Module-2: Static Electric Field Lecture-5

Learning Objective:
How to find the electrostatic fields for various cases?
How do electrostatic fields behave at a media interface?

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 Static Electric Fields

Importance of study ( in terms of its applications)

– Electrical and Electronic devices
– Computer peripheral devices
– Medical devices
– Industry
Fundamental laws:
– Coulomb’s Law
– Gauss’s Law
(both these laws are based on experimental studies and are
interdependent)

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 Electric Charge Distribution

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Fundamental Postulates of
Electrostatics in Free Space

Inverse Relation:

Fundamental Postulates:

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Fundamental Postulates of
Electrostatics in Free Space
Fundamental Postulates:

Gauss’s Law

Total outward flux of the E-field over
any closed surface in free space is
equal to the total (net) charge
enclosed in the surface divided by ε0.
The scalar line integral of the
static electric field intensity
around any closed path vanishes
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Fundamental Postulates of
Electrostatics in Free Space
Summary

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Coulomb’s Law

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Example

Determine the electric field intensity at P(3,2,-1) due to a point

charge of +5 (nC) at Q(-1,-1,4) in air. All dimensions are in meters.

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Coulomb’s Law

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 Principle of superposition

The resultant force on a charge due to collection of

charges is equal to the vector sum of forces due to each
charge on that charge.
1 qk (R  R k )

N
E
40 k 1
R  Rk
3

q qk (R  R k )

N
F
40 k 1
R  Rk
3

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 Practical Applications:
1. Electrostatic Separation of Solids

Assumption: zero initial velocity

and displacement.
Determine the separation Florida Phosphate ore
between the particles after
falling 80 cm.

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Practical Application:
2. Deflection of a charged particle Lecture-6

qEd
z az  
m

2
qEd x
z  
L/2
+ + + + + +
2m  ux 

Trajectory of a charged
x
particle in a uniform
Ed electric field :
Parabola
- - - - -
- L/2

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Application:
Infinite long line of Charge

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 Example:
Field under dc transmission line
What is the magnitude of the electric field 4 m directly below one of the wires?

E  k  aˆ y 0.25  aˆ y 0.224  aˆ x 0.224 

E  1.61 kVm 1
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 Example: Infinite Planar Charge with a uniform surface charge
density

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Electric Potential V

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 Potential due to various
charge distribution

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 Example

Two point charges -4μC and 5μC are located at (2, -1, 3) and (0, 4, -2),
respectively. Find the potential at (1,0,1), assuming zero potential at
infinity.

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 Electric Potential V

No net work is done in moving a charge along a closed path in an

electrostatic field.

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 E = - V

-ve sign shows that direction of E is opposite to the direction in

which V increases.

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 Example: Lecture-7

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 An Electric Dipole

An electric dipole is formed when two point charges of equal

magnitude but opposite sign are separated by a small distance.

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 Electric Dipole
Qd cos   V 1 V 1 V 
Vp  E  V    aR  a  a 
40 R 2  R R  R sin   

p
3  R
E aˆ 2cos   aˆ sin  
40 R

E  ER2  E2
d
1 p
E 1  3cos 2

4 0 R 3

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 Example:

Two dipoles with dipole moments -5az nC/m and 12az

nC/m are located at points (0,0,-3) and (0,0,2),
respectively. Compute the potential at the origin.
2
p k .R k
V 
k 1 4  R
0 k
3

1  p1.R1 p 2 .R 2 
=  3  
40  R1 R23 

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 Graphical Representation of
Potential: Equipotential lines

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Transformation from a point-shaped dipole
to a finite-size electric dipole is shown.
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