UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 100313.

1320
UCT PHY2014F
Electromagnetism 02
Electrostatics
March 2010
Professor David Aschman
Room 541, Physics Department
University of Cape Town
UCT PHY2014F electromagnetism
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 1
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 .
General
Email:
See
UCT PHY2014F electromagnetism website
Google
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 2
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 .
General
Email:
See
UCT PHY2014F electromagnetism website
Google
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 3
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 .
Maxwells Equations
E =

0
E =
B
t
B = 0
B =
0

0
E
t
+
0
J
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 4
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.2.1
Gauss Law in differential form
Inverse square E eld and 3-d space give Gauss Law
_
S
E da =
1

0
Q
enc
_
V
( E) d =
1

0
_
V
d
E =

0
since if integrals are equal for ANY volume, integrands must be
equal.
E =

0
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.2.2
Divergence of electric eld
We will use ( r/r
2
) = 4
3
(r) Using r = r r

, the electric eld

is
E(r) =
1
4
0
_
all

r
r
2
(r

) d

E(r) =
1
4
0
_
all


r
r
2
(r

) d

E(r) =
1
4
0
_
all
4
3
(r r

)(r

) d

E(r) =
1

0
(r)
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.2.2
Let us recover the integral form of Gauss Law:
E(r) =
1

0
(r)
_
V
Ed =
1

0
_
V
d
_
S
E da =
Q
enc

0
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ex 2.5
E due to two parallel charged planes
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.2.4.
Curl of electric eld
Line integral of E due to static point charge
_
b
a
E dl =
_
b
a
1
4
0
q
r
2
r (dr r + r d

+ r sin d

)
=
1
4
0
_
b
a
q
r
2
dr
=
1
4
0
_
q
r
_
r
b
r
a
=
1
4
0
_
q
r
a

q
r
b
_
This is zero for r
a
= r
b
. For any closed loop
_
E dl = 0
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 9
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.2.4.
Applying Stokes theorem, at any point
E = 0
By superposition, this holds for any distribution of static charges.
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3
Electric potential
In electrostatics E = 0 so line integral
_
E dl is path
independent. So we CAN dene an electric potential
V(r) =
_
r
O
E dl
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3.1
Electric eld and potential E = V
V(b) V(a) =
_
b
O
E dl +
_
a
O
E dl
=
_
b
O
E dl
_
O
a
E dl =
_
b
a
E dl
V(b) V(a) =
_
b
a
(V) dl
_
b
a
(V) dl =
_
b
a
E dl
E = V
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3.2
Electric potential
i) potential is not potential energy
ii) Is one potential scalar same as three vector components?
Recall E = 0
iii) Reference point O is arbitrary. Only potential differences mat-
ter.
iv) Potential obeys superposition principle.
v) Units of potential: volt.
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ex 2.6
Potential of charged spherical shell
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ex 2.6
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.21
Potential of solid charged sphere
The electric eld of a sphere of radius R, carrying uniformcharge
Q, centred at the origin, has, by symmetry, only a radial com-
ponent, which depends on r, ie E(r) = E(r) r. From the shell
theorems
E(r) =
Q
4
0
R
2
_
r
R
_
for r < R
=
Q
4
0
r
2
for r > R
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.21
For a point inside the sphere r < R, we can now derive the
potential V(r).
Use V(b) V(a) =
_
b
a
E dl.
Take a radial path from to r. r

is radial coordinate of a point

on this path.
Since E = E(r

) r and dl = ( r) (dr

) we have
r dl = r [(dr

) r] = dr

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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.21
V(r) =
_
r

E dl
=
_
R

Q
4
0
r
2
dr

_
r
R
Q
4
0
R
2
r

R
dr

=
Q
4
0
_
1
r

_
R

Q
4
0
R
3
_
r
2
2
_
r
R
=
Q
4
0
R
+
Q
4
0
R
(1/2 (r/R)
2
/2)
=
Q
4
0
R
(3/2 (r/R)
2
/2)
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3.3
Poissons equation and Laplaces equa-
tion
Use E = V in differential Gauss Law
E =

0

2
V =

0
In region with no charge, = 0,

2
V = 0
Note: E = V guarantees E = 0
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3.4
Potential of localized charge distribution
V(r) =
1
4
0
q
r
V(r) =
1
4
0

i
q
i
r
i
V(r) =
1
4
0
_
1
r
dq
V(r) =
1
4
0
_
(r

)
r
d

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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3.4
Line, surface and volume charge distri-
butions
V(r) =
1
4
0
_
(r

)
r
dl

V(r) =
1
4
0
_
(r

)
r
da

V(r) =
1
4
0
_
(r

)
r
d

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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ex 2.7
Potential of charged shell by integration
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ex 2.7
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ex 2.7
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 g 2.235
Relation between , E and V
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3.5
Boundary conditions
Crossing boundary with surface charge
E
above
E
below
= /
0
and E
above
= E
below
E
above
E
below
= (/
0
) n
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.3.5
V
above
= V
below
V
above
n

V
below
n
=

0
where V/n = V n
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.4.1
Work in moving a charge
To move charge Q from innity to a point P
W = QV(P)
To assemble n charges q
i
W =
_
1
2
_
1
4
0
n

i=1
n

j=1
ij
q
i
q
j
r
i j
=
1
2
n

i=1
q
i
V(P
i
)
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.4.3
Energy of charge distribution
Use =
0
E.
W =
1
2
_
V d =

0
2
_
( E) V d
(EV) = ( E)V + E (V)
and V = E so
W =

0
2
_
_
(EV) d +
_
E
2
d
_
=

0
2
_
_
sur
(EV) da +
_
vol
E
2
d
_
=

0
2
_
all space
E
2
d
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ex 2.8
Energy of charged spherical shell
W =
1
2
_
V da =
1
2
1
4
0
q
R
_
da =
1
8
0
q
2
R
or, since inside E = 0, and outside E = (1/4
0
)(q/r
2
) r
W =(
0
/2)
_
outside
E
2
d
=

0
2
_
q
4
0
_
2
_

R
_
1
r
2
_
2
r
2
dr sin d d
=. . . =
1
8
0
q
2
R
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.32
Energy to assemble solid charged sphere
The electric eld of a sphere of radius R, carrying uniformcharge
Q , centred at the origin, has, by symmetry, only a radial compo-
nent, which depends on r, ie E(r) = E(r) r. Electric eld strength
rises from zero at the centre, linearly to its maximum value at
r = R, and then drops like r
2
.
E(r) =
1
4
0
_
r
R
_
Q
R
2
for r < R
=
1
4
0
Q
r
2
for r > R
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.32
From this expression, the potential V(r) can be derived.
V(r) =
1
4
0
Q
R
(3/2 (r/R)
2
/2) for r < R
=
1
4
0
Q
r
for r > R
The volume element in spherical polar coordinates is d = r
2
sin dr d d.
The energy to assemble the charge distribution is given by
W =
_
(1/2)V d
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 32
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.32
W =(1/2)
_
2
0
_

0
_
R
0

1
4
0
Q
R
1
2
(3
r
2
R
2
) r
2
sin dr d d
=(1/2) 2(2)
Q
(4
0
)R
1
2
_
R
0
(3r
2

r
4
R
2
) dr
=(1/2) 2(2)
Q
(4
0
)2R
_
r
3
_
R
0

_
r
5
5R
2
_
R
0
=(1/2) 2(2)
Q
(4
0
)2R
_
R
3
R
3
/5
_
=(1/2) 2(2)
Q
(4/3)R
3
Q
(4
0
)2R
_
4R
3
5
_
=
_
3
5
_
Q
2
4
0
R
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.32
We can also calculate the energy stored in the electric eld.
The energy density depends on the square of the electric eld
strength, and is given by u = (
0
/2)E
2
. The energy stored in
the electric eld of uniformly charged sphere is obtained by inte-
grating the energy density over all space. Using spherical polar
coordinates, the volume element is d = r
2
sin dr d d. The
radial integral is split into two pieces, over the ranges [0, R] and
[R, ]. Since E has no angular dependence, the integral over
yields a factor 2 and the integral over yields a factor 2.
W =
_
u d =

0
2
_
E
2
d
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 34
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Prob 2.32
W =

0
2
_
2
0
_

0
_
R
0
_
_ r
R
_ Q
R
2
(4
0
)
_
2
r
2
dr sin d d
+

0
2
_
2
0
_

0
_

R
_
Q
r
2
(4
0
)
_
2
r
2
dr sin d d
=

0
2
Q
2
(4
0
)
2
R
6
2(2)
_
R
0
r
4
dr +

0
2
Q
2
(4
0
)
2
2(2)
_

R
r
2
dr
=

0
2
Q
2
(4
0
)
2
R
6
2(2)
_
r
5
5
_
R
0
+

0
2
Q
2
(4
0
)
2
2(2)
_
1
r
_

R
=

0
2
2(2)Q
2
(4
0
)
2
R
6
_
R
5
5
_
+

0
2
2(2)Q
2
(4
0
)
2
_
1
R
_
=

0
2
2(2)Q
2
(4
0
)
2
R
(1/5 + 1) =
_ 3
5
_ Q
2
(4
0
)R
Gratifying
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.4.4
Electrostatic energy
Is energy of two opposite charges positive or negative? Point
charge!!
Think of the electric eld as having energy density
u = (
0
/2)E
2
Superposition? Energy is quadratic in the elds - doubling charges
quadruples the energy.
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 36
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.5
Conductors
Read, and review . . . for problem sets and examination
E = 0 inside conductor. Induced charges tend to cancel original
E eld
= 0 inside conductor
Any net charge resides on surface
V constant throughout
Just outside, E perpendicular to surface. E = (/
0
) n
No E in charge free cavity
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 37
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.5.3
Surface charge and force on conductor
E =

0
n or
V
n
=

0
Force per unit area
f =E
av
= (E
above
+ E
below
)/2
=(1/2
0
)
2
n
thus eld exerts pressure P = (
0
/2)E
2
pulling conductor into
eld.
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 38
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 2.5.4
Capacitors
V = V = V
+
V

=
_
+

E dl
Now E Q (proof later). Capacitance C = Q/V (in farads) is
geometrical.
C = A
0
/d for parallel plate cap.
Work to charge capacitor
W =
_
Q
0
q
C
dq =
1
2
Q
2
C
=
1
2
CV
2
Check energy in E eld.
100313.1320 uct-physics-dga 39
UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 .
Cube: centre/corner potential ratio
Calculate the ratio of potential at the centre of a uniformly charged
cube to potential at a corner.
1) Write a simple computer program
2) Consider a cube whose side is twice as big. Use ideas of
superposition and scaling.
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UCT PHY2014F Electromagnetism 2010 G3 Ch 2
End Electromagnetism 02
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