Introduction to Electrostatics

Coulomb’s Law and Electric Field

Intensity
 Coulomb’s Law
• The force between two very small objects
separated in a vacuum or free space by a
distance which is large compared to their
size is proportional to the charge on each
and inversely proportional to the square of
the distance between them.
Q1Q2 1 12 1
F k ; k ; 0  8.854  10  10 9 F / m
R 2
4 0 36
Q1Q2
F k
4 0 R 2
 Coulomb’s Law
• Writing the equation in vector form:
Q1Q2
F k a
4 0 R 2 12

where:

R12 r 2  r1
a12  
R12 r 2  r1
 Coulomb’s Law
• The force expressed by Coulomb’s law is
a mutual force, for each of the two charges
experiences a force of the same
magnitude, although of opposite direction.
 Example
A 2 mC (millicoulomb) positive charge is
located in vacuum at P1(3,-2,-4) and a 5uC
(microcoulomb) negative charge is at
P2(1,-4,2). (a) Find the vector force on the
negative charge. (b) what is the magnitude
of the force on the charge at P1?
Answer: 0.616ax + 0.616ay - 1.85az;
2.045 N
 Solution
a)
R12  r2  r1  (1  3)a x  (4  2)a y  (2  4)a z  2a x  2a y  6a z
| R12 | (2) 2  (2) 2  6 2  6.63
 2a x  2a y  6a z
a12   0.3a x  0.3a y  0.905 a z
6.63
(5  10 6 )(2  10 3 )
F2 
Q1Q2
a12   0.3a x  0.3a y  0.905 a z 
4 0 R12
2
 1 9 
4  10 6.63
2

 36 
F2  0.616 a x  0.616 a y  1.85a z
 Solution
b)
F1  F2  0.616 2  0.616 2  1.85 2  2.045 N
 Electric Field Intensity
• If we consider one charge fixed in position,
say Q1, and move a second charge (test
charge, Qt) slowly around, there exists
everywhere a force on the second charge
(force field). The force is expressed as
Q1Qt
Ft  a1t
4 0 R1t
2
 Electric Field Intensity
• Writing this force as a force per unit
charge:
Ft Q1 (Electric field
 a E
4 0 R1t
2 1t
Qt intensity, J/C or V/m)
• In general: n
Qm
E (r )   am
m 1 4 0 r  rm
2
 Example
• Calculate E at M(3,-4,2) in free space
caused by: (a) a charge Q1 = 2uC at P1
(0,0,0); (b) a charge Q2 = 3uC at P2(-
1,2,3); (c) a charge Q1 = 2uC at P1(0,0,0)
and a charge Q2 = 3uC at P2(-1,2,3).

Answer: 345.34ax – 460.66ay + 230.02az

V/m; 280ax – 420ay – 69.9az V/m; 625ax
– 880ay + 160az V/m
 Solution
a)
RP1M  r2  r1  (3  0)a x  (4  0)a y  (2  0)a z  3a x  4a y  2a z
| RP1M | 3 2  (4) 2  2 2  5.385
3a x  4a y  2a z
a P1M   0.557 a x  0.743a y  0.371a z
5.385
(2  10 6 )
E
Q
a P1M  0.557 a x  0.743a y  0.371a z 
4 0 R 2
 1 9 
4  10 5.385 
2

 36 
E  345a x  460 a y  230 a zV / m
 Solution
b)
RP 2 M  r2  r1  (3  1)a x  (4  2)a y  (2  3)a z  4a x  6a y  a z
| RP 2 M | 4 2  (6) 2  12  7.28
4a x  6a y  a z
aP2M   0.549 a x  0.824 a y  0.137 a z
7.28
(3  10 6 )
E
Q
aP2M  0.549 a x  0.824 a y  0.137 a z 
4 0 R 2
 1 9 
4  10 5.385 
2

 36 
E  280 a x  420 a y  69.9a zV / m
 Solution
c)
E  E1  E 2  345 a x  460 a y  230 a z   280 a x  420 a y  69.9a z 
E  625 a x  880 a y  160 a zV / m
 Seatwork
1. Consider a charge of 0.3 mC at point
P(1,2,3) and a charge of -1 mC at point
Q(2,0,5) in free space. Determine the
force experienced by the -1mC charge.
Answer: -100ax + 200ay – 300az N
2. A 2 uC point chare is located at A(4,3,5)
in free space. Find Eρ, EΦ, Ez at
P(8,12,2).
Answer: 159.7aρ + 27.4aΦ + 49.4az
 Field Due to Continuous Volume
Charge Distribution
• If we visualize a region of space filled with
a tremendous number of charges
separated by minute distances, the
distribution can be described as a volume
charge density.
• We denote the volume charge density by
ρV, with units of C/m3. the small amount of
charge ΔQ in a small volume Δv is ΔQ =
ρVΔv.
 Field Due to Continuous Volume
Charge Distribution
• The total charge within some finite volume
is obtained by integrating throughout the
volume.
Q    v dv
vol
 Example
A uniform volume charge density of 0.2
uC/m3 is present throughout the spherical
shell extending from r = 3 cm to 5 cm. If ρv
= 0 elsewhere, find the total charge
present within the shell

Answer: 82.1 pC
 Solution
2  .05
Q  0.2r sin drdd
2
0 0 .03
0.5
 r  3
Q  4 (0.2)   8.21  10 C  82.1 pC
5

 3  0.3
 Field of a line Charge
• If we consider a filament-like distribution of
charge density, like a very sharp beam of
a cathode ray tube or a charged conductor
of very small radius, we find it convenient
to treat the charge as a line charge
density, ρLC/m.
 Field of a line Charge
• Consider an infinite line charge density
distributed at the z-axis:
z '   cot , dz'    csc2 d
• Since R = ρcscθ, the integral becomes:
 L dz'  L sin d
dE   sin   
4 0 R 2
4 0 
0
L 0 L
E 
4 0   sin d  4 0  cos


L
E 
2 0 
 Field of a line Charge
• In general:
L
E  a
2 0 
aρ = unit vector
perpendicular to the
line charge.
 Example
Uniform line charges of 0.4uC/m and -
0.4uC/m are located in the x = 0 plane at y
= -0.6m and y = 0.6m, respectively. Let є =
є0. Find E at Q(2, 3, 4).

Answer: -625.8ax – 241.6ay V/m

 Solution
l  R Q R Q 
EQ    
2 0  | RQ | | RQ | 
R Q  (2,3,4)  (0,0.6,4)  (2,3.6,0)
RQ  (2,3,4)  (0,0.6,4)  (2,2.4,0)
0.4  10  2a x  3.6a y 2a x  2.4a y 
6
EQ   2  2 2 
2 0  2  (3.6)
2
2  (2.4) 
EQ  625 .8a x  241 .6a yV / m
 Seatwork
1. Calculate the total charge within each of
the indicated volumes: (a) 0.1 ≤ |x|,|y|,|z|
≤ 0.2:  v  1 ; (b) 0 ≤ ρ ≤ 0.1,
x3 y3 z3
0 ≤ Φ ≤ π, 2 ≤ z ≤ 4;  v   z sin 0.6
2 2

Answer: 27uC; 1.778mC

 Seatwork
2. Infinite uniform line charges of 5 nC/m lie
along the (positive and negative) x and y
axes in free space. Find E at: (a) PA(0,0,4);
(b) PB(0,3,4).

Answer: 45az V/m; 10.8ay + 36.9az V/m

 Field of a Sheet of Charge
• Another charge distribution is the infinite
sheet of charge having a uniform density
of ρs C/m2. Such distribution may often be
used to approximate that found on
parallel-plate capacitors.
Field of a Sheet of Charge

 L   S dy' , R  x 2  y ' 2
 Field of a Sheet of Charge
 S dy' S xdy'
dE x  cos 
2 0 x  y'
2 2 2 0 x 2
 y ' 2


S  xdy' S 1 y 
Ex  
2 0  x  y '
2 2

2 0
tan
x  
S
Ex 
2 0
In general:
S
E a N where aN is the unit vector normal
2 0 to the sheet charge
 Example
A sheet of charge, ρS = 2nC/m2, is present
at the plane x = 3 in free space and a line
charge, ρL = 20 nC is located at x = 1, z =
4. Find the magnitude of the electric
intensity at the origin.

Answer: 158.5 V/m

 Solution
S
ES  aN
2 0
R  (0  3)ax  (0  0)ay  (0  0)az  3ax
| R | 3
 3ax
aN   ax
3
9
2  10
ES  12
(ax)  112 .94 ax
2(8.854  10 )
 Solution
L
EL  aR
2 0 R
R  (0  1)ax  (0  0)ay  (0  4)az  ax  4az
| R | 12  4 2  4.1231
 ax  4az
aR   0.242 ax  0.97 az
4.1231
20  10 9
EL  (0.242 ax  0.97 az)
2 (8.854  10 )( 4.1231)
12

E L  21.1ax  84.85az
 Solution
E  E S  E L  112 .94 ax  21.1ax  84.85az
E  140 .04 ax  84.85az
| E | 140 .04  84.85  158 .5V / m
2 2
Streamlines and Sketches of Fields
• At the point, note
that the electric
field intensity is
everywhere
tangent to the
streamline:
• In case of a two-
dimensional field,
Ez = 0: E
dy

y

E x dx
 Example
Obtain the equation of the streamline that
passes through the point P(-2,7,10) in the
field E =2(y-1)ax + 2xay

Answer: (y-1)2 – x2 = 32
 Solution
E  2( y  1)ax  2 xay
dy Ey y
 
dx Ex x
dy 2x

dx 2( y  1)
( y  1)dy  xdx
( y  1)dy  xdx  0
 Solution
C
 ( y  1)dy   xdx  2
( y  1) 2 x 2 C
 
2 2 2
( y  1) 2  x 2  C at P(2,7,10)
(7  1) 2  (2) 2  C
C  32
( y  1)  x  32
2 2
 Seatwork
1. Three infinite uniform sheets of charge
are located in free space as follows: 3
nC/m2 at z = -4, 6 nC/m2 at z = 1, and -8
nC/m2 at z = 4. Find E at the point: (a)
PA(2,5,-5), (b) PB(4,2,-3), (c) PC(-1,-5,2),
(d) PD(-2,4,5)

Answer: -56.5 az V/m; 283az V/m; 961 az

V/m, 56.5az V/m
 Seatwork
2. Find the equation of that streamline that
passes through the point P(1,4,-2) in the
field E = 2e5x[y(5x + 1)ax + xay]

Answer: y2 = 15.6 + 0.4x – 0.08ln[(x +

0.2)/1.2]