Example 1.

4 Consider an infinitely long cylinder with charge density ρ,

dielectric constant ε 0 and radius r0 . What is the electric field in
and around the cylinder?

r0 r
ρ

ε0

Solution Because of the cylinder symmetry one expects the electric field
to be only dependent on the radius, r. Applying Gauss's law one
finds:

Q ρπ r 2 L
E ⋅ A = E 2π rL = = for r < r0
ε0 ε0

and

Q ρπ r02 L
E ⋅ A = E 2π rL = = for r > r0
ε0 ε0

where a cylinder with length L was chosen to define the surface

A, and edge effects were ignored. The electric field then equals:

ρr ρ r02
E (r) = for r < r0 and E ( r ) = for r > r0
2ε 0 2ε 0 r

The electric field therefore increases within the cylinder with

increasing radius as shown in the figure below. The electric
field decreases outside the cylinder with increasing radius.

09/ 04/ 02 © B. Van Zeghbroeck, 1998

E

ρ r0
2ε 0

r
0
0 r0