselves (Induced-Charge Effect).
..
Polarization - shifting of charges

Electrostatic Painting Process
.. Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

..
Charles Augustin de Coulomb (1736-1806)

studied the interaction forces of charged particles.
found that the electric force is proportional to 1/r 2 .
1
Fα (1)
r2

..
Charles Augustin de Coulomb (1736-1806)

found that the electric force between two point charges also
depends on the quantity of charge on each body, which we
will denote by q or Q.
found that the forces that the two point charges q1 and q2
exert on each other and therefore are proportional to the
product q1 q2 of the two charges.
F αq1 q2 (2)
Coulomb’s Law
The magnitude of the electric force between two
point charges is directly proportional to the
product of the charges and inversely proportional
to the square of the distance between them.
..
k|q1 q2 |
|F | = (3)
r2
Direction of the forces the two charges exert on each other are
always along the line joining them.
..
Charges of the same sign repel
..
Charges of opposite sign attract

In each case, the forces obey the Newton’s third law:
The TWO FORCES are always EQUAL in MAGNITUDE and
OPPOSITE in DIRECTION, even when the CHARGES are NOT
EQUAL.
k|q1 q2 |
|F1on2 | = |F2on1 | = (4)
r2
F~1on2 = −F~2on1 (5)

SI unit of electric charge is one Coulomb (1C).
2
k = 8.988x109 N.m
C2
(6)
2
=(10−7 N.s
C2
); c = speed of light (7)
1 C2
= ; 0 = 8.854x10−12 (8)
4π0 N.m2
The most fundamental unit of charge is the magnitude of the
charge of an electron or a proton which denoted by e.
|e| = 1.602x10−19 C (9)

Note:
In electrostatics problems, it is very unusual to encounter charges
as large as 1C.
..
k|q1 q2 | k(1C 2 )
|F | = = = 8.988x109 N (10)
r2 (1m2 )
Typical values of charge range from about 10−9 C (1nC ) to

10−6 (1µC )

Principle of Superposition of Forces
when two charges exert forces simultaneously on a third charge,

the total force acting on that charge is the VECTOR SUM of the
FORCES that the two charges would exert individually.

Strictly speaking, Coulomb’s law should be used only for point
charges in vacuum.
At normal atmospheric pressure, the presence of air changes the

electric force from its vacuum value by only about one part in 2000.

Ex. 1. Two point charges, q1 = 4q and q2 = −2q are separated
by a distance of 2m. Find the magnitude and direction of (a) the
electric force that q1 exerts on q2 (b) the electric force that q2
exerts on q1 .
..

(a) Magnitude:
k|q1 q2 | k|(4q)(2q)|
|F1on2 | = 2
= (11)
r (2m)2
8kq 2 2kq 2
= = (12)
4m2 m2
Direction:
..

(b) Magnitude:
k|q1 q2 | k|(4q)(2q)|
|F2on1 | = = (13)
r2 (2m)2
8kq 2 2kq 2
= = (14)
4m2 m2
Direction:
..

Ex. 2. Two point charges are located on the positive x-axis of a
coordinate system. Charge q1 = 3q is 2m from the origin and
charge q2 = -4q is 4m from the origin. What is the total force
exerted by these two charges on a charge q3 = 2q located at the
origin? Gravitational forces are negligible.
..

kq1 q3 k(3q)(2q) ˆ 3kq 2 ˆ
F~1on3 = r
ˆ = (−i) = (−i) (15)
r1 2 (2m)2 2m2
kq2 q3 k(4q)(2q) ˆ kq 2 ˆ
F~2on3 = r
ˆ = i= i (16)
r2 2 (4m)2 2m2
3kq 2 ˆ kq 2 ˆ
F~1and2on3 = (−i) + i (17)
2m2 (2m)2
kq 2
F~1and2on3 = − 2 iˆ (18)
m

Ex. 3. Two equal positive point charges q1 and q2 = 2q interact
with a third point charge q3 = 4q as shown. Find the magnitude
and direction of the total (net) force on q3 . Gravitational forces
are negligible.
..

F~1and2on3 = F~1on3 + F~2on3 (19)
F~1and2on3 = [F(1on3)x + F(1on3)y ] + [F(2on3)x + F(2on3)y ] (20)
F~1and2on3 = [|F(1on3) |cosθi+—F

ˆ ˆ
(1on3) |sinθ(−j)]+
(21)
ˆ
[|F(2on3) |cosθi+—F ˆ
(2on3) |sinθ j]
k|q1 q3 | k|(2q)(4q)| 8kq 2

|F1on3 | = 2
= = (22)
r1 5m2 25m2
k|q2 q3 | 8kq 2
|F2on3 | = = (23)
r22 25m2

4m 4
cosθ = = (24)
5m 5
3m 3
sinθ = = (25)
5m 5
F~1and2on3 = [|F(1on3) |cosθi+—F

ˆ ˆ
(1on3) |sinθ(−j)]+
(26)
ˆ
[|F(2on3) |cosθi+—F ˆ
(2on3) |sinθ j]
8kq 2 4 ˆ 3ˆ 8kq 2 4 ˆ 3ˆ
F~1and2on3 = [ ( i− j)] + [ ( i+ j)] (27)
25m2 5 5 25m2 5 5
8kq 2 4 ˆ 64 kq 2 ˆ
F~1and2on3 = 2[ ( i) = i] (28)
25m2 5 125 m2

..
..

For two charge bodies, each force (the force of A on q0 and
the force of q0 on A), one charge sets up an electric field that
exerts a force on the second charge.
A single charge produces an electric field in the surrounding

space, but this electric field cannot exert a net force on the
charge that created it.
The electric force on a charged body is exerted by the electric

field created by other bodies.

..
The ELECTRIC FIELD at a certain point is equal to the electric

force per unit charge.

..
SOURCE POINT - location of the charge.

FIELD POINT - the point P where we are determining the
field.

It is useful to introduce a unit vector that points along the line
from source point to field point.
..
~r ~r
rˆ = = (29)
|~r | r

~r ~r
rˆ = = (30)
|~r | r
~r = r1 iˆ + r2 jˆ + r3 k̂ (31)
q
|~r | = (r1 )2 + (r2 )2 + (r3 )2 (32)
~r r1 r2
rˆ = =p iˆ + p ˆ
j+
|~r | 2 2
(r1 ) + (r2 ) + (r3 ) 2 (r1 ) + (r2 )2 + (r3 )2
2
r3
p
(r1 )2 + (r2 )2 + (r3 )2
(33)
Electric Field at a field point q0 a distance r from a point charge q
..
k|qq0 |
|F | = (34)
r2
|F | k|q|
|E | = = 2 (35)
q0 r
k|q|
E~ = 2 r (36)
r

..

..

Electric Field vector for a Point Charge
What is the electric field at point P due to the charge q?
..
r1 = a ; r2 = a
q p √
|~r | = r = (r1 )2 + (r2 )2 = a2 + a2 = a 2 (37)

~r r1 ˆ r2 ˆ
rˆ = = (−i) + (j) (38)
|~r | |~r | |~r |
−a a −1 1
= √ iˆ + √ jˆ = √ iˆ + √ jˆ (39)
2a 2a 2 2
k|q| kq −1 1 ˆ
E~ = 2 rˆ = 2 ( √ iˆ + √ j) (40)
r 2a 2 2

Electron in a Uniform Electric Field
Consider two conducting parallel plates separated by a distance r
and connected to a battery. The resulting charges on the plates
cause a uniform electric field E = E0 j in the region between the
plates.
a) If an electron of charge e is released from rest at the upper
plate, what will be the acceleration of the electron?
..

a) Acceleration of the electron.
..

F~
E~ = (41)
q
F~ = q E~ = −eE0 j = me ay (42)
−eE0
ay = j (43)
me

Consider two conducting parallel plates separated by a distance r
and connected to a battery. The resulting charges on the plates
cause a uniform electric field E = E0 j in the region between the
plates.
b) What speed and kinetic energy does it require as it reached
the positive plate?
..

Electron in a Uniform Electron Field
b) Speed and KE of the electron
..

vy2 = V0y
2
+ 2ay (y − y0 ) (44)
V0 = 0; y0 = 0 (45)
Vy2 = 2ay y (46)
−eE0
=2 (−r ) (47)
me
r
2eE0 r
Vy = (48)
me
r
1 2 1 2 1 2eE0 r 2
KE = mv = me vy = me ( ) (49)
2 2 2 me
KE = eE0 r (50)

Electric Field caused by a Charged Distribution
q1 , q2 , q3 , ...so on
At any given point P, each point charge produces its own electric
field,
E~1 , E~2 , E~3 , ...so on

A test charge q0 placed at point P experiences a force,
F~1 = q0 E~1 from charge q1

F~2 = q0 E~2 from charge q2
F~3 = q0 E~3 from charge q3 and so on

Electric Field caused by a Charge Distribution
The total force that the charge distribution exerts on q0 is the
vector sum of these forces:
F~0 = F~1 + F~2 + F~3 + ... = q0 E~1 + q0 E~2 + q0 E~3 + ...
The combined effect of all the charges in the distribution is

described by the total electric field at point P.
F~0
E~ = q0 = E~1 + E~2 + E~3 + ...

Principle of Superposition of Electric Fields
The total electric field at P is the vector sum of the fields at P due
to each point charge in the charge distribution.

Electric Field of an Electric Dipole
|q1 | = |q2 | = q
What is the electric field caused by q1 , electric field caused by q2

and total field at point P?
..

E~1 = E~1x + E~1y (51)
ˆ
= |E1 |cosθi+—E ˆ
1 |sinθ j (52)
E~2 = E~2x + E~2y (53)
ˆ
= |E2 |cosθi+—E 2 |sinθ −̂j (54)
k|q|
|E~1 | = |E~2 | = 2 (55)
a
kq
E~total = E~1 + E~2 = 2 (2cosθ)iˆ (56)
a
kq b b
E~total = 2 (2 ) = 2kq 3 iˆ (57)
a a a

Electric Field of a Ring of Charge
A ring shaped conductor with radius a carries a total charge Q
uniformly distributed around it. What is the electric field at point
P?
..

Q
E~ = k 2 rˆ (58)
r
dQ
d E~ = k rˆ (59)
r2
dQ
d E~ = k cosθiˆ (60)
a2 + x 2
kx
d E~ = 3 dQ iˆ (61)
(a2 + x 2) 2
Z Z
kx
d E~ = 3 dQ iˆ (62)
(a2 + x 2 ) 2
kxQ
E~ = 3 iˆ (63)
(a2 + x 2 ) 2

Linear charge density:
charge(C )
λ= (64)
unit length (m)
Surface charge density:
charge(C )
σ= (65)
unit area (m2 )
Volume charge density:
charge(C )
ρ= (66)
unit volume (m3 )

Electric Field of a Line of Charge
Positive electric charge Q is distributed uniformly along a line with
length 2a. Find the electric field at point P.
..
Q
E~ = k 2 rˆ (67)
r
dQ
d E~ = k rˆ (68)
r2
Qdy
d E~ = rˆ (69)
2a(x 2 + y 2 )
Qdy
d E~ = k [cosθiˆ + sinθ(−j)]
ˆ (70)
2a(x 2 + y 2 )
kQdy x
d E~ = k 2 2
[p i
2a(x + y ) x + y2
2
y
+ √ (−j)]
x 2 +y 2
(71)

Z a Z a
kQdy x y
d E~ = 2 2
[p +p ˆ (72)
(−j)]
−a −a 2a(x + y ) x 2 + y 2 iˆ x2 + y2
kQ
E~ = √ iˆ (73)
x a2 + x 2
1 (2aλ) ˆ
E~ = √ i (74)
4π0 x a2 + x 2
√1
1 (2aλ) a2
E~ = √ iˆ (75)
4π0 x a2 + x 2 √1
a2

1 λ
E~ = q iˆ (76)
2π0 x x 2 + 1
a2
For a >>> x,
λ ˆ
E~ = i (77)
2π0 x

λ
E~ = rˆ (78)
2π0 r
The field magnitude depends only on the distance of point P from
the line of charge.

Electric Field of a Uniformly Charged Disk
Find the electric field caused by a disk of radius R with a uniform
positive surface charge density (charge per unit area) σ, at a point
along the axis of the disk a distance x from its center. Assume
that x is positive.
..
Q
E~ = k 2 r (79)
r1
dQ
d E~ = k r = k r 2dQ
+x 2
cosθi (80)
r12
σdQ x
=k √ i (81)
r2 +x 2
r2 + x2
x(σ2πrdr )
d E~ = k 3 i (82)
(r 2 + x 2 ) 2
Z R Z R
x(σ2πrdr )
d E~ = k 3 i (83)
0 0 (r 2 + x 2 ) 2
1 σ
E~ = 1 − q (
i) (84)
R2
+1 20
x2

Electric Field of an Infinite Plane Sheet of Charge
σ
E~ = rˆ (85)
20
The field produced is independent of the distance from the sheet.

Electric Field of Two Oppositely Charged Infinite Sheets
..

E~ = E~1 + E~2 (86)
E-field above the upper sheet:
σ
E~above = j + σ 20 (−j) = 0 (87)
20
E-field below the lower sheet:
σ
E~below = (−j) + σ 20 j = 0 (88)
20
E-field between the two sheets:
σ
E~between = j + σ 20 j
20
(89)
σ
= j
0

ELECTRIC FIELD LINE
- Imaginary line or curve drawn through a region of space so that

its tangent at any point is in the direction of the electric field
vector at that point.
..

NOTES:
1 Field lines do not intersect each other.
2 Field lines spacing gives a general idea of the magnitude of E
at each point.
Strong E - Field lines are closely together.

Weak E - Field lines are farther apart.

..

..

..
In a UNIFORM FIELD, the field lines are straight, parallel and
uniformly spaced.
..

ELECTRIC DIPOLE
- a pair of point charges with equal magnitude and opposite sign

(a positive charge q and a negative charge -q) separated by a
distance d.
..

1 What is the electric field does an electric dipole itself
produce?
2 What forces and torques does an electric dipole experience

when placed in an external field?

..
The NET FORCE of an electric dipole in a uniform external field is

ZERO.

..
TORQUE - quantitative measure of the tendency of a force to

cause or change the rotation motion of a body.
τ = Fl; (90)
l - length of the lever arm

- perpendicular distance between the line of action of the force and
axis of rotation.
φ - angle between E and the dipole axis.
..
τ = Fl (91)
d
τ+ = F~+ sinφ (92)
2
d
τ− = F~− sinφ (93)
2
Both torque tend to rotate the dipole clockwise. The magnitude of
the net torque is:
τ = (qE )dsinφ (94)

τ = (qE )dsinφp = qd (95)
(magnitude of electric dipole moment)
τ = pEsinφ (96)
- magnitude of torque on an electric dipole
~τ = p~x E~ (97)
(torque on an electric dipole in vector form)

..
The direction of p is always along the dipole axis from the negative
charge to the positive charge.

NOTES:
1 Torque is GREATEST if p is perpendicular to E.
Torque is ZERO if p is parallel to E.
Torque is ZERO if p is antiparallel to E.
2 Torque always tends to turn p to line it up with E.
3 When φ = 0 (p is parallel to E), stable equilibrium.

When φ = π (p is antiparallel to E), unstable equilibrium.

When a dipole changes direction in E, the E-torque does work on
it with a corresponding change in potential energy.
The work dW done by a torque τ during an infinitesimal

displacement dφ is:
dW = τ dφ (98)
Torque always tends to turn p to line it up with E.

so the torque is in the direction of decreasing φ.
dW = τ dφ = −pEsinφdφ (99)

dW = τ dφ = −pEsinφdφ (100)
In a finite displacement from φ1 to φ2
Z φ1 Z φ1
dW = −pEsinφdφ (101)
φ2 φ2
Z φ1
W = −pE sinφdφ (102)
φ2
W = −pE [−cosφ]φφ12 (103)
W = −pE (−cosφ2 + cosφ1 ) (104)
W = pEcosφ2 − pEcosφ1 (105)

W = pEcosφ2 − pEcosφ1 (106)
Work is the negative of the change of potential energy:
W = U1 − U2 = −pE (cosφ1 − cosφ2 ) (107)
A suitable definition of potential energy for the system is:
U(φ) = −pEcosφ; p • E = pEcosφ (108)
p • E~
u = −~ (109)
potential energy for a dipole at uniform E

NOTES:
When φ = 0
(U = -pE, p is parallel to E), potential energy is minimum
stable equilibrium position
When φ = π
(U = pE, p is antiparallel to E), potential energy is
maximum
unstable equilibrium position
When φ = π2
(U = 0, p is perpendicular to E)

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Chapter 21:

Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

At electrostatic equilibrium, no net force is acting on a charged

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

For a given body to be positively charged, add positive

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Q = ne n - integer, e - charge of electron

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Polarization - shifting of charges

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

.. Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Charles Augustin de Coulomb (1736-1806)

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Charles Augustin de Coulomb (1736-1806)

Charges of the same sign repel

Charges of opposite sign attract

F~1on2 = −F~2on1 (5)

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

|e| = 1.602x10−19 C (9)

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Typical values of charge range from about 10−9 C (1nC ) to

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

when two charges exert forces simultaneously on a third charge,

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

At normal atmospheric pressure, the presence of air changes the

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

F~1and2on3 = [F(1on3)x + F(1on3)y ] + [F(2on3)x + F(2on3)y ] (20)

F~1and2on3 = [|F(1on3) |cosθi+—F

k|q1 q3 | k|(2q)(4q)| 8kq 2

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

F~1and2on3 = [|F(1on3) |cosθi+—F

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

A single charge produces an electric field in the surrounding

The electric force on a charged body is exerted by the electric

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

The ELECTRIC FIELD at a certain point is equal to the electric

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

SOURCE POINT - location of the charge.

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 21: Electric Charge and Electric Field