• Potential of an electric dipole y-axes

P
o Consider an electric dipole
of point charges +q and -q
with separation of d, as
shown. Let we find electric x-axes
potential at point P having
distance r from the dipole.
o Using the point charge formula the net potential at P is
1 𝑞 1 𝑞 𝑞 1 1
𝑉𝑃 = − = −
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟+ 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟− 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟+ 𝑟−
𝑞 𝑟− − 𝑟+ 𝑞 ∆𝑟
= =
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟+ 𝑟− 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 2
where 𝑟− − 𝑟+ = ∆𝑟 and 𝑟+ 𝑟− = 𝑟 2 because 𝑟+ ≈ 𝑟− ≈ 𝑟
1
 𝑞 𝑑𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑝𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 Ԧ 𝑟Ƹ
𝑝•
So, 𝑉𝑃 = = =
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟2 𝑟2 𝑟2

• Potential due to line charge +a

o Let charge is uniformly
distributed over a straight line θ
extended from –a to +a along
y-axes, symmetrically about the
x-axes, as shown.
-a
o Let we find electric potential at point P along x-axes,
distant x from the origin.

o As usual, let us select and element dl of the line and

assume it as a point charge.
2
o The electric potential due to dl is
1 𝑑𝑞 1 𝜆𝑑𝑙 1 𝜆𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑉 = = = . . . . . . . . (1)
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟

o Integrating equation (1) to find the net potential of the line

i.e. 𝜆 +𝑎
𝑑𝑦
𝑉= න
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 −𝑎 𝑟
o From the figure 𝑦 = 𝑥 tan 𝜃 » 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑥 sec 2 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
also, 𝑟 = 𝑥 sec 𝜃
𝜆 +𝑎 𝑥 sec2 𝜃𝑑𝜃 𝜆 +𝑎
o𝑉 = ‫׬‬ = ‫׬‬ sec 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 −𝑎 𝑥 sec 𝜃 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 −𝑎

𝜆 +𝑎
= ln sec 𝜃 + tan 𝜃 −𝑎 . . . . . . . . . . . (2)
4𝜋𝜀𝑜
3
 +𝑎
𝜆 𝑟 𝑦 +𝑎 𝜆 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑦
𝑉= ln + = ln
2𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑥 𝑥 −𝑎 2𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑥 −𝑎

𝜆 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 + 𝑎 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 − 𝑎
= ln − ln
2𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑥 𝑥

𝜆 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 + 𝑎
𝑉= 𝑙𝑛
2𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 − 𝑎

which is the required expression.

4
• Electric Potential of ring charge ds

o The charged ring, shown, has

radius a placed with its center at o
the origin and axis along x-axes.

o Let the ring is uniformly charged with λ as linear charge

density.
o Let we find out electric potential at P along x-axes distant x.
o We take an element ds of the ring and assume it as a point
charge dq = λds
1 𝑑𝑞 1 𝜆𝑑𝑠
o Potential at P due to ds is 𝑑𝑉 = =
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟
5
o And the net potential of the ring is

𝜆 𝜆 𝟏 𝑸
𝑉= ‫ׯ‬ 𝑑𝑠 = 2𝜋𝑎 =
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟 𝟒𝝅𝜺𝒐 𝒙𝟐 +𝒂𝟐

o Limiting case:

1 𝑄
▪ If 𝑥 ≫ 𝑎 then 𝑉=
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑥
1 𝑄
▪ if 𝑥 ≪ 𝑎 then 𝑉=
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑎
this is maximum.