BS 3rd Evening A

Session 2019-2023
Course Title : Electricity and Magnetism-1
Course code :Phy-407
Credit Hours :3(3-0)
Lecture# 3
Topic : Continuous Charge Distribution and
Conservation of Charge
Teacher Name:
Ms. Adeela Umar
 Electric Field
Learning outcomes: Be able to understand electric field and its
properties. Describe and calculate the continuous charge
distribution and conservation of charge

Contents
 Conservation of Charge
 Continuous charge distribution
 Electric Field

 A region of space in which an electric charge will experience a

force.
 The direction of the field at a point in space is the direction in which
a positive test charge would moved if placed at that point.
 It is convenient to say that there is field there equal to the force per
unit positive charge.
 E=F/q0.
 Electric Field

 The field charge q interacts with test with test charge q’ and gives
rise to electric force.
 The electric force per unit test charge is called electric field
intensity.
 The unit of electric field called N/C.
 The electric field is a vector quantity and its direction is given by
electric field lines.
 The electric fields lines come out from positive charge and enter into
negative charge.
 The two electric fields lines never cross each other.
 Conservation of Charge

 Conservation of Charge is the principle that the total electric charge

in an isolated system never changes. 
 The net quantity of electric charge, the amount of positive charge
minus the amount of negative charge in the universe, is always
conserved.
 Electrical charge resides in electrons and protons, the smallest
charge that a body can have is the charge of one electron or
proton. [ie. – 1.6 x 10-19 C  or + 1.6 x 10-19 C]
Conservation of Charge Examples

 Charge can neither be created nor be destroyed and there is total

conservation of charge.
 Charges due to induction.
 During radioactive decay, a proton decays into a positron and a
neutron, but no net charge production.
 due to friction opposite charges appear on two bodies that are
rubbing against each other. the net charge is still zero .
Conservation of Charge Examples
Continuous charge distribution
 The continuous charge distribution system is a system in which
the charge is uniformly distributed over the conductor.
 In continuous charge system, infinite numbers of charges are closely
packed and have minor space between them.
 Three types of charge distributions are:
 Linear Charge Distribution.
 Surface Charge Distribution.
 Volume Charge Distribution.
Linear Charge Distribution

 The charge is distributed uniformly along a line in a straight line or

circumference of a circle. 
 This is represented by λ, the linear density of charge, which is equal
to charge per unit length.
 λ =dq/dl
 Where dq is a small amount of charge in small length dl.
 It is measured in C/m.
Linear Charge Distribution
Surface Charge Distribution

 The charge is distributed continuously over some area.

 This is represented by σ, the surface density of charge, which is
equal to charge per unit area.
 σ = dq/dS
 Where dq is a small amount of charge in small area dS.
 It is measured in C/m2.
Surface Charge Distribution
Volume Charge Distribution

 The charge is continuously distributed over a volume, for example a

sphere or a cube.
 It is represented by ρ.
 The volume density of charge which is equal to charge per unit
volume.
 Ρ = dq/dV
 Where dq is a small amount of charge in small volume dV.
 It is measured in C/m3.
Volume Charge Distribution
References:

 Fundamentals of Electric Circuits, 5th Edition by Charles Alexander,

Matthew Sadiku.
 Fundamentals of Physics 10th Edition by Halliday & Resnick.