Applied Physics

Lecture 7
Presented by Hina Gul Durrani
 Contents of lecture 7

• The electric field of continuous charge distribution

i. Line of charge
ii. Ring of charge
 Limitations of equation for the electric field
set up by a particle

= Electric field for a point charge

= ∑ + + + superposition principal for discrete point charges

E4

E3
E2 E1
What is continuous charge distribution?
 Continuous Charge Distribution

Even though electric charge is quantized, a collection of a

large number of elementary charges can be regarded as a
continuous charge distribution
The electric field of continuous
charge distribution
• Ring of charge
• Infinite line of charge
Examples of continuous charge distribution

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

dq
 How to compute the field
setup by
continuous charge distribution
The field set up by a continuous charge distribution can be computed
by dividing the distribution into infinitesimal elements dq. Each
element of charge establishes a field dE at a point P, and the resultant
field at P is then found from the superposition principle by adding (that
is, integrating) the field contributions due to all the charge elements, or
= …………(i
A continuous distribution of charge is described by its charge
density

= q/l
For linear charge distribution
For uniform surface charge
Ring of charge
Figure shows a thin ring of radius R carrying a uniform linear charge density
around its circumference. We may imagine the ring to be made of plastic or
some other insulator, so that the charges can be regarded as fixed in place.
Note that all charge elements that make up the ring are the same distance r
from point P.
What is the electric field at a point P, a distance z
from the plane of the ring along its central axis?
Steps to find out electric field E of ring of
charges at point P

• An Element’s field

• Finding resultant E by
a) Cancelling components
b) Adding components

• Integrating
Consider a differential element of the ring of length ds located at an
arbitrary position on the ring in figure. It contains an element of charge
given by Eq
dq = ds
Consider the charge element on the opposite side of the ring. It too
contributes the field magnitude dE but the field vector leans at angle
in the opposite direction from the vector from our first charge element,
as indicated in the side view of Figure.

Thus the two perpendicular components cancel. All around the ring,
this cancelation occurs for every charge element and its symmetric
partner on the opposite side of the ring.

So, we can neglect all the perpendicular components.

To find the resultant field at P we must add up,
vectorially, all the field contributions dE made by the
differential elements of the ring.
Electric field E at z>>R, outside the ring
Electric field E at point P, inside the ring

We note that if Ez = 0 for z=0.

This is also not surprising because a test charge at the center of the ring
would be pushed or pulled equally in all directions in the plane of the
ring and would experience no net force.
Infinite Line of charge
dE
dE
dEz
dz
dE

dE
Consider a section of an infinite line of charge whose linear charge density has the constant value . Let us find the field E
at a distance y from the line.
The magnitude of the field contribution dE due to charge element dq will be:
1
=
4
1
= … … … … … . (1
4 ! +
The vector dE has y components and z components. Now we can use symmetry argument to simplify the problem. Here Ey
component will add up but Ez must be zero because for every charge element at positive z, there is a corresponding
element at negative z, such that z components of their field cancel each other at point P. Thus E entirely points at y
direction.

$ = % $

We are left with the y component only. Because the contribution of Ey from the top and bottom halves of the rods are
equal, we can write :
)
E= Ey = 2 cos
Putting values of cos and dE,
)$ *
E=2

By Pythagoras theorem, from figure ! + =

*
And linear charge density relation: =
*+
) $, *+
E= 2
($ - + )//

$, ) *+
= …………….ii
($ - + )//
Putting trigonometric function over here, from fig:

tan =
!
z = y tan
Differentiating on both sides
= ! sec
• Here the limits must now be on and not on z. For example, as z
from 0 +∞, π/2
tan 0 = 0
tan 90 = ∞
Putting values of z and dz in eq ii, we get:
>
$, $ 8 9 :*:
= /
($ - $ ;<= :)

$, / $ 8 9 :*:
= ($ )// ( -;<= :)//

$, / $ 8 9 :*:
= $ / (8 9 :)//

$ , / 8 9 :*:
= $/ ?@A/ :

, /
=
$
cos

=
2 !
Finally:

At all points in the xy plane a distance r from the line of charge, the field E has the
value

,
= (infinite line)

where r2 = x2 + y2 is the distance from the line of charge to the point P at

coordinates x,y.