BEHAVIOUR OF AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE IN A UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD

Uniform electric field (E)

Fn et = F+ - F- = qE - qE = 0
F =qE
+
t = F r^ = (qE )(2 l sin q)
r^ +q
sin q = 2 = (q 2 l ) E sin q = pE sin q
2l r r r
Þ r^ = 2 l sin q = p´ E
q   
  p E
F =qE -q
-

-q +q -q +q -q +q
p p p
r r r r
p­­ E Þ q= 0 p ­ ¯ E Þ q = 180 o r r
p ^ E Þ q = 90 o
Þ t = pE sin 0 = 0 Þ t = pE sin 180 o = 0
Þ t = t m a x = pE
Stable equilibrium Unstable equilibrium
FORCE ON AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE IN A NON-UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD
Example 1

E Suppose E   x ˆi
F- F+

F  qE  q  x F  qE  q ( x  2) Fnet  F  F

 q (x  2)  q  x

 q 2

 (q 2) 
 p
FORCE ON AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE IN A NON-UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD
Example 2

Suppose E   x ˆi

Fnet  F  F  0

So, a dipole in a non-uniform electric field experiences a non-zero force

whose magnitude and direction depends on the orientation of the dipole
and the variation of electric field with respect to position.
ERGY OF AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE IN A UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIEL
Uniform electric field (E) dU  dWext

  ext d
dq
+q
q  p E sin d
U 
  dU   p E sin d
0 90o

-q 
 U  0   pE cos  90o
U

 
 U  0     pE cos  pE cos 90o 
 

U   pE cos
r r
= - p ×E
ERGY OF AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE IN A UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIEL

 
E  p    0
U  Umin   pE

 
E  p    90o
U0

 
E  p    180o
U  Umax  pE
ORK DONE IN ROTATING A DIPOLE IN A UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIE

Uinitial  pE cos 1

ORK DONE IN ROTATING A DIPOLE IN A UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIE

Uinitial  pE cos 1

Ufinal  pE cos 2

Wext  Ufinal  Uinitial

 pE(cos 1  cos 2 )

Wext  Uinital  Ufinal

 pE(cos 1  cos 2 )