The Electric Field

• Group of fixed charges exert a force F, given by

Coulomb’s law, on a test charge qtest at position r.

qtest
F
r

• The electric field E (at a given point in space) is the

force per unit charge that would be experienced by
a test charge at that point.

E = F / qtest This is a vector function of position.

 Electric Field of a Point Charge

F
qtest  1 Qqtest
F 2
ˆr
r̂ r  4 0 r
Q

• Dividing out qtest gives the electric field at r:

 1 Q Radially outward,

E( r)  ˆ
2 r falling off as 1/r2
 4 0 r
 The Electric Field

Strength of electric field

Direction of the
electric field Superposition of electric field
 Electric Field Lines
Electric field lines (lines of force) are continuous lines
whose direction is everywhere that of the electric field

Electric field lines:

1) Point in the direction of the electric field E
2) Start at positive charges or at infinity
3) End at negative charges or at infinity
4) Are more dense where the field has greater magnitude
Electric Field Lines
Electric Field Lines (Point Charge)

Electric Field Field Lines

(vector) (Lines of
force)
Electric field lines (lines of force) are continuous lines
whose direction is everywhere that of the electric field
 Force Due to an Electric Field
F=qE

Just turn the definition of E around.

q
If E(r) is known, the force F on a
charge q, at point r is:
+

F = q E(r)

The electric field at r

Electric field lines are
points in the direction
bunched closer where
that a positive charge
the field is stronger.
placed at r would be
pushed.
Two point charges, + 2 C each, are located on the x axis.
One charge is at x = 1 m, and the other at x = - 1 m.
a) Calculate the electric field at the origin.
b) Calculate (and plot) the electric field along the + y axis.
c) Calculate the force exerted on a + 5 C charge, located
at an arbitrary location on the + y axis
 The Electric Dipole
+q
d

-q
An electric dipole consists of two equal and opposite
charges (q and -q ) separated a distance d.
 The Electric Dipole
+q
d

-q

We define the Dipole Moment p

magnitude = qd,
p
direction = from -q to +q
 The Electric Dipole

E
+q
d

 -q

Suppose the dipole is placed in a uniform electric

field (i.e., E is the same everywhere in space).
Will the dipole move ??
 The Electric Dipole

E
+q
d

 -q

What is the total force acting on the dipole?

 The Electric Dipole

E F+
+q
d
F-
 -q

What is the total force acting on the dipole?

 The Electric Dipole

E F+
+q
d
F-
 -q

What is the total force acting on the dipole?

Zero, because the force on the two charges cancel:
both have magnitude qE. The center of mass does not
accelerate.
 The Electric Dipole

E F+
+q
d
F-
 -q

What is the total force acting on the dipole?

Zero, because the force on the two charges cancel:
both have magnitude qE. The center of mass does not
accelerate.
But the charges start to move (rotate). Why?
 The Electric Dipole

E F+
+q
d
F-
 -q

What is the total force acting on the dipole?

Zero, because the force on the two charges cancel:
both have magnitude qE. The center of mass does not
accelerate.
But the charges start to move (rotate). Why?
There’s a torque because the forces aren’t colinear.
 F+

d +q d sin 
F-
 -
q

The torque is:

magnitude of force) (moment arm)
  (qE)(d sin 

and the direction of  is (in this case)

into the page
 
d +q E
p

 -q

but we have defined : p = q d

and the direction of p is from -q to +q

Then, the torque can be written as:

pxE  = p E sin 

with an associated potential energy

U = - p.E
Electric fields due to various
charge distributions

The electric field is a vector which

obeys the superposition principle.

The electric field of a charge

distribution is the sum of the fields
produced by individual charges,
or by differential elements of charge
 Field Due to an Electric Dipole
at a point x straight out from its midpoint
Y

Electric dipole moment

p = qd
+q
l

d X
x
E- E+
-q

E
Calculate E as a function of p, x, and d, and approximate for x >> d
 Y

+q
l

d x X
E- E+
-q
E
 Electric Fields From Continuous
Distributions of Charge

Up to now we have only considered the electric field of point charges.

Now let’s look at continuous distributions of charge

lines - surfaces - volumes of charge
and determine the resulting electric fields.

Sphere Ring Sheet

 Electric Fields Produced by
Continuous Distributions of Charge

For discrete point charges, we can use the

Superposition Principle,
and sum the fields due to each point charge:

q2 Electric field
E experienced
q3 by q4
q1 q4
 Electric Fields From Continuous Distributions

For discrete point charges, we can use the superposition

principle and sum the fields due to each point charge:

q2  
q3 E(r)  Ei
i
q1 q4

What if we now have a continuous charge distribution?

q E(r)
 Electric Field Produced by a
Continuous Distribution of Charge

In the case of a continuous distribution of charge

we first divide the distribution up into small pieces,
and then we sum the contribution, to the field,
from each piece:

dEi
r The small piece of charge dqi
produces a small field dEi at
the point r


Note: dqi and dEi are differentials

dqi

In the limit of very small pieces, the sum is an integral

 Electric Field Produced by a
Continuous Distribution of Charge

In the case of a continuous distribution of charge we first

divide the distribution up into small pieces, and then we
sum the contribution, to the field, from each piece:
In the limit of very small pieces, the sum is an integral
 dq
Each dq: dE(r) k 2 r
dEi r
r Then: E =  dEi
  

For very small pieces: E ( r ) dE

dqi
 kdq
E( r )  2 r
r
 Example: An infinite thin line of charge

Y
Find the electric
P field E at point P

y
X
 
Charge per unit length
is 
 dE+
P
r  x 2  y2
y
dq
 
x
 dq
dE   k r
r2 • Consider small element
of charge, dq, at position x.

• dq is distance r from P.
 dE 

E yE
dE+ dE-


dq dq
 
-x x
 dq
dE   k r
r2 • Consider small element
of charge, dq, at position x.
dq
dE y 2k 2 cos • dq is distance r from P.
r
• For each dq at +x, there
is a dq at -x.
 dE

dE+ dE-


dq dq
 
-x x
 dq
dE   k r
r2

dq
dE y 2k 2 cos
r

dq= dx, cos=y/r

 dE

dE+ dE-


dq dq
 
-x x
 dq
dE   k r 2k dx y
r2 dE y  2 2 
(x  y ) r
dq
dE y 2k 2 cos x
r
2k y
E y   2 2 3/2 dx
dq= dx, cos=y/r
x 0
(x  y )
 dE

dE+ dE-


dq dq
 
-x x
 dq
dE   k r 2k dx y
r2 dE y  2 2 
(x  y ) r
dq
dE y 2k 2 cos x
r 2k y 2k
E y   2 2 3/2 dx 
dq= dx, cos=y/r x 0
(x  y ) y
 Example of Continuous Distribution:
Ring of Charge

Find the electric field at a point along the axis.

Hint: be sure to use the symmetry of the problem!

dE

z r Break the charge up

into little bits, and find
the field due to each
dq bit at the observation
point. Then integrate.
Thin ring with total charge q R
charge per unit length is
q/R
 Continuous Charge Distributions
LINE AREA VOLUME

charge density =Q/L =Q/A =Q/V

units C/m C / m2 C / m3

differential dq =  dL dq =  dA dq =  dV

Charge differential dq  kdq

to be used when finding
the electric field of a
E( r )  2 r
continuous charge distribution r