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 Electrostatics
(Electric Field & Potenial)
ELECTROSTATICS / FIELD
Electrostatics is a branch of physics which deals with charge at rest charge is the origin of electromagnetic
force. When charge is at rest then region around it called electric field while the region around the moving
charge called magnetic field.

PROPERTIES OF CHARGE :
1. For a given closed system the total charge remains conserved.
2. Charge is always quantised i.e. Q = ±nc ; n  I
Charge on any body is always in the integral multiple of one electronic charge (e = 1.6 × 10–19 coul).
3. Charge is relativistically invariant.

TYPES MATERIAL
There are three kinds of material on the basis of conductivity.
(a) Conductor : Having large number of mobile electrons. It is approximately 1021 electrons/c.c.
(b) Bad conductor : Having very small number of free electrons, it is approximately 107 electrons c.c
(c) Semi conductor : Conductivity lies between conductor and insulator. Number of free electrons is
approximately 104 electron/c.c.

COULOMB’S LAW :
When two point charges q1 and q2 are separated by a distance r then force of mutual intraction F is given by
F  q1q 2 when r = constant.

1
and F when q1q2 = constant
r2

q1q 2 qq
Hence F 2
or F  k. 1 2 2 ; K is proportionality constant
r r

1 q1q 2 1 9
In SI units, F . 0  8.85  1012 Fm and 4   9  10 nt m coul
2 –2
4 0 r 2 ; 0

q1q 2
In cgs units, F ; 0 is per mittivity of the vacuum.
r2
When there is a medium in the intervining region of two charges then
1 qq
F . 1 2 2 ( Îr is the relative permitivity of medium)
4 0 r r
Îr is the relative permitivity which is the dimensionless qunatity that gives the factor by which force is
reduced compared to vaccum.

[1]
[2] Electrostatics

F0
r 
Fm , F0 is the force in vacuum and Fm is force in medium.

0 r  Absolute permittivity of the medium. q1

uuur A
r 1 q1q 2 BA
FAB  .  . uuur r1 q2
4 0 | BA |2 | BA | B
r2
r uuur O
q1q 2
FAB  uuur 3 . BA
4 0 | BA |
uuur uuur uuur ur ur
where BA  OA  OB  r1  r2
r q1q 2 ur ur
FAB  ur ur 3 . (r1  r2 )
4 0 | r1  r2 |
when q1q2 > 0, Force is attractive
and q1q2 < 0, Force is repulsive

PROCESS OF CHARGING :
(1) By rubbing or friction - when two bodies are rubbed together there is transfer of electrons from
body, which is surplus in electron to another body which is surplus in electrons and get positive charge
of equal amount to negative charge.
(2) By conduction - when a charged body is in contact with another uncharged one threre is redistribution
of charges on entire are is of both bodies followed by mechanical separation. The amount of charge
redistribution on body depends on surface area.
(3) By induction - when an uncharged body is brought near charged on the charge opposite nature
induced over the uncharged one.
The induced charge is always less than or equal to inducing charge. Induction is always followed by
attraction, but attraction is not the surest test of induction.
If q be inducing charge, then charge induced on a body having dielectric constant K is given by

 1
q '  q 1   , if charge is induced on the surface of a conductor then induced charge is
 K
q '  q (As k is infinity for a conductor)

DISTRIBUTION OF CHARGES :
(a) Linear charge distribution : - If charge gets appeared on a body of linear dimension.
Linear charge density ( )  charge per unit length.
(b) Surface charge distrbution :- If charge gets appeared on a body having two dimensions.
Surface charge density ( ) = charge per unit area
(c) Volume charge density : If charge is enclosed in a volume;
Volume charge density=charge per unit volume
Electric field : The site around the charge at rest called electric field.
Electric field strength or Electric intensity is defined as the force experienced by a unit positive charge.
r F
E  lim where q0 is the positive test charge.
q0 0 q
0
Electrostatics [3]

r 3 1
Unit of E is newton coulmob and dimension is  MLT A  . The resultant electric field at any point is
r r r r
equal to vector sum of electric field at that point due to various charges i.e. E  E1  E 2  E3  .....
Resultant of two electric fields which are at an angle θ is given by
E 2 sin 
E  E12  E 22  2E1E 2 cos and tan  
E1  E 2 cos 
r r
 is the angle of E with E1
r
Electric field intensity (E) for some body having uniformly continuous charge distribution.
1. Electric field strength due to a point charge at a distance r is given by
r 1 q
E1  . rˆ
4 0 r 2
2. Electric field strength due to a uniformly charged ring at a distance x from centre of the axis of ring..
+ q
+ +
+ +
r 1 qx + R +
E + +
4 0 (x 2  R 2 )3/ 2 + O x P
+
+ + +

R ur
E becomes max at x  : Direction of E is away from centre along axis.
2
3. Electric field strength due to uniformally charged rod of length l at a distance r along perpendicular line
from centre and linear charge density is  .
q
E
l2
4 0 r  r2
4
where  = charge per unit length when l  

E
2 0 r
4. Electric field strength due to uniformally charged spherical shell of radius R at a distance r from,
centre of shell
E = 0, if r<R
Q 
E 2
 ; if r  R where Q is charged on shell or  is surface charge density..
4 0 R 0
5. Electric field strength due to uniformally charged solid sphere of radius R at a distance r from centre
of sphere.
Q 
E r r
4 0 R 3
3 0 ; r < R; where Q is charged in solid sphere enclosed ;

Q
 is volume charge density and E  where r  R
4  r 2

ELECTRIC DIPOLE :
A system of two equal and opposite charges separated by a small distance called dipole. The dipole moment
of dipole is defined as the product of charge and distance of separation and direction of dipole moment is
[4] Electrostatics

from –ve charge to positive charge.

r
p  q l; Direction of dipole moment (p) is from the charge to positive charge.
r
r 2P
r E
E due to dipole at a distance r from centre of dipole along axis of dipole, 4 0 r 3
.

r
E (Electric field strength) due to dipole at a distance r from centre of dipole along perpendicular bisector of
line (Along equational line)
P
r
r P r
E
4 0 r 3
q +q
r
E (Electric field strength) at a point (r, ) from centre of dipole.
P
E 1  3cos 2 
4 0 r 3

sin
E1 =
4 0 r3 2 sin
E E2 =
4 0 r3

r r 1  1  P
and   angle made by E with r  tan  tan   r
 2 
-q +q

DIPOLE IN AN EXTERNAL ELECTRIC FIELD :

r r
When dipole of dipole moment P is placed in an external electric field of field strength E then torque and
r r r r
potential energy at orientation  are given by r  P  E and U   P.E respectively. when dipole is placed
in non uniform electric field then there no translational equilibrium and no rational equilibrium while for
uniform field there is always translational equilibrium but no rational.

ELECTRIC FLUX :
In the region around the charge at rest there exists hypothetical electric lines, which measures the electric
field strength at a point around charge at rest.

ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY :

It is the number of electric lines cross through unit area held normally to the electric lines.
r r
E   E.ds   E cos  ds  Electric flux through the area ds
r
 is the angle between E and area vector..
1
Gauss’ law : The total electric flux through a closed loop is always equal to  lines the total charge enclosed.
0

r r 1
  Ñ E ds  (charge enclosed)
0
Electrostatics [5]

APPLICATION OF GAUS’S LAW :

(a) The charge given to the conductor always get apeared on outside of the conductor.
(b) The electric field strength at a perpendicular bisector on uniformally charged rod of infinite length at a
distance r from centre of rod

E
2 0 r .
1
(c) The electrostatic potential energy per unit volume (Energy density) = 0 E 2 in air or vacuum.
2
1
= 0 r E 2 in medium of relative
2
permitivity or dielectric constant is r or k .
r
(d) The electric field strength E near the surface of uniformly conducting sheet of surface charge density

E
0
(e) The electric field strength E near the surface of infinite long plane thin non-conducting sheet of charge of

surface charge density  is E  2 
0

PROPERTIES OF ELECTRIC LINES :

1. Electric lines are continuous curves that emanate from positive charge and terminate to negative
charge.
2. Number of electric lines per unit area at a point gives the magnitudeof electric field strength while
direction of electric field strength is given by the tangent drawn at the point along the direction of
electric lines.
r
3. Direction and magnitude E at a point are unique.
4. No two electriclines intersect at a point.

DIPOLE INTERACTION
When two dipoles are placed along axial line having same direction of dipole moments then force of mutual
1 6 P1P2
attraction is where P1 and P2 are respective dipole moments while mutual potential energy is
4 r 4
1 2 P1P2
; r = distance between centre S of dipole S when two dipoles are held parallel at a distance r
4 r 3
where direction of dipole moments are same then mutual force (repulsion) and potential energy are given by
1 3P1P2 1 P1P2
4 and respectively..
4 r 4 r 3

ELECTRIC LINES
The region around charge at rest in which there hypothetically exists continuous lines called electric lines
Electric line is an imaginary line along which a positive charge will move if left free.
[6] Electrostatics

+q –q

Radially outward Radially inward

+q –q +q N +q

Electric lines never formed closed loop and meet the equipotential surface or conducting surface
perpendicularly.
ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL ENERGY :
When there is a system of charges (assembing by two or more charges) there exists potential energy in the
system. Electrostatic potential energy is the work done against electrostatic force to create a system of
charges. When two charges q1, q 2 are separated by a distance r then mutual potential energy
1 q1q2
U
4 o r Electric potential at a point.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL :
Electric potential at a point defined as the work required by an external agent to displace a unit positive
charge from infinity to the point or also defined as work done by electrostatic force to displace from point to
infinity.
r r uur
V  r     E  dr


ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND ELECTRIC FIELD STRENGTH :

Negative rate of change of electric potential is the electric field strength along the line there is change in
potential
dv r
  E or E  E x iˆ  Ey ˆj  E z kˆ
dr
v v v
where Ex   ; Ey   ; Ez  
x y z
r
Negative sign gives the direction of E along the line in which increase in distance causes the decrease in
potential.

EQUIPOTENTIAL SURFACE :
Every point on a surface in at same potential called equipotential surface. Electric lines always join the
equipotential surface perpendicularly.
Electrostatics [7]

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DUE TO SOME CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS :

1. Electric Potential at a distance r due to a point charge q

1 q
V
4o r
2. Electric potential due to uniformally charged circular ring at a distance x from centre of ring along axis
of ring
+ Q
+
+ +
1 Q + R
V  +x
4 o x2  R2 +
+
+
3. Electric potential due to uniformally charged hollow sphere or shell at a distance r
1 Q
V ;rR
4o R
1 Q
V ;rR
4o r 2
R = Radius of the hollow sphere R r
4. Electric potential due to uniformally charged sphere of radius R and volume charge density   
 
1 Q R3  Q 
V  ; 
4o r 3o r  4 3  ; rR
 R 
 3 

V
Q  2
 3R 2  r 2   3R  r
 
2

4o 3  6o
;r<R
 2 R 
at centre of informally charged solid sphere,
3 1 Q 3Q
V  
2 4o R 8o R
5. Electrical potential at a distance x from uniformally charged disc
+ + Q
+ +
+
+ +
  2 R P
x  R2  x 
+ 0 +x
V +
2o  
+ +
++ +
+
 = surface charge density..

6. Electric Potential due to dipole

At axial point
1 P
V ;
4o r 2 P = Dipole moment,
[8] Electrostatics

At equatorial point
V=0
At general point (r,  )
1 P cos 
V
4o r 2