ELECTRIC FIELD

Electric field can be considered as an electric property associated with

each point in the space where a charge is present in any form. An
electric field is also described as the electric force per unit charge.

The formula of electric field is given as;

E = F /Q

Where,

E is the electric field.

F is a force.
Q is the charge.

 Electric field is vector quantity.

 SI UNIT is N/C.
 Dimesional formula - [M1 L1 T-3 I-1].

The direction of the field is taken as the direction of the force which is
exerted on the positive charge. The electric field is radially outwards
from positive charge and radially in towards negative point charge.

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CONTINUOUS CHARGE DISTRIBUTION

The superposition principle allows for the calculation of the electric field due to a
continuous distribution of charge.
There are three types of continuous charge distribution
1. Linear charge distribution
2. Surface charge distribution
3. Volumetric charge distribution

Linear Charge Distribution

If the charge is distributed over the length of the conductor, it is called linear charge
distribution. It is often referred to as linear charge density and
It is denoted by the Lambda (λ) symbol.
The unit is C/m.
Mathematically, there is a linear charge density -
λ = dq/ dl

Surface charge distribution

When the charge is uniformly distributed over the conductor surface, it is called
Surface Charge Density or Surface Charge Distribution.
It is denoted by the symbol  σ (sigma)
The unit is C/m2.
It is also defined as a charge/per area of the unit. Mathematically the density of the
surface charge is
σ = dq / ds

Volumetric charge distribution

When the charge is distributed over a driver's volume, it is called Volume Charge
Distribution.
It is denoted by the  ρ (rho) symbol.
Its unit is C/m3.
In other words, the charge per unit volume is called Volume Charge Density and
Mathematically, the density of the volume charge is
ρ = dq/ dv

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ELECTRIC FIELD LINES

It is defined as the path or the curve along which a test charge would tends to move
when free to do so in an Electric Field.

PROPERTIES OF ELECTRIC FIELD LINES

 It is continuous smooth curve without any break.

 These are imaginary lines which stand from the positive charge and ends at negative
charge.
 They do not form closed loop.
 Tangent drawn at any point on the electric field lines gives the direction of electric
field.
 Electric field lines do not intersect each other because at that point of intersection
there will be two direction which is not possible.
 Electric field lines are always normal to the surface of the conductor.
 Electric field lines do not pass through a conductor because electric field is zero
inside a charge conductor.
 Relative closeness of the electric field lines gives the strength of electric field in that
region.

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ELECTRIC DIPOLE
An electric dipole is a pair of equal and opposite point charges q and –q, separated
by a distance 2a.

ELECTRIC DIPOLE MOMENT

It is a vector quantity that measures the strength of an electric dipole by

multiplying the charge (q) and separation between the charges (2a).
The magnitude of dipole moment is given as,

p=(2a)q

Direction: From negative charge (–q) to positive charge (+q)

SI unit: Its SI unit is Cm (coulomb-meter)
Dimensional formula: [LAT]

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 ELECTRIC FIELD
DUE TO A DIPOLE AT
AXIAL POSITION

ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO A DIPOLE AT EQUATORIAL POSITION

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The magnitudes of the electric fields due to the two charges +q and –q are equal,
and it is given by

The directions of E+q and E–q are shown in Fig. (b). Now after cancelling the
components normal to the dipole axis and adding up the components along the
dipole axis. The total electric field is opposite to  pˆ. We have

At large distances (r>>a), this reduces to

Hence, we can also write this for (r>>a) and p=2qa as:

where,
E is the electric field,
p is the electric dipole moment,
r is the distance of a point the point,
θ is the angle subtended by the dipole to the point.

DIPOLE IN UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD

Let us consider a permanent dipole of dipole moment p in a uniform electric

field E), such that there is a force qE acting on q and a force –qE acting on –

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q. Then, the net force on the dipole is zero since E is uniform. As the charges are
at a separate distance, so the forces will act be at different points, it results in a
torque on the dipole.
The magnitude of torque will be given as,

And, its direction is normal to the plane

of the paper, coming out of it, so we
can also write this as:

ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO UNIFORMLY CHARGED CIRCULAR RING

AT A POINT ON ITS AXIS

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We know that the electric field at point P is,

The x component of the electric field due to charge element dq is,

The y component of the electric field due to charged element dq is

To calculate the total electric field at point P due to charge ring we need to integrate
dE over the ring,
But due to axial symmetry, the y component will vanish and x component will only
exist,
Then,

ELECTRIC FLUX

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The total number of electric field lines passing a given area in a unit of time is
defined as the electric flux

For uniform electric field

It is a scalar quantity, and its unit is Nm2C−1 or Vm (volt metre).

GAUSS LAW

According to Gauss’s law, the total electric flux through a closed Gaussian surface is
equal to the total charge enclosed by the surface divided by the ε0.

ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO LINE CHARGE

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One application of Gauss law is to find the electric field due to the charged particle.
Electric field due to line charge can be found easily by using Gauss law. Consider,

A line charge is in the form of a thin charged rod with linear charge density λ.

Therefore, the contribution of the curved surface of the cylinder towards electric flux,

As the cylinder is infinitely long, electric field will be along radial direction only, and
hence flux through upper and lower caps of the Gaussian surface will be zero.

Also, if instead of the hollow cylinder we have a charged thread the

expression for Electric field remains same.
Electric field due to a uniform charged thread is,

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 ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO SPHERICAL SHELL

Let σ be the uniform surface charge density of sphere of radius R.

Let us find out electric field intensity at a point P outside or inside the shell .
Field Outside the Shell
We have to find the electric field intensity at a point P outside the spherical shell
such that, OP=r.
Here we take gaussian surface as a sphere of radius r.

Then the electric field intensity is the same at every point of gaussian surface
directed radially outwards,

So, according to Gauss’s theorem

The whole charged shell is enclosed by the Gaussian surface.

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Field at the Surface of the Shell
Let us consider a hollow sphere as a Gaussian surface with the point charge q at
the centre of the sphere.
Now from Gauss’s law we have,

 Inside the shell

r<R
Let us consider a concentric hollow sphere to be a Gaussian surface with
radius r<R
Now from Gauss’s law, we have,

The charge enclosed by the shell is zero.

Therefore, the electric field inside the shell will be zero.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 https://byjus.com/jee/electric-field/
 https://www.embibe.com/exams/gauss-law/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_field

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 TEACHER’S REMARK

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