ELECTRIC FIELD

The region of space around a charge where its effect can be felt is called its electric field. The strength of
field at any point is measured with the help of a vector quantity called electric field intensity.

Definition of electric field intensity :-

The electric field intensity at any point is the force experienced by a unit positive charge placed at that
point.
F
E ( SI unit is N / C)
q

Source of electric field :-

Electric field at any point is produced due to some source charge. The field due to a positive charge is
directed radially away from that charge while the field due to a negative charge is directed radially
inwards towards the negative charge as shown in the figure below.

The strength of electric field at a distance ‘r’ from a point charge ‘q’ is given by
1 q
E
4 o r 2
The electric field intensity vector at a point P( rp ) due to a point charge q placed at a point with poisition
vector rq is given by
+q
1 q ( rp  rq )
Y
r E
rq P 4 o r  r 3
p q
rP E
X

Effect of electric field :-

If any charge ‘q’ is placed at a point having an electric field then the charge experiences a force given by
F  qE
Positive charge experiences force along the direction of electric field while negative charge experiences
force opposite to the direction of field.
Distribution of charges:-
Charge may be distributed discretely or continuously. If there is a system of finite point charges then the
distribution of charges is called discrete distribution. But we often get cases where charges are
continuously distributed either on a line (linear charge distribution), on a surface(superficial charge
distribution) or in the space (volumetric charge distribution).

Linear charge distribution:- If charge is distributed continuously on a line then the distribution is called
linear charge distribution as shown in the figure. +
Here we may assume an elementary section of length ‘dl’, and consider it to be a ++ + + + ++ ++
point charge with charge ‘dq’ given by ++
dq =  dl ;
where  is called the linear charge density or the charge per unit length (SI unit C/m)

Surface charge distribution :- If charge is continuously distributed on a + ++ +

++ + ++ + +
+ + + +
+ + + + + +
surface(for example the one shown in figure aside) then the distribution is called + + + + + + + +
+ + + +
+
surface charge distribution or superficial charge distribution.
Here we may consider an elementary surface of area ‘dS’ and consider it to be a point charge ‘dq’ given
by
dq =  dS ;
where  is called surface charge density or charge per unit area (SI unit C/m2)

Volume charge distribution :- If charge is continuously distributed in the space then the distribution is
called volume charge distribution or bulk charge distribution.
Here we may consider an elementary surface of volume ‘dV’ and consider it to be a point charge of
charge ‘dq’ given by
dq =  dV ;
where  is called volume charge density(bulk charge density) or charge per unit volume (SI unit C/m3).

EXAMPLES ON CALCULATION OF ELECTRIC FIELD

5 mC 5 mC
Eg 1. Two point charges 5C and -5C are placed 50cm apart. Find the electric P

field intensity at the mid-point P of the line joining the two charges as shown in 50 cm
the figure.

Soln : The electric field at P due to the positive charge be E+ and the field due to the negative charge
be E- . The direction of the two fields are indicated in the figure below.
5 mC P E+ 5 mC
1 q 9  109 (5  106 )
E-
Now E  E    7.2  105 N / C
50 cm 4o r 2 (25  102 )2
As both the fields are in the same direction, the resultant field is the sum of the two fields,
Enet  E  E  2E  2  7.2 105 N / C  14.4 105 N / C

Eg2. Two point charges -10C and 20C are placed 20cm apart. Find the -10 m C
20 m C P
electric field intensity at the point P of the line joining the two charges as
20 cm 10 cm
shown in the figure.
Soln:- The field at P due to the two charges are E+ and E- are shown in the figure . 20 m C -10 m C E
- E+
9 6 P
1 q 9  10 (20  10 )
Now, E   2 2
 2  106 N / C ; rightwards 20 cm 10 cm
4o r 2 (30  10 )
1 q 9  109 (10  106 )
E    9  106 N / C ; leftwards
4o r 2 (10  102 )2
As the two fields are in opposite direction, the resultant is the difference of the two fields and
the resultant is directed along the field of stronger magnitude, i.e leftwards.
Enet  E  E  7 106 N / C leftwards q
A B
Eg3. Two point charges q each are located on the two opposite vertices of a square
of side’a’ as shown in the figure. Find the net electric field at the third vertex B .
q
Soln :- The field at B due to the two charges at A and C are shown in the figure. The a C

two forces are equal in magnitude.

1 q
EC
Enet EA  EC 
q 4o r 2
A B EA
The resultant of the two fields can be found by vector addition of the two
fields as,  Enet  E2A  EC
2
 2EAEC cos 
q
C 2q
 E2A  E2A  2EAEA cos90o  2 EA 
a

4o r 2

Alternative method: As the two fields are equal in magnitude the resultant lies exactly mid-way
between the two fields, so Enet makes 45o with each of the two fields. The resultant is simply the
sum of the components of the two fields along the direction of the resultant. So,
2q
Enet  EA cos45o  EC cos45o  2EAcos45o 
4o r 2
P
Eg4. Two charges q each are placed at a distance 2x from each other as shown in
the figure. Find the electric field at a point P on the perpendicular bisector of the h

line joining the two charges at distance h from the mid-point of the two charges. q q
2x

Soln :- The fields at P due to each of the two charges has the same value E1 as shown in the figure.
Enet
1 q
E1   E1 
E1
4o (x  h2 )
2
P

h
As the two fields are equal in magnitude the resultant points exactly mid-way
q q between the two fields, i.e. the Enet makes and  with each E1.
M
2x B

The component of E1 along the resultant is E1coswhere cos 

  So, Enet = 2 E1cos2

Eg5. In the figure shown aside we have an infinitely long wire having uniform linear charge density  .
Find the electric field at point P if the distance of P from one end of wire is r.
P
+ + ++ + + ++ + ++ + + + + ++ + ++ + + + +
r

Soln :- Let us consider a point A on the wire at a distance ‘x’ from P. Now assume a small section of the
wire of length ‘dx’ near point A. This small section has a charge dq = dx and it is to be treated as a point
charge. The field at P due to this elementary charge is

P dE
dE= ---(i)
+ + ++ + + ++ + ++ + + + + ++ + ++ + + + +
dx A x
To find the net field we need to add the
field due to all such elementary charges have r < x < ∞, i.e. integration of the eqn (i) within the said
limits of x. So,
    
E= = =

+
+
+

+ ++ + ++ + + + + ++ + + + ++ +
Eg 6. An infinitely long wire with linear charge density  is as shown in the figure. Find P
the electric field at point P if it is at a distance ‘r’ from the wire as shown in the figure. r

Soln :- Let us consider a point A on the wire at a distance ‘x’ from O. Now assume a small
section of the wire of length ‘dx’ near point A. This small section has a charge dq = dx and it
is to be treated as a point charge.

+ 
dx + A
+ The field at P due to this elementary charge is dE=
+ ++ + ++ + + + + ++ + + + ++ +

x
 P Enet It can be guessed by symmetry that the resultant field is along the horizontal
r 
dE direction( call it x-direction). So the component of this field dE along the
direction of resultant is

dEx =dEcos where cos 

 
dEx =

To find the net field we need to add the field due to all such elementary charges have
-∞ < x < ∞, i.e. integration of the eqn (i) within the said limits of x. So,

  
Enet = = =
Eg 7 . A ring of radius ‘r’ has a charge ‘q’ spread uniformly on its circumference. Find the electric
field at a point P which lies on the axis of the ring at a distance ‘x’ from the centre of the ring.

Soln :- Consider a small section of the ring which has a charge ‘dq’ as shown in the figure. 
E net

dE The field at P due to the elementary charge dq is



P dE = By symmetry of the system we can guess that the


x direction of the resultant field is along the axis of the ring as shown in the figure.
dq
++
++ +
+ ++ ++ + + ++
+ + +
+ + + ++
+ +
So the component of this dE along the direction of resultant (z-direction) is
+ +
++ + +
+ +
+ + + + ++
r + + + ++
+++
++
++ + +

dEz= dE cos =

So, the net field is found by integrating this dEz over the whole charge ‘q’

= = =

Assignment to Electric field

1. Two point charges ‘q’ and ‘-q’ are placed ‘r’ distance apart. Find the electric field intensity at the
mid-point of the line joining the two charges.

2. Two charges ‘q’ and ‘-q’ are located ‘2r’ distance apart. Find the electric field intensity at a point P
on the perpendicular bisector of line joining the two charges at a distance ‘x’ from the mid-point of
line joining the two charges?

3. Two point charges ‘q’ and ‘4q’ are placed ‘r’ distance apart. At which point on the line joining the
two charges is the field zero.

4. Two charges 4q and -9q are located ‘r’ distance apart. At which point on the line joining the two
charges is the field zero.

5. Two point charges q1 and q2 are located on the opposite vertices of a square of side ‘a’. What is the
strength of electric field at any one of the two vacant vertices.

6. Three identical charges ‘q’ each are located at the three vertices of an equilateral triangle of side ‘a’.
Find the strength of electric field at the circum-centre of the triangle.

7. Two charges ‘q’ and ‘-q’ are located at two vertices of an equilateral triangle of side ’a’. Find the
strength of electric field at the third vertex of the triangle.

8. A charge q is placed at the origin. Find the electric field intensity vector at point P (x,y,z).
9. A point charge 25C is placed at (0,3cm,0). Find the electric field intensity vector at point P
(4cm,0,0).

10. An electron and a proton are placed in a region of uniform electric field of 5x106 N/C. Which of the
two particles experiences larger force and which one has larger acceleration?

11. A particle of charge 5C and mass 20 gm is held stationary near the earth’s surface under the action
of a uniform electric field. Find the magnitude and direction of the field.

12. In a region having uniform electric field ‘E’ (gravity free space) a particle of charge ‘q’ and mass ‘m’
is released to move under the effect of the electrostatic force. Find the speed of the particle after it
has covers a distance ‘S’.

13. The bob of pendulum has charge ‘q’ and mass ‘m’. If the pendulum is placed in a region having a
uniform horizontal electric field E then find the angle made by the string of the pendulum with the
vertical. Also find the tension in the string of the pendulum.

14. A particle of charge ‘q’ and mass ‘m’ is projected with an initial speed ‘u’ in a direction opposite to a
uniform electric field E. Find the distance covered before coming to a momentary rest.

15. A semi-circular ring of radius ‘r’ has a charge ’q’ spread uniformly on its circumference. Find the
electric field strength at its centre.

16. A circular plane sheet of radius R has a uniform surface charge density  spread on its surface. Find
the electric field intensity at a distance x from its centre on its axis.

17. An infinite plane sheet has a uniform surface charge density . Find the electric field intensity at a
distance x from it.