LECTURES 3-4

Electric Field Calculations

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 lecture
in front of a large class

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RECAP: 𝐸Ԧ OF A POINT CHARGE
𝑘𝑞
𝐸 = 2 𝑟Ƹ
𝑟 P
𝑟Ƹ : unit vector 𝑟Ƹ 𝑟
𝐹Ԧ 𝑞
𝐸=
𝑞0
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RECAP: 𝐸Ԧ OF A POINT CHARGE

+ -

𝑞>0 𝑞<0
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SUPERPOSITION OF 𝐸Ԧ FIELDS
Q q1

qn q2
q3

P
qo
(Superposition of forces)

(Superposition of E-fields)

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SUPERPOSITION OF 𝐸Ԧ FIELDS
Components:

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 EXAMPLE
+y-axis Three charges of equal magnitude
are arranged as shown, with 𝑞1 > 0
and 𝑞2 , 𝑞3 < 0. What is the magnitude
and direction of the net electric field
P at point P?
If a test charge qo is placed at point P,
a what is the electric force it
experiences?
q3 q1 q2

a a
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EXAMPLE
What is the net electric field at the
center of the square?

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EXAMPLE
A charge 𝑞1 = −5.00 nC is placed at 𝑥 = +3.00 cm
while 𝑞2 = 9.00 nC is at 𝑥 = +4.00 cm. Where
should you place a third charge 𝑞3 = 6.00 nC so that
the electric field at 𝑥 = 0 is zero?

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CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS
Point charge Charge distribution

q Q
r
P
P
At point P,

𝑬 =?
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CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS
Two types of Charge Distribution
+ +
– + +++++++++++
+
Continuous Charge
– Distribution
Discrete Charge
Distribution

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 SUPERPOSITION OF 𝐸Ԧ fields
Q q1

qn q2
q3

P
qo
Discrete charge distributions Continuous charge distributions
𝑛 𝑛

𝐸 = 𝐸1 + 𝐸2 + ⋯ + 𝐸𝑛 = ෍ 𝐸𝑖 𝐸 = ෍ 𝐸𝑖 → න𝑑𝐸𝑥 𝑖Ƹ + න𝑑𝐸𝑦 𝑗Ƹ
𝑖=1 𝑖=1
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CONTINUOUS CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS
Notation for charge distributions Examples:

• line charge distribution (1-D)

λ (Greek letter lambda) : linear charge
density
(charge per unit length. measured in C/m)

• surface charge distribution (2-D)

σ (Greek letter sigma) : surface charge
density
(charge per unit area: measured in C/m2)

• volume charge distribution (3-D)

ρ (Greek letter rho) : volume charge density
(charge per unit volume: measured in C/m3)

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CONTINUOUS CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS
Charge densities
dq’
𝒅𝒒′ = 𝝀𝒅𝒙
dx

dq’
dq’

dA dV

𝒅𝒒′ = 𝝈𝒅𝑨 𝒅𝒒′ = 𝝆𝒅𝑽

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Field of a charged rod
A positive charge +𝑄 is uniformly distributed on a rod of
length L. What is the electric field along the rod, a distance D
from the right end of the segment?
𝐷
+𝜆

𝑥=0 𝑥=𝐿

Hint: start with

𝑑𝑞
𝑑𝐸 = 𝑘 2
𝑟
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Field of a charged rod
𝐷
+𝜆

𝑥=0 𝑥=𝐿

Treat the infinitesimal

infinitesimal section as a point source!
section of rod
with length dx

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Field of a charged rod
𝑥 𝐷
+𝜆 𝑑𝐸

𝑥=0 𝑑𝑥 𝑥=𝐿

𝒅𝒒
𝒅𝑬 = 𝒌 𝟐 𝒊Ƹ
𝒓
where 𝝀𝒅𝒙
𝑑𝑞 𝒅𝑬 = 𝒌 𝒊Ƹ
𝜆= → 𝑑𝑞 = 𝜆𝑑𝑥 (𝑳 + 𝑫 − 𝒙 )𝟐
𝑑𝑥
𝑟 =𝐿+𝐷−𝑥

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Field of a charged rod
𝜆𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝐸 = 𝑘 𝑖Ƹ
(𝐿 + 𝐷 − 𝑥 )2

𝑑𝑥
𝐸 = 𝑘𝜆 න 𝑖Ƹ
𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠 (𝐿 +𝐷−𝑥 )2

𝐿
𝑑𝑥 𝟏 𝟏
𝐸 = 𝑘𝜆 න 𝑖Ƹ → 𝑬 = 𝒌𝝀 − 𝒊Ƹ
0 (𝐿 + 𝐷 − 𝑥 )2 𝑫 𝑫+𝑳
Let 𝑢 = 𝐿 + 𝐷 − 𝑥
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Field of a charged rod
What happens when distance D is very large (such that 𝐷 ≫ 𝐿)?
𝐷
+𝜆

𝑥=0 𝑥=𝐿

The rod will essentially act as a point charge.

𝜆𝐿 𝑸
𝐸 = 𝑘𝜆
1
−
1
𝑖Ƹ
𝐸 = 𝑘 2 𝑖Ƹ
𝐷 Since 𝑄 = 𝜆𝐿, 𝑬 = 𝒌 𝟐 𝒊Ƹ
𝐷 𝐷+𝐿 𝑫
𝐿 We retrieve the electric
𝐸 = 𝑘𝜆 ≈𝐷 𝑖Ƹ
𝐷 𝐷+𝐿 field formula for a point
charge!

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
Positive charge Q is distributed
uniformly along the y-axis
between y = -a and y = +a.
Find the electric field at point P
on the x-axis located at the
symmetry axis of the rod at a
distance x from the origin.

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
1. Divide the rod into many segments. Each segment
will have a very small length dy.
2. Treat this very small segment as a point particle with
a very small electric field
𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸 = 𝑘 2
𝑟
3. Obtain the separation r. For a segment at some
location y, its separation from point P is 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 .
𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸 = 𝑘 2
𝑥 + 𝑦2

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
4. Decompose 𝑑𝐸 into its 𝑥- and 𝑦-
components.
𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 2 cos 𝛼
𝑥 + 𝑦2
𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸𝑦 = 𝑘 2 2
sin 𝛼
𝑥 +𝑦
5. Express cos 𝛼 and sin 𝛼 in terms of
𝑥 and 𝑦.
𝑥 𝑥
cos 𝛼 = =
𝑟 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
𝑦 𝑦
sin 𝛼 = =
𝑟 𝑥2 + 𝑦2

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
4. Substitute values.
𝑑𝑄 𝑥 𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 2 2
cos 𝛼 → 𝑘 2
𝑥 +𝑦 𝑥 + 𝑦 2 3/2
𝑑𝑄 𝑦 𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸𝑦 = 𝑘 2 2
sin 𝛼 → 𝑘 2
𝑥 +𝑦 𝑥 + 𝑦 2 3/2
5. Sum up the contribution of each segment by integrating over all charges.
𝑥 𝑑𝑄
𝐸𝑥 = න 𝑘 2 2 3/2
𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑥 + 𝑦
𝑦 𝑑𝑄
𝐸𝑦 = න 𝑘 2
𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑥 + 𝑦 2 3/2

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
6. Convert 𝑑𝑄 to 𝑑𝑦. Linear charge density is given by 𝜆 = 𝑄/2𝑎. But 𝜆 =
𝑑𝑄/𝑑𝑦.
𝑑𝑄 𝑄 𝑄
= → 𝑑𝑄 = 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 2𝑎 2𝑎
7. Substitute and setup the integral with the proper limits.
𝑄
𝑥 𝑑𝑄 +𝑎 𝑥 2𝑎 𝑑𝑦
𝐸𝑥 = න 𝑘 2 2 3/2
→න 𝑘 2 2 3/2
𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑥 + 𝑦 −𝑎 𝑥 + 𝑦
𝑄
𝑦 𝑑𝑄 +𝑎 𝑦 2𝑎 𝑑𝑦
𝐸𝑦 = න 𝑘 2 2 3/2
→න 𝑘 2 2 3/2
𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑥 + 𝑦 −𝑎 𝑥 + 𝑦

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
𝑄 +𝑎 𝑥 𝑑𝑦
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 ‫׬‬−𝑎 2 2 3/2
2𝑎 𝑥 +𝑦
2
Let 𝑦 = 𝑥tan𝑢 → 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑥sec 𝑢d𝑢
𝑄 𝑥 2 sec 2 𝑢d𝑢
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 න 3
2𝑎 𝑥 tan2 𝑢 + 1 3/2

𝑄 sec 2 𝑢d𝑢 𝑄
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 න 3
=𝑘 නcos𝑢d𝑢
2𝑎𝑥 sec 𝑢 2𝑎𝑥

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
𝑄 −1 𝑦
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 sin tan
2𝑎𝑥 𝑥
Evaluate from 𝑦 = −𝑎 to 𝑦 = 𝑎.
𝑄 𝑎 −𝑎
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 −
2𝑎𝑥 𝑎2 +𝑥 2 𝑎2 +𝑥 2
𝑄
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘
𝑥 𝑥 2 +𝑎2

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
𝑄 +𝑎 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝐸𝑦 = 𝑘 ‫׬‬−𝑎 2 2 3/2 = 0
2𝑎 𝑥 +𝑦
2 2
Hint: Either let 𝑢 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 or use
symmetry arguments.

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
𝑄
𝐸=𝑘 𝑖Ƹ
𝑥 𝑥 2 +𝑎2

When 𝑥 ≫ 𝑎,
𝑄
𝐸 ≈ 𝑘 2 𝑖Ƹ
𝑥

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FIELD OF A CHARGED ROD
When 𝑎 ≫ 𝑥,
2𝜆
𝐸= 𝑘 𝑖Ƹ
𝑥
𝜆
𝐸= 𝑖Ƹ
2𝜋𝜖0 𝑥

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FIELD OF AN INFINITE LINE CHARGE
At point P:
y Magnitude:

x
P Direction: +x-direction

R
x At point R:
Magnitude:

+λ
Direction: -x-direction

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FIELD OF AN INFINITE LINE CHARGE
At point P:
y Magnitude:

x Direction: -x-direction
P
R x At point R:
Magnitude:

-λ
Direction: +x-direction

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FIELD OF A RING OF CHARGE
Charge is uniformly distributed around a conducting ring of
radius a. Find the electric field at a point P on the ring axis
at a distance x from its center.

Hint: start with

𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸 = 𝑘 2
𝑟

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FIELD OF A RING OF CHARGE
𝑑𝑄 𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸 = 𝑘 2 = 𝑘 2 2
𝑟 𝑥 +𝑎
𝑑𝑄 𝑥 𝑥𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 2 2 = 𝑘 2 2 3Τ2
𝑥 +𝑎 𝑟 (𝑥 +𝑎 )
𝑑𝑄 𝑦 𝑦𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸𝑦 = 𝑘 2 2 = 𝑘 2 2 3Τ2
𝑥 +𝑎 𝑟 (𝑥 +𝑎 )

Use 𝑑𝑄 = 𝜆𝑑𝑠

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FIELD OF A RING OF CHARGE
𝐸𝑦 = 0 (symmetry arguments)
2𝜋𝑎 𝑥𝜆𝑑𝑠 𝑥𝜆 2𝜋𝑎
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 ‫׬‬0 2 2 3/2 = 𝑘 2 2 3/2 ‫׬‬0 𝑑𝑠
𝑥 +𝑎 𝑥 +𝑎
𝑥𝜆 𝑄
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 3 2𝜋𝑎 but 𝜆 =
𝑥 2 +𝑎2 2 2𝜋𝑎
𝑄𝑥
𝐸 = 𝐸𝑥 𝑖 Ƹ = 𝑘 3 𝑖Ƹ
𝑥 2 +𝑎2 2
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FIELD OF A DISK OF CHARGE
A non-conducting disk of radius R has a uniform positive
surface charge density 𝜎. Find the electric field at a point
along the axis of the disk a distance x from its center. Assume
that x is positive.

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 FIELD OF A DISK OF CHARGE
Disk: made up of concentric rings of charge 𝑑𝑄 of inner
radius 𝑟 and outer radius 𝑟 + 𝑑𝑟
𝑑𝑄
𝜎= → 𝑑𝑄 = 𝜎𝑑𝐴
𝑑𝐴
𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟 2 → 𝑑𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑟
𝑑𝑄 = 𝜎2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟
𝑥𝑑𝑄
𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 2 2 3/2 (for a ring of radius a)
𝑥 +𝑎
𝑥(𝜎2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟)
𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 2 2 3/2 (for a disk)
𝑥 +𝑟
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FIELD OF A DISK OF CHARGE
Integrate 𝑑𝐸𝑥 over 𝑟 from 𝑟 = 0 to 𝑟 = 𝑅.
𝑥(𝜎2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟)
𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑘 2 2 3/2
𝑥 +𝑟
1 𝑅 2𝑟𝑑𝑟 𝜎𝑥 𝑅 2𝑟𝑑𝑟
𝐸𝑥 = 𝑥𝜎𝜋 ‫׬‬0 3 = ‫׬‬0 3
4𝜋𝜖𝑜 4𝜖𝑜
𝑥 2 +𝑟 2 2 𝑥 2 +𝑟 2 2
Use 𝑡 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑟 2 → 𝑑𝑡 = 2𝑟𝑑𝑟.
𝜎𝑥 1 1
𝐸𝑥 = − 2 2+
4𝜖𝑜 𝑥 +𝑅 𝑥
𝜎 1
𝐸𝑥 = 1− 2
2𝜖𝑜 𝑅
2 +1 𝑥

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FIELD OF A DISK OF CHARGE
What happens if the disk is very large?
Radius R is very large that the second term essentially
1
becomes .
∞
𝜎 1
𝐸𝑥 = 1−
2𝜖𝑜 𝑅2
+1
𝑥2

𝜎
𝐸𝑥 =
2𝜖𝑜
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INFINITE PLANE SHEET OF CHARGE
At point P:
y
Magnitude:
x

x
P Direction: +x-direction

R y
At point R:
Magnitude:

+σ
Direction: -x-direction
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Example
Two infinite sheets of charge with surface charge density +𝜎
and −𝜎 are placed parallel to each other at a separation
distance d . Find the electric field between the sheets, above
the upper sheet, and below the lower sheet.

−𝜎
Sheet 1

d
Sheet 2 +𝜎
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Solution

𝜎
𝐸1 = 𝐸2 =
2𝜖𝑜

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Example
An infinite line of charge with linear charge density λ was placed a
distance d on top of an infinite sheet with surface charge density σ as
shown. What is the net electric field at point P at a distance of 2d
from the line?

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QUIZ 3
Consider three charged infinite planes that are parallel to each other
as shown in the figure. The rightmost plane has uniform charge density
+σ while the two have uniform charge density –σ. Calculate the net
electric field at each of the four regions (I to IV). (1.5 pts each)
L L
+𝒙
I II III IV
–σ –σ +σ
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