ELECTROSTATICS FIELD

2nd year, 3rd sem, Debanjan Ghosh, Roll- 229 November 22, 2024
Batch:2023-27 Dept- PHYSICS

Our topics to be discussed in electrostatics field where,

are 1.Coulomb’s law and electric field 2.Gauss’s law
3.Electric potential 4.Electric field due to dipole ⃗ r) ≡
E(⃗
1 X qi i
n

4πϵ0 i=1 2i
.
r̂r
For continuous charge distribution
Z
⃗
E(⃗r) =
1
4πϵ0
1
2 dq.
r r̂
→ volume charge density ρ, then dq = ρ dτ ′
(where dτ ′ is an element of volume)

dq → ρ dτ ′ .

→1.Coulomb’s law and electric field Thus the electric field of a volume charge,
Z
ρ(r⃗′ )
According to Coulomb’s law, the electrostatic force
between two charges Q and q separated by a distance
⃗ r) =
E(⃗
1
4πϵ0 V r r̂
2 dτ ′

r is expressed as:
→2.Gauss’s law
1
F⃗ ∝ 2
r r̂ and F⃗ ∝ |Qq|
From integral form of Gauss’s Law
From combining law of proportional
I Xn I  X n  
1
|Qq| |Qq|
r r̂ r r̂ ΦE = E · d⃗a = Ei · d⃗a =
⃗ ⃗ qi .
F⃗ ∝ 2 ⇒ F⃗ = ke 2 ϵ0
i=1 i=1
I
Where proportional constant, ke = 4πϵ 1
0 ⇒ ⃗ · d⃗a = Qenc
E
Now, we know, S ϵ0
→E ⃗ is the electric field vector. The divergence theorem states:
→ F⃗ is the electrostatic force experienced by a I Z
test charge q. E · d⃗a = (∇
⃗ ⃗ · E)
⃗ dτ
S V
If we have several point charges q1 , q2 , . . . , qn , at Substituting the expression from the divergence theo-
rr r
distances 1 , 2 , . . . , n from q, the total force on q
is evidently
rem into Gauss’s Law:
Z
(∇ ⃗ dτ = Qenc
⃗ · E)
V ϵ0
F⃗ = F⃗1 + F⃗2 + . . .
!
⇒ F⃗ =
q
4πϵ0
r̂r rr̂ rr̂
q1
2
1
+
q2
2
2
+
q3
2
3
+ ... ,
Using
R the definition of charge density ρ, where
Qenc = V ρ dτ , we get:
1 2 3
Z Z
1
⇒ F⃗ = q E
⃗ ⇒ (∇ · E) dτ =
⃗ ⃗ ρ dτ
V ϵ0 V

1
 Since this equation must hold for any arbitrary vol- Electric potential for a volume charge distribution
ume V , the integrands must be equal: Z
1 ρ(r⃗′ )
dτ ′
⇒ ∇ ⃗ = 1ρ
⃗ ·E
ϵ0
V (⃗r) =
4πϵ0 r
It is the Gauss’s law in differential form.
→4.Electric field due to dipole
→3.Electric potential

From the definition of electric potential

Potential due to dipole,V (⃗r) =
rr
q ⃗ ⃗
4πϵ0 3
·d
Z r
V (⃗r) ≡ − ⃗ · d⃗l
E d → 0 and q → ∞ (while maintaining a finite product
O
q d⃗ = p⃗)
Here O is some standard reference point on which we
have agreed beforehand; V then depends only on the ⇒ V (⃗r) =
1 p⃗ · ⃗
4πϵ0 3
rr
point r.
If the observation point is far from the dipole (i.e.,
Evidently, the potential difference between two
r ≫ d), the position vector r from the dipole cen-
points a and b is-
Z b Z a ter to the point P is considered. The potential then
⃗ ⃗ · d⃗l simplifies to:
V (b) − V (a) = − E · dl +
⃗ E
 
Z b Z O
O O
Z b V (⃗r) =
4πϵ0
rr
1 p⃗ · ⃗
3 ⇒ V (⃗r) = −
1
4πϵ0
p⃗ · ∇
⃗ 1
r
=− ⃗ · d⃗l −
E ⃗ · d⃗l = −
E ⃗ · d⃗l
E
O a a
Torque on a dipole
Now, the fundamental theorem for gradients states
that, Z b ⃗τ = d⃗r × F⃗ ⇒ ⃗τ = q(d⃗r) × E
⃗ ⇒ ⃗τ = p⃗ × E
⃗
V (b) − V (a) = ⃗ ) · d⃗l
(∇V Force on a dipole
a
Z b Z b  
⃗ ) · d⃗l = − ⃗ · d⃗l ⃗ = q dr · ∇
F⃗ = qdE ⃗ E ⃗ ⇒ F⃗ = (⃗p · ∇)
⃗ E⃗
⇒ (∇V E ⃗ = −∇V
⇒ E ⃗
a a
From Gauss’s law, Potential Energy of a Dipole in a Uniform Field
 
⃗ = 1ρ U = qV (⃗r + d⃗r) − qV (⃗r) = qdV = q ∇V · d⃗r
⃗
∇⃗ ·E
ϵ0
⇒ U = qd⃗r · (∇V
⃗ ) = p⃗ · ∇V
⃗
∇
⃗ ·E⃗ =∇⃗ · (−∇V
⃗ ) = −∇2 V,
ρ
⇒ ∇2 V = − ⇒ Poisson’s equation ⇒ U = −⃗p · E
⃗
ϵ0
In free space ρ = 0
∇2 V = 0 ⇒ Laplace’s equation References:
Electric potential for a discrete charge distribution
→ Book- Introduction To Electrodynamics, Writ-
1 X qi
n
ten by David J. Griffiths,(Third edition, Eastern Econ-
V (⃗r) =
4πϵ0 i=1 i r omy Edition), Publisher- PHI
→Write up- Electric field and electric potential,
Electric potential for a continuous charge distribution
Z Written by B. Roy
1 1
V (⃗r) =
4πϵ0
dq
r Written by Debanjan Ghosh