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Chapter 22 Electric Fields

In this chapter we will introduce the concept of an electric field.
As long as charges are stationary Coulomb’s law described adequately
the forces among charges. If the charges are not stationary we must  use
an alternative approach by introducing the electric field (symbol E ).
In connection with the electric field, the following topics will be
covered:
-Calculate the electric field generated by a point charge.
-Using the principle of superposition determine the electric field
created by a collection of point charges as well as continuous charge
distributions.
-Once the electric field at a point P is known we will be calculate the
electric force on any charge placed at P
-Define the notion of an “electric dipole”. Determine the net force , the
net torque, exerted on an electric dipole by a uniform electric field, as
well as the dipole potential energy.
 In chapter 21 we discussed Coulomb’s law that gives the force between
two point charges. The law is written in such as way as to imply that q2
acts on at a distance r instantaneously (“action at a distance”)
1 q1 q2
F
4 o r 2

Electric interactions propagate in empty space with a large but finite

speed (c = 3108 m/s). In order to take into account correctly the finite
speed at which these interactions propagate we have to abandon the
“action at a distance” point of view and still be able to explain how does
q1 know about the presence of q2 . The solution is to introduce the new
concept of an electric field vector as follows: Point charge q1 does not
exert a force directly on q2. Instead, q1 creates in its vicinity an electric
field that exerts a force on q2 .  
charge q1  generates electric field E  E exerts a force F on q 2
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  Definition of the electric field vector
 F
E Consider the posively charged rod shown in the figure
qo
For every point P in the vicinity of the rod we define

the electric field vector E as follows:
1. We place a positive test charge qo at point P.

2. We measure the electrostatic force F exerted on qo
by the charged rod.

3. We define the electric field vector E at poit P as:

 F
E SI Units: N/C
qo

From the definition it follows that E is parallel to F
Note : We assume that the test charge qo is small enough
so that its prsence at point P does not affect the charge
distribution on the rod and thus alters the electric

field vector E we are trying to determine.

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 Electric field generated by a point charge
Consider the positive charge q shown in
 the figure. At point P a distance r from
E q we place the test charge qo . The force
qo P exerted on qo by qo is equal to:
q r 1 q qo
F
4 o r2
F 1 q qo 1 q
E  
qo 4 o qo r 2 4 o r 2

The magnitude of E is a positive number

In terms of direction, E points radially
outwards as shown in then figure.
1 q If q were a negative charge the magnitude
E 
4 o r 2
of E remains the same. The direction

of E points radially inwards instead
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 O O

Electric field generated by a group of point charges. Superposition


The net electric electric field E generated by a group of point charges is equal
to the vector sum of the electric field vectors generated by each charge.

In the example shown in the figure E E1  E2  E3

Here E1 , E2 , and E3 are the electric field vectors
generated by q1 , q1 , and q3 , respectively
 
Note: E1 , E2 , and E3 must be added as vectors
Ex E1x  E2 x  E3 x , E y E1 y  E2 y  E3 y , E z E1z  E2 z  E3 z
(22-5)
 Electric Dipole
(22-6) A system of two equal charges of opposite sign
q  placed at a distance d is known as an "electric
+q
dipole". For every electric dipole we associate
d a vector known as "the electric dipole moment"

-q (symbol p )defined as follows:
The magnitude p qd
+q/2 +q/2 
The direction of p is along the line that connects
the two charges and points from - q to  q.
Many molecules have a built-in electric dipole
moment. An example is the water molecule (H 2 O)
-q The bonding between the O atom and the two H
atoms involves the sharing of 10 valence electrons
(8 from O and 1 from each H atom)

The 10 valence electrons have the tendency to remain closer to the O atom.
Thus the O side is more nagative than the H side of the H 2O molecule
 Electric field generated by an electric dipole

We will determine the electric field E generated by the
electric dipole shown in the figure using the principle of
superposition. The positive charge generates at P an electric
1 q
field whose magnitude E(  )  The negative charge
4 o r2

1 q
creates an electric field with magnitude E(  ) 
4 o r2
The net electric field at P is: E E( )  E(  )

1  q q 1  q q 
E  2  2   
4 o  r 
r  4 o   z  d / 2 2
 z  d / 2  
2

2 2
q  d   d   d
E 2 
1   1   We assume: 1
4 o z   2 z   2 z   2z
1  x 
2
1  2 x q  d   d  qd 1 p
E  1  
  1   = 
4 o z 2   z  z   2 o z 3 2 o z 3
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 Electric field generated by a continuous charge distribution
dE Consider the continuous charge distribution shown in the
P figure. We assume that we know the volume density  of
dq
r the electric charge. This is defined as:   ( Units: C/m 3 )
dV
r̂ 
dV Our goal is to determine the electric field dE generated
dq
by the distribution a a given point P. This type of problem
can be solved using the principle of superposition
as described below.
1. Devide the charge distribution into "elements" of volume dV . Each element
has charge dq  dV We assume that point P is at a distance r from dq

2. Determine the electric field dE generated by dq at point P
 dq
The magnnitude dE of dE is given by the equation: dE 
4 o r 2
 1  dVrˆ
4 o  r 2
3. Sum all the contributions: E 
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 
Example : Detemine the electric field E generated at point P
by a uniformly charged ring of radius R and total charge q.
Point P lies on the normal to the ring plane that passes through
the ring center C, at a distance z. Consider the charge element
of length dS and charge dq shown in the firgure. The distance
between the element and point P is r  z 2  R 2
The charge dq generates at P an electric field of magnitude
dE and which points outwards along the line AP.
dq 
dE  The z-component of dE is given by:
4 o r 2

dEz dE cos  From triangle PACwe have: cos   z / r

C zdq zdq
A
 dEz   Ez dEz
4 o r 4 o  z  R 
2 3/ 2
3 2
dq
z zq
Ez 
4 o  z 2  R 2 
3/ 2 dq  4 o  z 2  R 2 
3/ 2

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Electric Field Lines : In the 19th century Michael Faraday introduced the

concept of electric field lines which help visualize the electric field vector E

without using mathematics. The relation between the electric field lines and E are:

1. At any point P the electric field vector E is tangent to the electric field lines

EP
electric field line
P

2. The magnitude of the electric field vector E is proportional
to the density of the electric field lines

 
EP  EQ EP EQ
Q
P electric field lines

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3. Electric field lines extend away from positive charges (where they originate)
and towards negative charges (where they terminate)
Example 1 : Electric field lines of a negative point charge - q

1 q -The electric field lines point towards the point charge

E 
4 o r 2 -The direction of the lines gives the direction of E
-The density of the lines/unit area increases as the
distance from  q decreases.
Note : In the case of a positive point charge
the electric field lines have the same
form but they point outwards
q

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Example 2 : Electric field lines of an electric field genarated by an infinitely
large plane uniformly charged. In the next chapter we will see that the
electric field generated by such a plane has the form shown in fig.b
1. The electric field on either side of the plane has a constant magnitude
2. The electric field vector is perpendicular to the charge plane

3. The electric field vector E points away from the plane
The corresponding electric field lines are given in fig.c
Note : For a negatively charged plane the electric field lines point inwards

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Example 3.
Electric field lines generated by Example 4.
an electric dipole (a positive Electric field lines generated by
and a negative point charge of two equal positive point charges
the same size but of opposite
sign)

(22-13)
 Forces and torques exerted on electric dipoles
F+ by a uniform electric field
Consider the electric dipole shown in the figure in
the presence of a uniform (constant magnitude and

direction) electric field E along the x-axis
F-
The electric field exerts a force F qE on the
positive charge and a force F  qE on the
x-axis
negatice charge. The net force on the dipole
Fnet qE  qE 0

The net torque generated by F and F about the dipole center is:
d d
       F sin   F sin   qEd sin   pE sin 
2 2
 
In vector form:   p E
The electric dipole in a uniform electric field does not move
but can rotate about its center
  
Fnet 0   p E (22-14)
 Potential energy of an electric dipole
in a uniform electric field
 
U   d   pE sin  d 
90 90

 

U  pE sin  d   pE cos   p E
U  pE cos  90

  
U  p E  E
p
At point A ( 0) U has a minimum
B
U value U min  pE
It is a position of stable equilibrium

180˚
At point B ( 180 ) U has a maximum
value U max  pE
A It is a position of unstable equilibrium
(22-15)  
p E
  Work done by an external agent to rotate an electric
p
i  dipole in a uniform electric field
E Consider the electric dipole in Fig.a. It has an electric
Fig.a 
dipole moment p and is positioned so that p is at an angle

 i with respect to a uniform electric field E
p
An external agent rotates the electric dipole and brings
it in its final position shown in Fig.b. In this position
f   
E p is at an angle f with respect to E
Fig.b The work W done by the external agent on the dipole
is equal to the difference between the initial and
final potential energy of the dipole
W U f  U i  pE cos  f   pE cos i 
W  pE cos i  cos  f 
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