ELECTROSTATICS

Coulomb force between two point charges

 1 q1q2  1 q1q2
F  3 r =
  2 r̂
4 0  r | r | 4  0 r | r |

 The electric field intensity at any point is the force experienced


 F
by unit positive charge, given by E 
q0

 Electric force on a charge 'q' at the position of electric field

  
intensity E produced by some source charges is F  qE

 Electric Potential

If (W  P)ext is the work required in moving a point charge q from infinity

to a point P, the electric potential of the point P is

(Wp )ext 
Vp  
q  acc 0

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 Potential Difference between two points A and B is
VA – VB

 Formulae of E and potential V
Kq Kq  Kq
(i) Point charge E=  2  r̂ = 3 r , V =
|r| r r

(ii) Infinitely long line charge 2 r r̂ = 2Kr̂
0 r
V = not defined, v B – v A = –2K ln (rB / rA)

(iii) Infinite nonconducting thin sheet n̂ ,
2 0

V = not defined, v B  v A   rB  rA 
2 0
(iv) Uniformly charged ring
KQx
Eaxis = , Ecentre = 0
R 2
 x2 
3/2

KQ KQ
Vaxis = 2 2 , Vcentre =
R x R
x is the distance from centre along axis.

(v) Infinitely large charged conducting sheet n̂
0

V = not defined, v B  v A  rB  rA 
0
(vi) Uniformly charged hollow conducting/ nonconducting /solid
conducting sphere
 kQ KQ
(a) for E   r̂ , r  R, V =
|r| 2 r

 KQ
(b) E  0 for r < R, V = R

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 (vii) Uniformly charged solid nonconducting sphere (insulating material)

 kQ
E   2 r̂ for r KQ
(a)  R,V=
|r| r

 KQ r 
 r for r

(b) E 3   R, V= (3R2–r2)
3 0 6 0
R
(viii) thin uniformly charged disc (surface charge density is )
  x    2
Eaxis = 2 1   Vaxis = R  x 2  x
0  R  x2
2  2 0  

 Work done by external agent in taking a charge q from A to B is

(W ext)AB= q (VB – VA) or (W el ) AB = q (VA – VB) .

 The electrostatic potential energy of a point charge

U = qV

 U = PE of the system =
U1  U2  ...
= (U12 + U13 + ..... + U1n ) + (U23 + U24 + ...... + U2n )
2
+ (U34 + U35 + ..... + U3n ) ....

1 2
 Energy Density = E
2
KQ 2
 Self Energy of a uniformly charged shell = Uself 
2R
 Self Energy of a uniformly charged solid non-conducting sphere
3KQ 2
= Uself 
5R
 Electric Field Intensity Due to Dipole

 2KP
(i) on the axis E = 3
r

 KP
(ii) on the equatorial position : E = – 3
r
KP
(iii) Total electric field at general point O (r,) is Eres = 3
1  3 cos 2 
r

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 Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole in External Electric Field:
 
U = - p. E
 Electric Dipole in Uniform Electric Field :
   
torque   p x E ; F = 0
 Electric Dipole in Nonuniform Electric Field:
     E
torque   p x E ; U =  p  E , Net force |F| = p
r
 Electric Potential Due to Dipole at General Point (r, ) :
 
P cos p.r
V= 
4 0 r 2 4 0 r 3
 The electric flux over the whole area is given by

E 
 = E.dS = En dS
S  S
 Flux using Gauss's law, Flux through a closed surface
 qin

E = E  dS =
0
.

 Electric field intensity near the conducting surface


= n̂
0
 Electric pressure : Electric pressure at the surface of a conductor is
given by formula
2
P= where  is the local surface charge density..
2 0
 Potential difference between points A and B
B
 
VB – VA = –  E .d r
A

          
E =   î x V  ĵ x V  k̂ z V  = –   î x  ĵ x  k̂ z  V
   
= – V = –grad V

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