PHYS-118: Electricity, Light and Radiation

Chapter 23. Electric field

1. What is an electric field?

2. Electric field of point charges
3. Electric field of uniformly charged objects
4. Charged particles in electric field
Electric field
 What is E-field, and why do we need it?
Coulomb force:
• Acts at a distance
𝑞1 𝑞2 𝒓ො 𝑞1 𝑞2 𝒓ො
(like gravitation, unlike contact forces) 𝑭=𝐾 2
=𝐾 2
≡ 𝑞1 𝑬
𝑟 𝑟
• 𝑞1 and 𝑞2 are treated on the same footing • Looks simple only for charges in rest
• Applicable only to point charges

Concept of a field:
Two-part analysis:
1) a charge (𝑞2) produces a field (as if the space is filled with influence of q2);
2) another charge (𝑞1) is acted on by the field

Convenient notations: 𝑞1 = ‘test’, or ‘probe’: 𝑡

𝑞2 = ‘source’: 𝑠 𝑭𝒕 = 𝑞𝑡 𝑬𝒔
E-field summary:
- Finite E-field = somewhere there are charges, which we do not care about
- Accounts for combined effect of all the charges except for the one we are looking at

Electric field due to all source

source charge charges (white arrows show the
direction, saturations show the
magnitude of E-field at all points)

test charge
Electric force on the test charge
(red arrow; its magnitude
represents the magnitude of F)

Electric field: demonstration

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/charges-and-fields/latest/charges-and-fields_en.html
Electric field of point charges

• Field of one point charge

• Field of two or more charges
• Electric dipole and its field

source charge

test charge
What is the field created by a point charge, 𝑞 = 𝑞𝑆 ? 𝑭𝒕 = 𝑞𝑡 𝑬𝒔

Ԧ
Let test charge be 𝑞𝑡 = +1𝐶. Then 𝐸-map and 𝐹-map look exactly the same!

𝑞1 𝑞2
𝐹1 on 2 = 𝐹2 on 1 = 𝐾
𝑟2
𝑞𝑠 𝑞𝑠 𝑞𝑡
𝑞𝑡 𝐾𝑞±
𝐸 = 2 𝑟Ƹ
𝑟
𝑞𝑡 𝑞𝑡

We can think of the electric field as a force per unit charge (units: N/C).
Electric field vs electric force
2𝑞 𝑞

Charge 1 Charge 2
Q2.1. What is correct?

a) A. 𝐹1 𝑜𝑛 2 > 𝐹2 𝑜𝑛 1 b) A. 𝐸1 𝑎𝑡 2 > 𝐸 2 𝑎𝑡 1
B. 𝐹1 𝑜𝑛 2 < 𝐹2 𝑜𝑛 1 B. 𝐸1 𝑎𝑡 2 < 𝐸 2 𝑎𝑡 1
C. 𝐹1 𝑜𝑛 2 = 𝐹2 𝑜𝑛 1 C. 𝐸1 𝑎𝑡 2 = 𝐸 2 𝑎𝑡 1
Superposition principle

• Suppose that there are two or more charges.

• Each charge creates an electric field in space.
• Superposition principle:
➢ The fields add at each point (as vectors !).
 A system of two charges of opposite signs and same magnitude is called a dipole.

Q2.2a). What is the direction of the electric field at the dot?

A. Up E. The field is zero.

B. Down
C. Left
D. Right
E. The electric field is zero at the dot
 A system of two charges of opposite signs and same magnitude is called a dipole.

Q2.2b). What is the direction of the electric field at the dot?

E. The field is zero.

A. Up E. The field is zero.

B. Down
E. The field is ze

C. Left
D. Right
E. The electric field is zero at the dot
Q2.3. At the position of the dot, the electric field points approximately
Five rules for everybody who is adding vectors (for example,
fields) in two (or more) dimensions (Reminder):

• In the diagram, draw each field as a vector, pointing in the proper direction.
• Write down their magnitudes (= “absolute values”).
• Find all the components of all the fields. For that, project each field onto all axes, i.e.
multiply the absolute value by the relevant sin or cos.
Don’t forget “−” if a projection goes in the negative direction.
• Add the fields up componentwise to get the components of the result.

• To calculate the resulting field magnitude, use 𝐴 = 𝐴2𝑥 + 𝐴2𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧2 rule.
Q2.4. Consider the system of two point charges. Write a symbolic
expression for the electric field strength (magnitude) at the dot.
Remember that the field strength for a single positive point charge
𝑞
is 𝐸 = 𝐾 2 , where 𝑟 is the distance from the point charge.
𝑟

For your own practice. Please complete it (as opposed to “I know how to do it, so can skip”).
The answers are given in the Tutorial 2 handout.

a) Consider the +2Q charge first. What is the direction of the electric field at the dot due to this charge? Show it in the
diagram.
b) What is the magnitude of the electric field at point A due to this charge?
c) What is the x-component of the electric field at point A due to this charge? (Projections!)
d) What is the y-component of the electric field at point A due to this charge? (Projections!)

e) Now consider the +Q charge. Calculate the x and y components of the electric field at the dot due to this charge.
(Projections!)

f) Calculate the x and y components of the net electric field at the dot.
g) Calculate the magnitude of the net field at the dot using 𝐴 = 𝐴2𝑥 + 𝐴2𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧2 rule.
Electric field of a dipole

• We have seen in Q2.2 that both the magnitude and the direction of the electric field of
a dipole depend on the location of the observation point.
• Hence, we can write for the magnitude of the electric field: 𝐸 = 𝐸(𝑥, 𝑦)
• Finding it everywhere is a difficult task. Here we will investigate some important
features of this field, and then discuss its general shape.

Q2.5. Where should the electric field 𝐸 be zero?

A. In the middle between the charges

B. To the left of +𝑄
C. To the right of – 𝑄
D. The electric field is never zero
E. Far away
Electric field of a dipole

Q2.6. Find the magnitude of the field for any point on the x-axis.

𝑟
Q: What is special
about this axis?

• We will use the superposition principle.

• Draw the two fields (produced by both charges)
• Write the magnitudes of the electric fields due to each charge
• Project the fields!
➢ What can you say about 𝐸+,𝑥 and 𝐸−,𝑥 ?
➢ What can you say about 𝐸+,𝑦 and 𝐸−,𝑦 ?
Approximations
𝐾𝑞𝑠
Q2.7. Your answer to Q2.6 should be 𝐸𝑦 = − 3 .
𝑠 2 2
𝑥2+ 2

a) Approximate it for the situation when 𝑥 ≫ 𝑠 (observation point is far away from the dipole)

b) Far away from the charges, how does the dipole (+𝑄, −𝑄) field compare to the field of
one point charge +𝑄?
Electric field of a dipole

• We know that the electric field of a dipole

is never zero, and we know its expression
on the dipole’s symmetry axis.

• By repeating the procedure similar to that

of Q2.6, we can find the dipole’s electric
field at any point in space. The result looks
like this:

• You need to know how it looks like, but

don’t need to know the exact expression
at each point – which, by the way, is:

Ԧ 𝑟Ƹ 𝑟−
3 𝑝⋅ Ƹ 𝑝Ԧ
𝐸 𝑟Ԧ = 𝐾 , where 𝑟Ԧ = 𝑟 𝑟Ƹ and 𝑝Ԧ = 𝑞 𝑠Ԧ being the dipole moment.
𝑟3
Q2.8. Consider the system of three positive point charges.
When r  d, the electric field strength*) at the dot is

𝑄
A. 𝐾
𝑟2
2𝑄
B. 𝐾 2
𝑟
4𝑄
C. 𝐾 2
𝑟
𝑄
D. 𝐾 2 2
𝑟 +𝑑
E. Something else

*) Electric field strength ≡ Magnitude of the electric field

 Electric field due to a
continuous charge distribution

• Charge density
• Electric field of a charged rod
• Electric field of a charged ring
• Electric field of a charged disk
• Electric field of a charged plane
• Parallel-plate capacitor
Electric field due to charged macroscopic objects

• Net charge of macroscopic objects: either missing or extra electrons (a lot of).
• Lots of point charges.
• Assume that the net charge is uniformly distributed.

Charge density
𝑄 𝑄 𝑄
𝜌= 𝜂= 𝜆=
𝑉 𝐴 𝐿
Q2.9. A piece of plastic is uniformly charged with surface charge density 𝜂𝐴 . The plastic
is the broken into a large piece with surface charge density 𝜂𝐵 , and a small piece with
surface charge density 𝜂𝐶 . Rank the surface charge densities of the three pieces.

A. 𝜂𝐴 > 𝜂𝐵 > 𝜂𝐶
B. 𝜂𝐴 < 𝜂𝐵 < 𝜂𝐶
𝑄 𝜂𝐴 𝜂𝐵 𝜂𝐶
C. 𝜂𝐴 = 𝜂𝐵 = 𝜂𝐶 𝜂=
𝐴
D. Other
Q2.9. A piece of plastic is uniformly charged with surface charge density 𝜂𝐴 . The plastic
is the broken into a large piece with surface charge density 𝜂𝐵 , and a small piece with
surface charge density 𝜂𝐶 . Rank the surface charge densities of the three pieces.

A. 𝜂𝐴 > 𝜂𝐵 > 𝜂𝐶
B. 𝜂𝐴 < 𝜂𝐵 < 𝜂𝐶
𝑄 𝜂𝐴 𝜂𝐵 𝜂𝐶
C. 𝜂𝐴 = 𝜂𝐵 = 𝜂𝐶 𝜂=
𝐴
D. Other

𝑄
𝐴
𝜂 𝜂
𝜂
Q2.10. If 8 nC of charge are placed on the square loop of wire, the linear charge density is

A. 800 nC/m.
B. 400 nC/m.
C. 200 nC/m.
D. 8 nC/m.
E. 2 nC/m.
Field due to a continuous charge distribution: example.

• What we know so far is the electric field produced

by a point charge. Can we calculate the field
produced by a continuous charge distribution?

Δ𝑥 ➢ Approximation:

• We can divide the rod into small segments, Δ𝑥, and

add up the fields produced by all the segments!
Δ𝑥 Δ𝑞 = 𝜆 Δ𝑥
➢ Exact:
• Consider infinitesimally small segments:
Sum → Integral
Field due to a continuous charge distribution: example.

• How can we find the amount of charge in

each tiny segment?

• Let’s use ratios!

Δ𝑥 • Cutting the rod into segments Δ𝑥,

each carrying the charge Δ𝑞:
Δ𝑞 Δ𝑥
= ⇒ Δ𝑞 = 𝜆 Δ𝑥
Δ𝑥 Δ𝑞 = 𝜆 Δ𝑥 𝑄 𝐿

• Cutting the rod into segments 𝑑𝑥,

each carrying the charge 𝑑𝑞:
𝑑𝑞 = 𝜆 𝑑𝑥
Four bird-eye-view rules for everybody who is dealing with a
continuous charge distribution:

• Remember what is your integration variable, and what

is constant (i.e. does not change).
• Consider symmetry.
• Reduce the problem in hand to what you already know.
• Sanity check of your answer: Check limiting cases (e.g.,
field far away and near the charged object).
Charged rod 𝑬 : electric field at this point (P)

Note that your answer will depend on

the choice of the observation point.

1. Reduce to already known => Cut the object into infinitesimal segments = tiny charges 𝑑𝑞

2. Write the electric field, 𝑑𝐸, at the point P due to each tiny charge 𝑑𝑞
3. Write the components of 𝑑𝐸 (𝑑𝐸𝑥 , 𝑑𝐸𝑦 , 𝑑𝐸𝑧 ) at the point P due to a segment 𝑑𝑞.
4. Add up (as vectors, componentwise!) the fields produced by all the small segments
= integrate the projections 𝑑𝐸𝑥 , 𝑑𝐸𝑦 , 𝑑𝐸𝑧 . Consider symmetry.

• Choose a variable. Here: 𝑥 coordinate of the segment

(quantity that changes from segment to segment).
Charged rod 1. Cut the object into infinitesimal charges 𝑑𝑞.
2. Write the electric field 𝑑𝐸 at point P due to the segment 𝑑𝑞.

Q2.11. At point P, the magnitude of the electric field 𝑑𝐸

𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥 due to the shaded region of charge 𝑑𝑞 is:
A. 𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2

B.
𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥 P
𝑥2 + 𝑦2

𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥
C. 𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2

𝐾𝑄
D. 𝑥2 + 𝑦2

𝐾𝑄 Show the direction of 𝑑𝐸 in the figure.

E. 𝑥2 + 𝑦2

Hint: What is the charge dq in the shaded region?

Charged rod 3. Write the components of 𝑑𝐸 (𝑑𝐸𝑥 , 𝑑𝐸𝑦 , 𝑑𝐸𝑧 ) at P.

Consider symmetry:

Q2.12. Now we need to find the components of the field 𝑑𝐸 = 𝑑𝐸𝑥 , 𝑑𝐸𝑦 , 𝑑𝐸𝑧
from the previous question. However, before starting to project 𝑑𝐸, let us think
which components our final answer, 𝐸𝑟𝑜𝑑 , is going to have at P.
What is the direction of the (total) electric field of the rod at the dot? Assume that Q
is positive.

A. To the right 
B. Upward 
C. Downward 
D. To the left 
E. Other
Charged rod 3. Write the components of 𝑑𝐸 (𝑑𝐸𝑥 , 𝑑𝐸𝑦 , 𝑑𝐸𝑧 ) at P.

Q2.13. At the dot, the y-component of the electric

field due to the shaded region of charge is:

𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥 𝑦
×
A. 𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑥

𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥 𝑥
B. ×
𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑦

𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥 𝑥
×
C. 𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑥2 + 𝑦2

𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥 𝑦
D. 𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
× E-field magnitude, from Q2.11:
𝑥2 + 𝑦2
𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥
𝐾𝑄 𝑑𝑥 𝑦
E. 𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
× 𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
𝑥2 + 𝑦2
Charged rod 4. Add up the fields produced by all small segments = integrate.

Q2.14. Calculate the components of the total electric field at the dot: 𝐸𝑦 = ‫׬‬rod 𝑑𝐸𝑦

• What is the integration variable, what is / are constant(s)?

𝐿Τ2
𝐾𝑄 𝑦 𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝑦 = න 3Τ2
= ?
𝐿 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
−𝐿 Τ 2

• Use this standard integral:

𝑑𝑥 𝑥
න 2 =
𝑥 + 𝑎2 3/2
𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2
Charged rod 4. Add up the fields produced by all small segments = integrate.

Q2.15. Calculate the total electric field at the dot.

𝐸𝑥 = 0 (by symmetry)
𝐾𝑄
𝐸𝑦 = (from Q2.14)
𝐿2
𝑦 +𝑦 2
4
Charged rod Check limiting cases: 𝐾𝑄
𝐸𝑦 = 1Τ2
𝐿2
Q2.16. What is the electric field: 𝑦 + 𝑦2
4
a) far away from the rod: Approximation 𝑦 ≫ 𝐿.

𝐾𝑄
𝐸𝑦 ≈ 2 - Same as for a point charge.
𝑦

b) just near the rod: Approximation 𝑦 ≪ 𝐿.

NB: same approximation for an infinitely long rod.

𝐾𝑄 2𝐾|λ|
𝐸𝑦 ≈ =
𝐿 𝑦 - Decays as 1/𝑦
𝑦
2
- Same for all 𝑥
Charged rod What do these approximations tell us?

Q2.17. What is approximately the direction of the electric field due to the rod at points A and B:
(assume that point A is at a much larger distance from the rod than point B)

A A

A B B B

A A A

C B D B E B
Charged rod We can now make qualitative predictions about points not
located on the y-axis!

Q2.17. What is approximately the direction of the electric field

due to the rod at points A and B:

A
A. To the right 
B. Upward 
C. To the left  B
D. Up and right 
E. Up and left 
(More about off-symmetry points at the tutorial today)
Ring of charge

• Consider two small segments of the ring on opposite sides.

• Symmetry: The field on the symmetry axis should be aligned

with the z-axis in this case => we need to calculate only 𝐸𝑧 .
𝛼

• The magnitude of the field due to 𝐾𝑑𝑞

𝑑𝐸 = 2
each segment with the charge 𝑑𝑞 is: 𝑟

𝐾𝑑𝑞 𝑧
• The component in z-direction: 𝑑𝐸𝑧 = 2 𝑑𝐸𝑧 = 𝑑𝐸 sin 𝛼
𝑅 + 𝑧2 𝑅2 + 𝑧 2
Ring of charge
𝐾𝑑𝑞 𝑧
𝑑𝐸𝑧 = 2
𝑅 + 𝑧2 𝑅2 + 𝑧 2

• What is the variable here?

• Since both 𝑅 and 𝑧 are constants here, we can 𝛼

take everything except of 𝑑𝑞 out of the integral!

• Now the integration over the circumference will just give the total charge:

𝐾𝑧 𝐾𝑧 𝐾𝑧𝑄
𝐸𝑧 = න 𝑑𝐸𝑧 = න 𝑑𝑞 ∙ 2 2 3/2
= 2 න 𝑑𝑞 = = 𝐸𝑧
ring ring 𝑅 + 𝑧 𝑅 + 𝑧2 3/2
ring 𝑅2 + 𝑧 2 3/2

const 𝑄
Disk of charge (assume uniform surface charge distribution)

• Reduce to already known:

➢ Divide the disk into tiny rings!
➢ …and use the result for a ring of charge:

𝐾𝑧𝑄 𝐾𝑧 𝑑𝑞ring 𝑄
𝐸𝑧 = 2 𝑑𝐸𝑧 = 𝜂=
(𝑟ring + 𝑧 2 )3/2 2
(𝑟ring + 𝑧 2 )3/2 𝐴

𝑟 𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑟

• What is the variable?

➢ Variable: radius of the ring!
NB: Again, due to symmetry: 𝑬 → 𝐸𝑧
Disk of charge

Q2.18a). The charge carried by each ring of infinitesimal width 𝑑𝑟 is 𝑑𝑞. What
is the correct expression for 𝑑𝑞?

A. 𝑑𝑞 = 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑟

𝑄
B. 𝑑𝑞 = 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑟
𝐴

C. 𝑑𝑞 = 𝑄 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑟

𝑄
D. 𝑑𝑞 = 2𝜋𝑟
𝐴

𝑄
E. 𝑑𝑞 = 𝑟 𝑑𝑟
𝐴
• Video credits:
Dan Savelyev
Disk of charge
Q2.18b. Calculate 𝐸disk .

Due to ring of
radius 𝑟
𝐸disk,𝑧 = න d𝐸𝑧 (𝑟)

𝑧 𝑑𝑞
d𝐸𝑧 (𝑟) = 3ൗ 𝑑𝑞 = 𝜂 ∙ 2𝜋𝑟 ∙ 𝑑𝑟
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟2 +𝑧 2 2

𝑧𝜂 𝑅 𝑟 d𝑟 1
𝐸disk,𝑧 = න 3ൗ 𝐾=
2 𝜀0 0 𝑟 2 + 𝑧 2 2 4𝜋𝜀0
Use this standard integral:
𝜂 𝑧 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 1
𝐸disk,𝑧 = 1− න 2 =−
2 𝜀0 𝑅2 + 𝑧 2 𝑥 + 𝑎2 3/2
𝑥 2 + 𝑎2
Disk of charge
𝜂 𝑧
𝐸disk = 1−
Limiting cases: 2 𝜀0 𝑅2 + 𝑧 2

Q2.19 a) Large distances: 𝑧 ≫ 𝑅:

𝑧 𝑅2
(use Taylor’s expansion ≈1 − valid for 𝑅/𝑧 ≪ 1)
𝑅2 +𝑧 2 2𝑧 2

• Same as a point charge: 𝐸p.ch. = 𝐾𝑄/𝑧2

Disk of charge
𝜂 𝑧
𝐸disk = 1−
Limiting cases: 2 𝜀0 𝑅2 + 𝑧 2

Q2.19 b) Large disk: 𝑅 ≫ 𝑧 (𝑅 → ∞)

0
𝜂 𝑧
𝐸disk = 1−
2 𝜀0 𝑅2 + 𝑧 2

• The field created by a very very large disk does not depend on the distance from the disk!
(i.e. at the Moon it will be as large as at 1 m from the disk)

Q2.19 c) (Extra) Large disk (or small distance) limit: 𝑅 ≫ 𝑧

For 𝑅 = 100 𝑧, how much different is the true field from our approximation?
Infinite plane of charge

• Treat each plane as a disk of infinite radius!

𝜂
+ , if 𝑧 > 0
2𝜀0
𝐸plane,𝑧 = 𝜂
− , if 𝑧 < 0
2𝜀0 +𝑄 > 0

Q: How will this picture change if the plane is negatively charged?

Note: E-field of a plane does not depend on the distance from the plane.
Q2.20. Two protons, A and B, are next to an infinite plane of positive charge. Proton
B is further away from the plane than proton A.
They are released from rest. Which proton will have the larger acceleration?

A. Proton A.
B. Proton B.
C. Both have the same acceleration.
Parallel-plate capacitor

• Charges on the two plates are the same in magnitude, but opposite in sign.
• The shape of the plates does not make too much difference (disks, planes…).
• Each plate sets up a field with the same magnitude but different direction.
• In the infinite plane approximation: The field magnitude of each plate is
independent of the distance from the plates.
−𝑄 +𝑄
𝑑
Q2.21. Parallel plate capacitor consists of two large parallel surfaces (‘plates’, or
‘electrodes’). One surface has total charge +𝑄, the other −𝑄.

Calculate:

• The field between the surfaces (‘inside the capacitor’)

• To the left and to the right of the capacitor
Q2.22. Three points inside a parallel-plate capacitor are marked.
Which is true?

A. 𝐸1  𝐸2  𝐸3
B. 𝐸1  𝐸2  𝐸3
C. 𝐸1 = 𝐸2 = 𝐸3
D. 𝐸1 = 𝐸3  𝐸2
 Electric Field Lines

• Another visualization tool

• Density and direction of electric field lines
Field vectors and field lines
Field lines:
give you an idea in which
direction a positive test
charge would accelerate if
placed at this point.

1. Field vector is tangent to the field line at any point.

2. Field strength: density of field lines. Closer spacing = stronger field.
3. Field lines start from positive charges and end on negative charges.
4. Field lines never cross.
Q2.23. A set of electric field lines is directed as below. At which of the noted points
is the magnitude of the field the greatest?
Q2.24. If a negative charge is released from rest at A, in which direction
will it initially travel?

A. Initially to the left

B. Initially to the right
C. Initially directly toward B
D. Initially directly away from B
E. Other
Q2.23. Draw the electric field lines for a dipole:
Charged particles in Electric Fields

• Point charges: acceleration

• Dipoles:
➢ torque – in a uniform electric field;
➢ torque and acceleration – in a non-uniform electric field
Charged particles in the electric field

Charged particles will be accelerated in electric fields:

𝑭𝒐𝒏 𝒒 = 𝑞± 𝑬 = 𝑚 𝒂
the sign of 𝑞 matters!

Note: Force on a negative charge is opposite to the direction of the electric field.

In a uniform field 𝐸: constant acceleration, 𝑎 = 𝑞𝐸/𝑚.

𝑎𝑖 𝑡 2 2
𝑟𝑖 𝑡 = 𝑟0,𝑖 + 𝑣0,𝑖 𝑡 + 𝑣𝑖 𝑡 = 𝑣0,𝑖 + 𝑎𝑖 𝑡 = 𝑣0,𝑖 + 2𝑎𝑖 𝑟𝑖 (𝑡)
2
Q2.26. A proton enters a region of electric field with an initial velocity 𝑣0
.Which electric field is responsible for the proton’s trajectory?

𝑣0

A. B. C. D.
 𝑦
Q2.27. a) A proton is flying horizontally with the speed 𝑣0 . At 𝐸
𝑥 = 0, it enters the electric field, which points downwards, at 𝑣Ԧ0
+
a height ℎ. Derive the trajectory, 𝑦 = 𝑦(𝑥), of the proton.
𝑎 𝑡2
ℎ
Motion with a constant acceleration: 𝑟(𝑡)
Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ0 + 𝑣Ԧ0 𝑡 + .
2
𝑥

b) What would change if the proton is replaced by an

electron? (𝑞𝑒 = −𝑞𝑝 , 𝑚𝑒 ≈ 𝑚𝑝 /2000) .
Dipole in electric field

• In a uniform field: • In a non-uniform field:

➢ Net force on the dipole is zero. ➢ Non-zero net force.
➢ Field tends to align the dipole => ➢ Torque: depends on the orientation.
may exert torque on the dipole,
which will cause it to rotate.

Q: When torque on a dipole in

a uniform field is equal to zero?
How to calculate dipole’s torque:

Magnitude of a torque on electric dipole:

Torque: Mechanics +𝑞
(aka moment, or moment of a force):
τ = 𝐸 𝑝 sin 𝒑,෢𝑬 𝐸
𝒓 𝒔
𝑭 −𝑞

➢ 𝒑 = 𝑞𝒔
➢ 𝒔 is a vector pointing from − to +
τ = 𝐹 𝑟 sin 𝒓,෢𝑭 ➢ 𝑬 is the electric field at the position of the dipole

More convenient.
Q2.28.
a) Which dipole experiences no net force in the electric field?
b) Which dipole experiences no net torque in the electric field?

A.

A. Dipole A. B.
B. Dipole B.
C. Dipole C.
D. Both dipoles A and C.
C.
E. All three dipoles.
Q2.27. Suppose a dipole is in the electric field of a positive
point charge as shown. What will happen?

A. Nothing.
B. The dipole will rotate counter-clockwise.
C. The dipole will rotate clockwise.
D. The dipole will rotate counter-clockwise and will be
attracted.
E. The dipole will rotate clockwise and will be attracted.
F. The dipole will be repelled.