Electric Lines of force

Electric field lines are those imaginary lines or curve in the

electric field, the tangent to which at any point represent
the direction of the electric field at that point. E

Properties of Lines of force:-

1.Electric lines of force start from positive charge and end
at negative charge
2.Two field lines never intersect each other.
3.Lines of force do not form any closed loops.
 Electric Lines of force
(1) Point Charge

_
++

(2)Uniform electric field

(3)Dipole

_
+
 Electric Dipole
• The system of two equal and opposite charges
separated by a small distance is called dipole.
A P B
-q +q
2a

• Electric Dipole Moment:-

• It is define as the product of magnitude of either
charge and distance between them
• Electric Dipole moment= either charge*distance
• P= q*2a
• P=2aq
• It’s S.I. unit is coulomb meter ( C-m) and electric
dipole moment is a vector quantity whose direction
is from negative charge to positive charge.
Electric field due to an electric dipole
(1) On axial Line:-
• Let an electric dipole is constituted by charge –q and +q separated by
distance 2a.
A B
O E1
-q +q P E2
2a r
r-a
r+a
• Let P is any point on the axial line at a distance r from the centre of the
dipole, where the electric field to be determined.
• The electric field due to –q charge at point P
•
• E1= Along PA

• The electric field due to +q charge at p

• E2= Along BP
The net electric field at P is the resultant of E1 and E2

• Hence E=E2 –E1

• E= -

• E=

• E=

• E=
As r>a then a2 will be very small which can be neglected

• There fore
• E=

•
• the direction of electric field is along BP in the
direction of electric dipole moment (P)
Electric Field Intensity due to an electric
dipole on the equatorial line
• Let an electric dipole of dipole moment P and P is a point on the equatorial line
E2 E2sinθ
E2cosθ P
E1cosθ θ
E1
r E1sinθ
B
A -q a O a +q
• The electric field at P due to –q charge is
•
• E 1= Along PA

• The electric field at P due to +q charge is

• E2= Along BP
 To find the resultant electric field at point P. E1 and E2 can
be resolve into horizontal and vertical component

• The vertical component E1Sinθ and E2Sinθ are equal and opposite they will
cancelled each other and the horizontal component E1Cosθ and E2Cosθ are in the
same direction, so they added together. Hence the resultant electric field at P
• E= E1Cosθ + E2Cosθ

• E= Cosθ + Cosθ

• AP and BP are equal then

•
• E= 2Cosθ

• In triangle APO AP= (r2 +a2)1/2 and cosθ =

 Then the electric field

•
• E=

• Where 2aq=P
• And as r>>a then a2 can be neglected then the value
of electric field
•
• E=

• The direction of electric field is opposite to the

direction of dipole moment
 Torque on the dipole placed in a uniform electric field

• Let a dipole AB of dipole moment P is placed in a uniform

electric field of strength E making angle θ with the direction of
electric field. +q
B qE
2a
θ E
qE A -q M

• Then the force on the charge +q in the electric field is

• qE along the direction of electric field.
• And the force on –q is also qE in the opposite direction
of electric field.
The total force on the dipole is zero, but due to
different line of action of force these force
constitute a couple, which have a tendency to
rotate the dipole

• The torque produce by the forces

Torque= force X perpendicular distance between
the forces
• = qEX2a Sinθ
• = qX2a E Sinθ
• = P E Sinθ
In vector form

• Electric Dipole moment:-

• We know
• =PE Sinθ

• If E=1N/c and θ=900 then

• =P
• Hence the electric dipole moment is numerically
equal to that torque which act on the dipole placed
normally in the unit electric field
Q. An electric dipole is placed in a uniform electric
field of strength 20N/c making angle 600
experienced a torque of 60√3 N-m.Calculate dipole
moment of the dipole and charge on it if the length
of the dipole is 10cm

• We know that

• Also P =2aq
• 6 = 0.10
=6/0.1=60/1 =60C
Energy stored in the dipole placed in uniform
electric field
• Let a dipole of dipole moment P is placed in a uniform electric field E.
The torque on the dipole is
• = PE Sinθ
• If the dipole is rotated against this torque to a small angle dθ then work
done by the external agent is
• dW= dθ
• dW= P E Sinθ dθ
• Total work done in rotating the dipole from θ1 toθ2

• W=

• W=
This work is stored in the form of potential energy in the
dipole

U=

U=
If θ1=900 and θ2=θ then the energy stored will be

U=-PE cosθ

U=-