Date-21/01/2021.

Chapter-1 class-XII

ELECTRIC CHARGES & FIELDS

Electric charge:-

Charge is the property associated with elementary particle like electron and proton due to which
it produces and experiences electrical and magnetic effects.

Types of charge:

(i) Positive charge : It is the deficiency of electrons as compared to proton.

(ii) Negative charge : It is the excess of electrons as compared to proton.
 Charge on a proton = (–) charge on an electron = 1.6 × 10–19 C
 SI unit of charge: ampere × second i.e. Coulomb (C).
 Dimension: q= [AT].
 1 C = 3  109 stat coulomb, 1 absolute - coulomb = 10 C, 1 Faraday = 96500 C.
 Charge is a scalar quantity : It represents excess or deficiency of electrons.
 Charge is transferable : If a charged body is put in contact with an another body, then
charge can be transferred to another body.
 Charge is always associated with mass Charge cannot exist without mass though mass
can exist without charge.
 In charging, the mass of a body changes. When body is given positive charge, its mass decreases
and when a body is given negative charge, its mass increases.
Properties of charge:-
 Quantization of charge:-The quantization of electric charge is the property by virtue of
which all free charges are integral multiple of a basic unit of charge represented by e.
Thus charge q of a body is always given by, q = ± ne.
n = positive integer or negative integer.
e = The charge that an electron or proton carries=1.6 x10-19C.
 Conservation of charge:-The total Charge of an isolated system is conserved. i.e. Charge
can neither be created nor destroyed; it can be transformed from one body to other.
 Conservation of charge is also found to hold good in all types of reactions either
chemical (atomic) or nuclear. No exceptions to the rule have ever been found.
 Additive nature of charge:-The total charge of an extended body algebraic sum of charges
present in different parts of the body, i.e. q = q1+q2+q3+---.
 Invariance of charge:-Charge is invariant Charge is independent of frame of reference. i.e.
Charge on a body does not change whatever be its speed.
 Similar charges repel and opposite charges attract each other this is basic property of charge.

Note: A charge at rest produces electric field, a charge particle moving with constant velocity
produces both electric and magnetic field and a charge particle moving with acceleration
produces electric field, magnetic field and emits radiation.

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 Question:- If 109 electrons move out of a body to another body every second, how much time is
required to get a total charge of 1 C on the other body?
Answer: 6. 25 x109s.
Question: - How much positive and negative charge is there in a cup of water (250g)?
Answer: 1.34 x 107 C.
Conductors & insulators:-
Conductors:-Some substances readily allow passage of electricity through them, others do not.
Those which allow electricity to pass through them easily are called conductors.
 They have electric charges (electrons) that are comparatively free to move inside the
material. Metals, human and animal bodies and earth are conductors.
Insulators:-Most of the non-metals like glass, porcelain, plastic, nylon, wood offer high resistance
to the passage of electricity through them. They are called insulators.
Semiconductor:-There is a third category called semiconductors, which offer resistance to the
movement of charges which is intermediate between the conductors and insulators.
Methods of charging:-

The excess or deficiency of electrons in a body gives the concept of charge.

1. By Friction: If we rub one body with other body, electrons are transferred
from one body to the other. Transfer of electrons takes places from lower work
function body to higher work function body.
Example:- Clouds become charged by friction.
Positive charge Negative charge.
Glass rod Silk cloth Woolen cloth
Rubber shoes, Amber, Plastic objects.
Dry hair Comb
Flannel or cat skin Ebonite rod.
2. Electrostatic induction:-
If a charged body is brought near a metallic neutral body, the charged body will attract
opposite charge and repel similar charge present in the neutral body. As a result of this
one side of the neutral body becomes negative while the other positive, this process is
called 'electrostatic induction'.
 Charging a body by induction (in four successive steps):

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 Some important facts associated with induction:-
(i) Inducing body neither gains nor loses charge.
(ii) The nature of induced charge is always opposite to that of inducing charge.
(iii) Induction takes place only in bodies (either conducting or non conducting)
and not in particles.
3. Conduction:- The process of transfer of charge by contact of two bodies is
known as conduction. If a charged body is put in contact with uncharged body,
the uncharged body becomes charged due to transfer of electrons from one
body to the other.
 The charged body loses some of its charge (which is equal to the charge gained by the
uncharged body) .
 The charge gained by the uncharged body is always lesser than initial charge present on
the charged body.
 Flow of charge depends upon the potential difference of both bodies.
[No potential difference  No conduction].
 Positive charge flows from higher potential to lower potential, while negative charge
flows from lower to higher potential.
Note:-
 Charge differs from mass in the following sense:-
(i) In SI units, charge is a derived physical quantity while mass is fundamental
quantity.
(ii) Charge is always conserved but mass is not (Note : Mass can be converted into
energy E=mc2).
(iii) The quanta of charge is electronic charge while that of mass it is yet not clear.
(iv) For a moving charged body mass increases while charge remains constant.
 True test of electrification is repulsion and not attraction as attraction may also take
place between a charged and an uncharged body and also between two similarly
charged bodies.
Question:- If 109 electrons move out of a body to another body every second, how much time is
required to get a total charge of 1 C on the other body?
Answer: 2.5 x1024electrons.
Question: - How much positive and negative charge is there in a cup of water?
Answer: 1.34 x 107 C
Coulomb’s law:-
The electrostatic force of interaction between two static point electric charges is directly
proportional to the product of the charges, inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them and acts along the straight line joining the two charges.
If two points charges q1 and q2 separated by a distance r.

Let F be the electrostatic force between these two charges.

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 According to Coulomb’s law,
1
F  q1q 2 F  2 .
r
Kq q qq
Fa  12 2  1 2 2        (i )
r 40 r

 1 
Where  K   9  10 9 Nm 2 / C 2 for air .
 40 
Kq q qq qq
Fm  12 2  1 2 2  1 2      (ii )
r 4 r 40 r

 1 9 10 9 
. Where  K   Nm 2 / C 2 for any other medium.
 4 r 

 K = coulomb’s constant or electrostatic force constant.

  0 Is called permittivity of free space or air.  0 =8.85 x10-12 C2/Nm2.
 ϵr=k=dielectric constant of the medium or relative permittivity of the medium..
Dielectric constant (ϵr): Dielectric constant of a medium may be defined as he ratio of coulomb’s
force between two point charges in air to the coulomb’s force between same two point
charges in that medium with same distance of separation.
Equation (i ) Fa
 k  r .
Equation (ii ) Fm
Coulomb's law in vector form:
Case-1 q1q2>0 (opposite charge)
 Kq1q 2  Kq1q 2 
F 12  r12  r12 .
r122 r123
 Kq1q 2  Kq1q 2 
Similarly F 21  r21  r21
r212 r213

Where, F 12  force acting on 1st ch arg e due to 2nd

r12  unit vector from 1st to 2nd ch arg e.

Coulomb's law in terms of position vector:-

     
From the fig , r 2  r 21  r 1  r 21  r 1  r 2 .
  
similarly r 12  r 2  r 1 .
 Kq1q 2  
F 12  (r2  r 1 )
 
| r 2  r1 |3
Case-2 q1q2<0 (similar charges)
 Kq1q 2  Kq1q 2 
F 12  r21  r21
r212 r213

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  Kq1q 2  Kq1q 2 
F 21  r12  r12
r122 r123

1 coulomb:- That is, 1 C is the charge that when placed at a distance of 1 m from another
charge of the same magnitude in vacuum experiences an electrical force of
repulsion of magnitude 9 × 109 N.
Principle of superposition:- The force is a two body interaction, i.e., electrical force between
two point charges is independent of presence or absence of other charges and so the
principle of superposition is valid, i.e., force on a charged particle due to number of
point charges is the resultant of forces due to individual point charges:
   
i.e. F1  F12  F13      F 1n .
Note:
 Electric force depends on the nature of medium between the charges while
gravitational force does not.
 The force is an action–reaction pair, i.e., the force which one charge exerts on the
other is equal and opposite to the force which the other charge exerts on the first.
 The force is conservative, i.e., work done in moving a point charge once round a
closed path under the action of Coulomb’s force is zero.
 Dielectric constant (K) of a medium is numerically equal to the ratio of the force on
two point charges in free space to that in the medium filled upto infinity.
 Electric force between two charges does not depend on neighboring charges.
Question: - Two identical balls each having charge ‘q’ is suspended from a common point by two
insulating strings of equal length. Both the balls have equal mass and charge. In
equilibrium each string makes an angle θ with vertical. Obtain a relation for ‘Ɵ’.
Solution: - Each ball is in equilibrium under the following three forces: (i) tension, (ii) electric force
and (iii) weight.
In equilibrium condition,
T sin   Fe --------------------- (i)
T cos  mg ------------------- (ii)
Dividing equation (i) by (ii) we have,
Fe F 
tan   or   tan 1  e  .
mg  mg 
T  Fe2  (mg) 2 .
Similarities and difference between gravitational and coulomb’s force:
Similarities:
 Both are conservative in nature.
 Both obey inverse square law.
 Both are central force.
Difference:
 Gravitational force doesn’t depend on nature of medium where as coulomb’s force depend.

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  Gravitational force is a weaker force than coulomb’s force.
 Gravitational force is always attractive where as Coulomb’s force may be attractive or
repulsive.
Assignment:
1. Consider three point charges q each at the vertices of an equilateral triangle of side l. What is the
force on a charge Q (with the same sign as q) placed at the centroid of the triangle?
Answer: zero.
2. Three point charges q, q, and –q placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle of side ‘l’. What is
Kq 2
the force on ‘-q’ charge? Answer: FN  3 2 .
l
3. Four point charges ‘q’ each placed at four corner of a square of side ‘d’ find the net force acting
(2 2  1) Kq 2
on each charge? Answer: 2
.
d
4. Four point charges qA = 2 µC, qB = –5 µC, qC = 2 µC, and qD = –5 µC are located at the corners of a
square ABCD of side 10 cm. What is the force on a charge of 1 µC placed at the centre of the
square? Answer: zero.
5. A charge Q is to be divided on two parts. What should be the values of the charges on two parts
so that the force between the objects can be maximum? Answer: q1 =q2 =Q/2.
-8
6. Two charged particles having charge 2·0 x 10 C each are joined by an insulating string of length
1 m and the system is kept on a smooth horizontal table. Find the tension in the string.
Answer: 3.6 x10-6N.
7. Two identical pith balls are charged by rubbing against each other. They are suspended from a
horizontal rod through two strings of length 20 cm each, the separation between the suspension
points being 5 cm. In equilibrium, the separation between the balls is 3 cm. Find the mass of each
ball and the tension in the strings. The charge on each ball has a magnitude 2·0 x 10 -8 C.
Answer: 8.2g, 8.2 x10-2N.
Electric field:-
The region surrounding a charge (or charge distribution) in which its electrical effects can
be felt is called the electric field of the given charge.
 In order to explain ‘action at a distance’, i.e., ‘force without contact’ between charges
it is assumed that a charge or charge distribution produces a field in space
surrounding it.

 Electric field at a point is characterized either by a vector function of position ‘ E ’
called ‘electric intensity’ or by a scalar function of position V called ‘electric potential’.
 The electric field in a certain space is also visualized graphically in terms of ‘lines of
force.’ So electric intensity, potential and lines of force are different ways of describing
the same field.
 Intensity of electric field due to point charge:
Electric field intensity at a point may be defined as the force per unit test charge:

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 
 F Kq  Kq 
E  lim  2 r  3 r.
q0 0 q r r
0

Note: Test charge (q0) should have negligible magnitude otherwise it will modify the electric field
of source charge.
Properties of electric field intensity:-
 It is a vector quantity. Its direction is the same as the force experienced by positive
charge .
 Electric field due to positive charge is always away from it while due to negative
charge always towards it.
 Its unit is Newton/coulomb or V/m.
 Its dimensional formula is E= [MLT–3A–1].
 Force on a point charge is in the same direction of electric field on positive charge
 
and in opposite direction on a negative charge. F =q E .
 Charged particle in an electric field always experiences a force either it is at rest or
in motion.
 According to principle of superposition the resultant electric field due to a number of
charges is the vector sum of electric field due to individual charges:
   
E  E1  E2      E n .

Question: Obtain expression for electric field at a distance ‘ r ’ due to two point charges q1 and q2
 
having position vector r 1 and r 2 as shown in fig.
Answer: The electric fields due to q1 and q2 are,
 Kq   Kq 
E1  2 1 rAp and E 2  2 2 rBp
rAp rBp
  
Kq1
 E1   
( r  r1 ).
| r  r 1 |3
 Kq2  
And E2   
(r  r 2 )
| r  r 2 |3
     
[ AP  r  r 1 and BP  r  r 2 ]
The resultant electric field is:
  
E  E1  E 2

Kq1   Kq2  
  
( r  r1 )   
(r  r 2 )
| r  r 1 |3 | r  r 2 |3

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 Significance of electric field:

 A point charge produces an electric field around it. The electric field at a distance ‘r’
 Kq 
from a point charge ‘q’ is: E  2 r .
r
 The force on a test charge placed at that point can be calculated using the formula:
 
F qE.
Electric field due to Continuous distribution of charge:
A system consisting a large number of closely spaced discrete charges is called continues
charge distribution.
 dq  dq
 Treating a small element as particle : E  K 3 r  E  K 2 .
vr r

 Due to linear charge distribution: When ‘q’ amount of

charge uniformly distributed along a line than it is called
linear charge distribution.
dl
E  K  2 [ dq  dl ] ,
l r

[=q/l= charge per unit length]

 Due to surface charge distribution: When ‘q’ amount of
charge uniformly distributed along a surface than it is
called surface charge distribution.

ds
E  K [ dq  ds ]
r2
s

[ =q/A= charge per unit area]

 Due to volume charge distribution: When ‘q’ amount of

charge uniformly distributed in a volume than it is called
volume charge distribution.

dV
E  K [ dq  dV ] ,
v r2
[ =q/V= charge per unit volume].
 The S.I unit of λ (line charge density), σ (surface charge density) and ρ(volume charge
density) are C/m, C/m2 and C/m3 respectively.

Electric lines of force:-

A very nice way to visualise electric field, is the lines of
force, now usually called electric field lines. The idea of
lines of force was introduced by Micheal Faraday. “These
are the imaginary lines can be visualised by the motion
of the test charge”.

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 Properties:
 Field lines start from positive charges and end at negative charges. If there is a single charge,
they may end at infinity.
 In a charge-free region, electric field lines can be taken to be continuous curves without any
breaks.
 Two field lines can never cross each other. (If they did, the field at the point of intersection
will not have a unique direction, which is absurd.)
 Electrostatic field lines do not form any closed loops. This follows from the conservative
nature of electric field (field lines start from +ve charge and ends on –ve charge).

 The tangent to a line of field to any point gives the direction of E at that point.
 They leave or end on a charged conductor normally when the charges on the conductor are
in equilibrium.
 The lines of force are closely spaced where the field intensity is strong and are widely
separated where the field intensity is weak.

Shape of field lines:-

1. A +ve point charge.(q>0)

2. A –ve point charge.(q<0).

3. An electric dipole (two equal and opposite charge

separated by a distance.).

4. Two similar charges separated a by a distance.

5. A positive charge placed near a metal plate.

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 6. Uniform electric field:

7. A positively charged plate:

Electric dipole:-
A system of two equal and opposite charges separated by a certain distance is
called electric dipole, shown in figure.
Example: NaCl, HCl etc.

 Every dipole has a characteristic property called dipole moment. It is defined as the
product of magnitude of either charge and the separation between the charges, given as,

P  2aq
 Dipole moment (P) is a Vector quantity directed from negative to positive charge.
 S.I Unit: coulomb × meter (or C-m).
 The net charge of an electric dipole is zero.
Electric field due to an electric dipole:-
1. At a point on the axis of a dipole (end on position) :
Let the point P be at distance r from the centre of the dipole on the side of the charge q, as
shown in Fig. Then
 Kq 
Eq  (  P )
r  a 2

Where P is the unit vector along the dipole axis (from –q to q).
 Kq 
Also Eq  ( P )
r  a 2
The total electric field,
    1 1  
E Axial  Eq  Eq  Kq   ( P) .
 (r  a)
2
(r  a) 2 

  4ar   2 K Pr  2K P  
E Axial  Kq  2 2 2
( P)  2 ( P)  2 . [Where P  P  P ]
 (r  a )  (r  a ) (r  a 2 ) 2
2 2

 
 2K P 2K P
 If r >> a , then E Axial  2  3 .
(r  a )
2 2
r

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 2. Electric field at a point on the equatorial plane:-
The magnitudes of the electric fields due to the two charges +q and –q are given by,
 Kq
Eq  towards  q.
r  a2
2
 
 Kq
E q  away from  q.
r 2
 a2 
 The electric field due to +q and –q,
are equal and opposite.
 
Wehave, E q sin   E q sin   0 .
The resultant electric field,
  
E equitorial  E  q cos  E q cos .
 2 Kq 2Kq a
E equitorial   cos  2  2 .
(r  a )
2 2
(r  a ) (r  a 2 )1 / 2
2


 2 Kqa  KP
E equitorial  2 (  P)  2 .
(r  a )
2 3/ 2
(r  a 2 ) 3 / 2

 KP
 At large distances (r >> a), this reduces to, E equitorial  3 .
r
1
[Where, K   9  10 9 Nm 2 / C 2 .
40
 The angle between the electric fields (i) at the axial line of an electric dipole and
(ii) Equatorial bisector of an electric dipole is 1800.
3. Electric field at the midpoint (0) of an electric dipole:
 Kq 
Eq  2 ( P)
a
 Kq 
Eq  2 ( P)
a
The resultant electric field:
 
2 Kq  
Emid  Eq  Eq 
2
( P)
a
Physical significance of dipoles: -
Non-polar molecules:-In most molecules, the centres of positive charges and of negative charges lie
at the same place. Therefore, their dipole moment is zero. These molecules are called non-polar
molecule.
Example: - CO2 and CH4 are of this type of molecules.
 However, they develop a dipole moment when an electric field is applied.
Polar molecules:-But in some molecules, the centres of negative charges and of positive charges do
not coincide. Therefore they have a permanent electric dipole moment, even in the absence of
an electric field. Molecules are called polar molecules.
Example: - H2O, HCl etc.
Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 11
 Dipole in a uniform external field:-
The forces acting on +q and –q are,
   
Fq  q E and Fq  q E .

Hence the net translational force,

FN  qE  qE  0 .
 Since the forces acting on +q and –q are equal and
opposite and their line of action are different they
create a rotational effect (form a couple).

The torque acting on the dipole, τ = magnitude of

either force x perpendicular direction.
 
  qE  2a sin   PE sin   P E .
[Where, 2qa = P is dipole moment and AN is the perpendicular distance]
 
 The torque is maximum when the angle between P and E is 900. I.e. τmax=PE.
 
 The torque is minimum when the angle between P and E is 00 or 1800. I.e. τmin=0.
 When the electric dipole will be kept in a non-uniform electric field then both translational force
and torque will act.
Question: A ring of radius ‘a’ contains a charge ‘Q’ distributed uniformly over its length. Find the
electric field at a point on the axis of the ring at a distance x from the centre.
Answer:
The electric field at the point ‘p’ due to a small
element of length dl and charge dQ  dl
[λ= linear charge density] is,
KdQ Kdl
dE  2  2      (i )
(a  x ) (a  x 2 )
2

[ r  a 2  x 2 ]
Due to symmetry of the loop dE sin  component will get cancelled.
Hence the resultant electric field at p is:
2a
Kdl Kx
L
x KQx
E   dE cos   (a  2  2  2a  2 .
0 0
2
 x ) (a  x )
2 2 1/ 2
(a  x )
2 3/ 2
(a  x 2 ) 3 / 2
[   2a  Q]

 At the center of the ring x=0 and electric field is zero.

KQ
 At very large distance from the ring x >> a, E  2 . so the ring behaves as a point
x
charge.

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 12

 Assignment:
1 A charged particle of mass l g is suspended through a silk thread of length 40 cm in a horizontal
electric field of 4·0 x 10 4 N/C. If the particle stays at a distance of 24 cm from the wall in
equilibrium, find the charge on the particle.
2. Two point charges q1 and q2, of magnitude +10–8 C and –10–8
C, respectively, are placed 0.1 m apart. Calculate the electric
fields at points A, B and C shown in Fig.
3. Two particles A and B having charges of +2·00 x 10 -6 C and of
-4·00 x 10 -6 C respectively are held fixed at a separation of
20·0 cm. Locate the point(s) on the line AB where the electric
field is zero.
4. A water particle of mass 10·0 mg and having a charge of 1 ·50 x 10 - 6 C stays suspended in a
room. What is the magnitude of electric field in the room? What is its direction?

5. A point charge produces an electric field of magnitude 5·0 N c - 1 at a distance of 40 cm from it.
What is the magnitude of the charge?

Answer: 1. 1.8 x10-7 C.

2. 7.2 × 104 N/C (towards right), 3.2 × 104 N/C (towards left) and 9 × 103 N/ C (towards right)
3. 48·3 cm from A along BA.
4. 65·3 N/C, upward.
5. 8.9 x10-11C.
Electric flux (E):-
Electric flux may be defined as the total number of electric field lines passing normally through a
surface in an electric field.
 
i.e.  E  E . A  EA cos .
 
Or  E   E.d A .

 This surface integral indicates that the surface in question is to be divided into infinitesimal
 
elements of area dA and the scalar quantity  E .d A is to be evaluated for each element
and summed over the entire surface
Important points about electric flux:
 It is a scalar quantity.
 S.I. Units: (V–m) and N- m2 /C.
 Dimensions: E = [ML3 T–3A–1] .

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 13

 Gauss's law:-
According to it, the total electric flux linked with a closed surface is ‘
1
’ times the charge enclosed by the closed surface.
0
  qin
i.e. E   E .d s 
S
0
.

Proof: Consider an imaginary spherical Gaussian surface enclosing a charge ‘q’

 
i.e.  E   E .d s   Eds cos 0
0

S S

Kq q q
2 
 ds   4r 2  .
r S 40 r 2
0

Note:
 Flux through Gaussian surface depends only on charges present inside Gaussian
surface.
 Flux through Gaussian surface is independent of position of charges inside
Gaussian surface.
 Electric flux doesn’t depend on the shape of the closed surface.
 Electric field intensity at the Gaussian surface is due to all the charges present
(inside as well as outside).
 In a close surface incoming flux is taken negative while outgoing flux is taken
positive.
Application of Gauss’s law:-
1. Electric field due to an infinite long line distribution of charge:-
Let a wire of infinite length is uniformly charged having a
constant linear charge density  . P is the point where
electric field is to be calculated.

Let us draw a coaxial Gaussian cylindrical surfaces of

length ‘l’
  q
From Gauss’s theorem, i.e.  E.d s  .
s
0
      q
i.e.  E.d s   E .d s   E. d s
s1
1
s2
2
s3
3 
0
.

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 14

          
Since E  d s1 , E  d s2 and E || d s3 Hence  E.d s
s1
1  0,  E .d s 2  0.
s2

q
 0  0  E  2rl 
0
q 
E or E . [ q  l ]
2rl 0 2r 0
 The direction of electric field is radially outwards from the line
charge.
 Charge enclosed in the Gaussian surface, q = l.
2. Field due to a uniformly charged infinite thin plane sheet:
According to Gauss’s law,
  q
i.e.  E.d s  .
s
0
      q
i.e.  E.d s1   E .d s2   E. d s3 
s1 s2 s3
0
.

Where S1, S2 are plane surfaces and S3 is the curved surface.

       
Since E || d s1 , E || d s 2 and E  d s3 Hence  E.d s3  0,.
s1

q q q 
EA  EA  0   2 EA  or E 
0 0 2 A 0 2 0
  
E n.
2 0
Note:
In case of a thick charged sheet there are two charged surfaces inside the Gaussian
surface i.e. left side and right side hence charge within the closed surface will be:
q=2σA. Hence
q q  2A 
EA  EA  0   2 EA  or E  
0 0 2 A 0  0
  
E n.
0
Or
Electric field at left side is the sum of electric field due to 1st and 2nd surface:
      
E  E1  E 2  (  )  n.
2 0 2 0 0

 Here n is a unit vector normal to the plane and going away from it.

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 15

 3. Field due to a uniformly charged thin spherical shell or conducting sphere:-
Consider a thin spherical charged shell (hollow sphere) of radius ‘R’ consisting charge q.
Let ‘σ’ be the uniform surface charge density of a thin spherical shell of radius R.
  q
According to Gauss’s law, i.e.  E.d s  .
s
0
Case-1:- Out side the shell (r > R).
  q
 E.d s   Eds cos 0  E  4r 2 
0
.
s s
0
q qR 2 R 2
 E   .
4r 2 0 4R 2 r 2 0 r 2 0
q
Where    surface ch arg e density.
4R 2

Case-2:- On the surface of the shell (r = R).

  q
  E.d s   Eds cos 0  E  4R 
0 2
.
s s
0
q 
 E  .( Maximum)
4R  0  0
2

Case-3:- Inside the shell (r < R).

  q
  E.d s 
s
0
 0. [As qin =0]

 E  0, because  ds  0
s

 That is, the field due to a uniformly charged thin shell is zero at all points inside the
shell. Because the total charge resides on the outside surface only, no charge
remains inside the shell.
 Variation of electric field with the distance from the center of the shell.

4. Field due to a uniformly charged solid non conducting sphere (derivation not in syllabus):-
Consider a uniformly charged solid sphere of radius ‘R’ consisting charge q.
Let ‘ρ’ be the volume charge density.

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 16

   q
According to Gauss’s law, i.e.  E.d s 
s
0
.

Case-1:- Out side the shell (r > R).

q Kq 1
 E  2 . [ E 2 ]
4r  0 r
2
r

Case-2:- On the surface of the shell (r = R).

q Kq
 E  2.
4R  0 R
2

Case-3:- Inside the shell (r < R).

Kqr
E . [ E  r ]
R3

 Variation of electric field with the

distance from the center of the solid
sphere.

Electric field due to two parallel charged thin plates

Consider two oppositely charged plate having charge density ‘+σ1’ and ‘-σ2’

Case: 1 At a point left to the plates electric fields due to 1st and 2nd plate are,
 
E 1  1 towards right .
2 0
 2
E2  towards left.
2 0
Total electric field ,
   1  2
E  E1  E 2    0 [ 1   2   ]
2 0 2 0

Case-2: At a point between the plates electric fields due to 1 st and 2nd plate are,
 
E 1  1 towards left.
2 0
 2
E2  towards left.
2 0
Total electric field ,
   1  2 
E  E1  E 2    [ 1   2   ]
2 0 2 0  0
Case-3: At a point right to the plates electric fields due to 1 st and 2nd plate are,

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 17

  1
E1  towards right .
2 0
 2
E2  towards left.
2 0
Total electric field ,
   1  2
E  E1  E 2    0 [ 1   2   ]
2 0 2 0

Question:
A cube of side ‘a’ kept in an electric field as shown
 
where, E  Cx i , where c is a positive constant and.
Find
(i) The net electric flux passing through the cube.
(ii) The net charge enclosed within the cube.
Answer:-
 
(i) Electric flux through first surface, 1  E . A  aCds cos1800  aC  a 2  Ca 3 .
Electric flux through sec ond surface, 2  2aCds cos 00  2aC  a 2  2Ca 3 .
Totalel ectric flux,   1  2  ca 3  2Ca 3  Ca 3 Nm2 / C 2 .
(ii ) Net ch arg e enclosed , Q   0   0Ca 3coulomb.
Assignment:3
Q1) A point charge +10 µC is a distance 5 cm directly above the centre of a square of side 10 cm.
What is the magnitude of the electric flux through the square? (Hint: Think of the square as
one face of a cube with edge 10 cm.) Answer: 2.2 x 105Nm2/C
Q.2) A uniformly charged conducting sphere of 2.4 m diameter has a surface charge density of
80.0 µC/m2.
(a) Find the charge on the sphere.
(b) What is the total electric flux leaving the surface of the sphere?
Answer: 1.45 x10-3C and 1.6 x 108 Nm2/C.
Q.3) A charged particle having a charge of - 2·0 x 10 -6 C is placed close to a non-conducting plate
having a surface charge density 4 ·0 x 10 -6 C/ m2. Find the force of attraction between the
particle and the plate. Answer: 0.45N.
Q.4) One end of a 10 cm long silk thread is fixed to a large vertical surface of a charged non-
conducting plate and the other end is fastened to a small ball having a mass of 10 g and a
charge of 4·0 x 10 - 6 C. In equilibrium, the thread makes an angle of 60° with the vertical.
Find the surface charge density on the plate. Answer: 7.5 x10-7 C/m2.
Q.5) A charge Q is placed at the centre of a cube. Find the flux of the electric field through one surfaces of
the cube. Answer: Q/6ϵ0.

**************************************

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 18

Important long questions:-

Electric charge and field (chapter- 1)

1. State coulomb’s law, write its vector form.

2. Write the similarities and difference between gravitational force and coulomb’s force.
3. Define electric field at a point, write its SI unit and dimension. Also write its significance.
4. Obtain electric field at a distance ‘r’ due to a point charge Q.
5. Derive an expression for electric field at a point on the axial line of an electric dipole.
6. Derive an expression for electric field at a point on the equilateral bisector of an electric dipole.
7. Derive an expression for electric field at the midpoint of an electric dipole.
8. Derive an expression for electric field at a point on the axial line of an uniformly charged ring.
9. Prove that the net translational force on an electric dipole in a uniform electric field is zero, hence obtained the
torque acting on it.
10. A system consisting two point charges q1 and q2 having position vectorsr1and r2respectively, find the net electric field
at a point whose position vector is ‘r’.
11. State and prove Gauss’s law in electrostatics.
12. Using Gauss’s law obtained electric field at a point due to an infinite long line charge of density ‘λ’.
13. Using Gauss’s law obtained electric field at a point due to a thin charged sheet.
14. Using Gauss’s law obtained electric field at a point due to a thick sheet.
15. Using Gauss’s law obtained electric field at a point inside, on the surface and outside due to a uniformly charged
shell. Draw a graph electric field verses distance from the centre of the shell.

******************************************

ELECTRIC CHARGE AND FIELD

1. The force between two charges situated in air is F. The force between the same charges if the
distance between them is reduced to half and they are situated in a medium having dielectric
constant 4 is:
(a) F/4 (b) 4F (c) 16F (d) F

2. A charge Q is divided into two parts q and Q-q and separated by a distance R. The force of
repulsion between them will be maximum when:
(a) q=Q/4 (b) q=Q/2 (c) q=Q (d) none of these

3. Three charges +4q, Q and q are placed in a straight line of length l at distance 0, (l/2) and l
respectively. What should be Q in order to make the net force on q to be zero?
(a) -q (b) -2q (c) -q/2 (d) 4q

4. Three equal charges, each of charge +q, are placed on the three corners of a square of side a. Then
the magnitude of the electric field at the fourth corner is about:
(a) Kq/a2 (b) Kq/2a2 (c) 1.9Kq/a2 (d) 2 2 Kq/a2

5. A charge q is placed at the midpoint of the line joining two equal charges Q. The system of three
charges will be in equilibrium when q has the value:
(a) Q/4 (b) Q/2 (c) -Q/4 (d) -Q/2

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 19

6. The dielectric constant K of an insulator can be:
(a) -1 (b) zero (c) 0.5 (d) 5

7. Three point charges, each +q, are placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle. The electric field
at the center will be (k=1/4π  0 ):
(a) 3Kq/r2 (b) Kq/r2 (c) 3 Kq/2r2 (d) zero

8. There is a solid sphere of radius R having uniformly distributed charge throughout it. What is the
relation between electric field E and distance r from the center (r<R)?
(a) E α r-2 (b) E α r-1 (c) E α r (d) E α r2

9. The electric field at a point at a distance r from an electric dipole is proportional to:
(a) 1/r (b) 1/r2 (c) 1/r3 (d) r2

10. Two point charges +3 μC and +8 μC repel each other with a force of 40 N. If a charge of -5 μC is
added to each of them, then the force between them will become:
(a) +10N (b) +20 N (c) -20 N (d) -10 N

11. A cube has point charge of magnitude -q at all its vertices. Electric field at the centre of the cube is:
(a) 1/4 π  0 6q/3a2 (b) 1/4 π  0 8q/a2 (c) zero (d) 4 π  0 (-8q/a2)

12. The electric flux entering and leaving an enclosed surface is 1 and  2 respectively, the electric charge
inside the enclosed surface will be:
(a) ( 1 +  2 )  0 (b) ( 1 +  2 )/  0 (c) (  2 - 1 )  0 (d) (  2 - 1 )/  0

13. Two spherical conductors B and C having equal radii and carrying equal charges in them repel each other
with a force F when kept apart at some distance. A third spherical conductor having same radius as that
of B but unchanged is brought in contact with B, then brought in contact with C and finally removed away
from both. The new force of repulsion between B and C is:
(a) F/4 (b) 3F/4 (c) F/8 (d) 3F/8

14. Four charges equal to -Q are placed at the four corners of a square and a charge q is at its centre. If the
system is in equilibrium, the value of q is:
Q Q Q Q
(a)  (1  2 2 ) (b) (1  2 2 ) (c)  (1  2 2 ) (d) (1  2 2 )
4 4 2 2

15. Two point charges +8q and -2q are located at x=0 and x=L respectively. The location of a point on the x-
axis at which net electric field due to these two point charges is zero, is:

(a) 8L (b) 4L (c) 2L (d) L/4

Answer: 1.d 2.b 3.a 4.c 5.c 6.d 7.d 8.c 9.c 10.d 11.c 12.c 13.d
14.b 15.c

Umakanta Sir’s class note Page 20