Electric Field and Potential

OBJECTIVES:
• Describe an electric field
• Draw the electric field lines
• Use Gauss’s Law to infer electric field due to uniformly
distributed charges on long wires, spheres and large
plates
• Relate the electric potential with work, potential energy
and electric field
• Evaluate the electric potential at any point in a region
containing point charges
• Calculate electric field strength. electric flux, electric
field in the region given a mathematical function
describing its potential in a region of space
• Solve problems involving electric charges, forces, fields,
flux, electric potential energy, and electric potentials.
 ELECTRIC FIELD
What is an electric field?

• An electric field exist in the region of space around a charged object.

• The charged object is known as the source charge.
• Electric field is a property of the region in which a test charge at any point
experiences an electric force.
 ELECTRIC FIELD LINES
How are electric field lines drawn?

• The lines of force originate (start) from a positive charge and terminate (end)
on a negative charge.
• The lines of force are smooth curves that never touch or cross
• The density (closeness) of the lines of force indicate the strength of the electric
field. (closer lines, stronger field)
• The direction of net field is tangent to field line.
 ELECTRIC FIELD LINES
Charged Plates

• The electric field between parallel plates are uniform, thus parallel electric field
lines.
• Arc only occurs at the edge of parallel plates
• Field lines forms a dipole pattern which become parallel to each other and
perpendicular to the charged plate.
 ELECTRIC FIELD STRENGTH
The equation for electric field strength due to appoint charge can be derived
by using the Coulomb’s Law and the definition of electric field.

F keQ q / r 2 ke Q
E= = =
q q r2

where” E – electric field strength (N/C)

q – test charge (C)
Q – charge producing the field (C)
r – distance between charges (m)
F – electric force (N)
ke - coulomb constant (8.99 x 109 Nm2/C2)
 PROBLEM SOLVING
1. A +2 nC charge is placed at a distance r from a – 8 μC 4000 N
charge. If the charge experiences a force of 4000 N, what
is the electric field intensity E at point P? . P

G: Q = – 8μC = – 8 x10 – 6 C r
qf = +2 nC = +2 x10 – 9 C - --
-
F = 4000 N - -Q -
- -
R: E = ? –8 mC
E: E = F/q Electric Field
S: E = 4000 N___
+2 x10 – 9 C
A: E = 2 x10 12 N/C, downward
 PROBLEM SOLVING
2. An electric field of 40,000 N/C is maintained between the two parallel plates.
What are the magnitude and direction of the force on an electron that passes
horizontally between the plates?
+ + + + + + + + +
4
G: E= 4 x10 N/C
q = –1.602 x 10 –19 C e- -
R: F = ?
E: E = F/q
- - - - - - - - -
S: F = qE
= (4 x10 4 N/C)(1.602 x 10 –19 C)
= 6.40 x 10 –15 N

A: E = 6.40 x10 – 15 N, upward

 PROBLEM SOLVING
3. What is the electric field intensity at point P, a distance of 3.0 m from a charge
of – 8 nC?

G: Q = – 8 x10 –9 C E=? .
P
r = 3.0 m r
R: E = ? 3m
E: E = kQ/r2 -Q
-8 nC
S: E = (8.99 x10 9 Nm2/C2) (8 x10 –9 C)
(3.0 m)2
= 8.00 N/C
A: E = 8.00 N/C, toward – Q
 PROBLEM SOLVING
4. An electric field around a charged object is 5.95 x 106 N/C at a distance of
0.100 m. Find the charge on the object.

G: E = 5.95 x10 6 N/C

r = 0.100 m
R: q = ?
E: E = ke q
r2
S: 5.95 x10 6 N/C = (8.99 x10 9 Nm2/C2) q
(0.100 m)2
q = 6.618464961 x10 – 6 C
q = 6.62 x10 – 6 C
A: q = 6.62 µC
 ELECTRIC FLUX
• Electric flux is a measure of the number of lines
of a vector field that passes perpendicularly
through a surface.
• It is the product of the magnitude of the electric
field and the area of the surface perpendicular
to the field.
ΦE = E · A
where: ΦE - electric flux (Nm2/C)
E - electric field (N/C)
A - area of the surface (m2)
 ELECTRIC FLUX

• The number of field lines through the tilted surface equals the number
through its projection.

• If the surface is not perpendicular to the field lines, then electric flux
can be determined using:

ΦE = EA cos θ
 ELECTRIC FLUX
CURVED SURFACE

1. Divide the surface into small regions

with area dA
2. The flux through dA is
• dΦ = E dA cos θ
• dΦ = E dA
3. The total flux is
 ELECTRIC FLUX
CLOSED SURFACE

The total flux within a closed surface is proportional to the enclosed charge.
 EXPLORING POTENTIAL ENERGY
Revisiting Work and Gravitational Potential Energy
How much work is done in moving an object?

High PE High PE

work done work done

by by
gravity external force

Low PE Low PE

• Objects naturally move form high PE to low PE under the influence of the field
force.
• Work is done when moving object against nature.
• W = ∆PE = mg (hf - hi)
 EXPLORING POTENTIAL ENERGY
ANALOGY: PE gravity versus PE electric
Determine if work is done on the positive test charge to move it from point A to point
B.

W = ∆PE
PE gravity = mgh

PE electric = qEd

Figure 1 Figure 2
• In Fig.1, NO work is done because the + charge is moving naturally in the electric
field.
• In Fig. 2, work is done because the + charge is moving against the electric field.
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY
The work done by the external force against the electric field force increases
electrical potential energy of the charge that is moved.

• Electric potential energy is the energy (ability to do work) of all the charges.
• The unit for electric potential energy is joules (J).
 PROBLEM SOLVING
A charge of 5 x 10 –12 C creating an electric field. if a second charge of –3 x 10 –15 C
is 7.0 m away what is the PE stored by the second charge?

G: Q = 5 x 10 –12 C
q = –3 x10 -15 C
d = 7.0 m
7.0 m
R: PEe = ?
E: 5 x 10 –12 C –3 x 10 –15 C

The negative sign tells that work must be done on the

system to keep this charges apart.
 PROBLEM SOLVING
What is the speed of an electron accelerated from rest across a potential difference
of 100 V?
G: ∆V = 100 V
me = 9.11 x 10 –31 kg
qe= –1.60 x10 -19 C
R: ve = ?
E: W = KE
PEe = KE
S: – q ∆V = ½ mev2
– 2 q ∆V = meve2
– 2 (1.60 x10 -19 C)(100 V) = (9.11 x 10 –31 kg) ve2
ve2 = 3.51 x10 13 CV/kg
ve = 5.924525 x10 6 m/s
A: ve = 5.92 x10 6 m/s
 PROBLEM SOLVING
What potential difference is needed to stop an electron with an initial speed of
4.2 x 10 5 m/s?
G: me = 9.11 x 10 –31 kg
qe= –1.60 x10 -19 C
vei = 4.2 x10 5 m/s
–
R: ∆V = ? 1

E: W = ∆KE
PEe = – KE
S: – q ∆V = – (½ mev2)
– 2 q ∆V = meve2
– 2 (1.60 x10 -19 C) ∆V = (9.11 x 10 –31 kg)(4.2 x10 5 m/s)2
∆V = 0.50218875 V
A: ∆V = 0.50 V
 EXPLORING ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
How much work is done in bringing unit charge from A to B?

W ∝ ∆V
W = q∆V

1 volt = 1 J/C

• The work done per unit charge is known as electric potential.

• The potential difference between two points in an electric field is the work done (energy)
per unit charge known as voltage.
 ELECTRONVOLT
How much work is done to move an elementary charge against an electric field
through a potential difference of 1 volt?

G: q = 1.6 x10 -19 C

V=1V
R: W = ?
E: ∆V = W/q

S: W = qV
= (1 V) (1.6 x 10 –19 C)
W = 1.6 x 10 –19 CV
A: W = 1.6 x 10 –19 J 1.6 x 10 –19 J = 1 eV
 PROBLEM SOLVING
Consider two charges q1 (– 5 µC) and q2 (5 µC) and the point in space, point P. If P
is 1 m form q1 and 3m from q2, what is the electric potential at point P?
1 1

Vp = V1 + V2
– 1m P 3m +

q1 = – 5 µC q2 = 5 µC

VP = – 4.5 x10 4 V + 1.5 x10 4 V

VP = – 3.0 x10 4 V
 APPLICATION OF ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
Is there any way we can use a set of plates with an electric field?

YES! We can make a Parallel Plate Capacitor.

 WHAT IS A CAPACITOR?
• A capacitor consists of two conducting
plates separated by vacuum, air or an
insulating material called dielectric.
• The plates are charged using a power
supply to set up an electric field.
• It is used to store electrical potential
energy by separating positive (+) and
negative (–) charges.

• When the capacitor is connected to a voltage source, the two plates become
oppositely charged.
• A uniform electric field is created in the region between the two plates.
 USES OF CAPACITORS
How does a microphone work?

When a sound wave causes the charged diaphragm plate (one of the plates of a parallel
capacitor) to vibrate, the voltage across the plates changes producing electrical signals.
 USES OF CAPACITORS
How does a radio tuner work?

• The tuner in radio is a variable capacitor.

• Turning the knob of the tuner changes the area which alters the capacitance until
the resonant frequency becomes equal to the frequency of the channel or station
we want to obtain.
 USES OF CAPACITORS
How does a defibrillator work?

• When ventricular fribillation occurs, the heart produces a rapid, irregular pattern of beats.
• A fast discharge of electrical energy through the heart can return the organ to its normal
beat pattern.
• The capacitor in the defibrillator stores a large charge at high voltage which is delivered
at relatively rapid rate to the chest of the patient.
• The energy is discharge through the patient’s own resistance.
 USES OF CAPACITORS
How does a computer keyboard work?

key
plunger
movable metal plate
dielectric
fixed metal plate

• The movable metal plate and the fixed plate in the key form a capacitor.
• When the key is pressed, the space between plates decreases and the capacitance
increase.
• The pressed key is recognized by the change in capacitance.