Laplace and Poissons

Equations
Derivation
We have the differential form of Gauss law


Using D = E and E = - in the above equation, we get




This is the Poissons Equation



. V = D
V V
( )
2
D= V =- E V c c c V V = V V V =
2
V
or

c
V =
2
0 V V =
In free space , this equation becomes,


This equation is called the Laplace equation.

is called the Laplacian operator or simply Laplacian.
Note that the del operator is defined only in the
rectangular coordinates only, as
V
i j k
x y z
c c c
V = + +
c c c
2
V
The Laplacian in the three coordinate systems are
2 2 2
2
2 2 2
c c c
V + +
c c c
= ( ) cartesian
x y z
2 2
2
2 2 2
1

|
| | c c c c
V + +
|
c c c c
\ .
1
= ( ) Cylindrical
z
2
2 2
2 2 2 2 2
1 1
u
u u u u |
c c c c c
| | | |
V + +
| |
c c c c c
\ . \ .
1
= sin ( )
sin sin
r Spherical
r r r r r
Applications

one dimensional solution of Laplace equation
2 2 2
2
2 2 2
c c c
V + +
c c c
= = 0 ( )
V V V
V cartesian
x y z
--- (1)
V is a function of only one variable and is independent of the
other two variables. Under this condition, in rectangular
coordinate system the Laplace equation reduces to
One dimensional solution of Laplace Equation in rectangular
coordinate system
Let V be a function of z only. Then in Rectangular coordinate
system,the Laplaces Equation reduces to
2
2
2
0
V
V
z
c
V = =
c
V Az B = +
, B is an arbitrary constant
represents a family of equi potential surfaces with z taking up
constant values
Consider two such equi potential surfaces one at z = z
1
and the
other at z = z
2
. Let V= V
1
at z = z
1
and V = V
2
at z = z
2
.
2 1 1 2 2 1
2 1 2 1
2 1 1 2
2 1
( ) ( )
V V Vz V z
V z
z z z z
V z z V z z
z z

= +


=

Further let, for simplicity, V

1
= 0 and z
1
= 0, V
2
= V
a

Then equation (7) reduces to
a
V
V z
d
=
We find that V is a linear function of z
V = V
2
= V
a
V = V
1
= 0

d
z = z
2

z = z
1

Fig 1 Parallel plate capacitor
--- (8)
1 Given V, Determine E using the formula E = - V V
2 Determine D using D = E
3 Find D on any one of the plates, D = D
S
= D
S
a
S
= D
N
a
N

on the chosen plate, and recognising that D
N
=
S

4 Determine Q by surface integration of
S
over the surface
area of the chosen plate using



5 Compute the capacitance using the formula
a
Q
C
V
=
S
S
Q dS =
}
Applying these five steps to the parallel plate capacitor we get,
0
;
a
a
z
a
z
a
S z S S N N N S
z
a a a
S S
z
V V
d
V
E V a
d
V
D E a
d
V
D D a D a D a D
d
V V V
Q dS dS S
d d d
c c
c
c c c
=
=
= V =
= =
= = = = =
= = =
} }
Therefore the capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor is
a
Q
S
C
V d
c
= =
|
We have, in cylindrical coordinates, the Laplace equation as
2 2
2
2 2 2
1
0
|
| | c c c c
V + + =
|
c c c c
\ .
1
V= ( )
V V V
Cylindrical
z
One dimensional solution of Laplace Equation in cylindrical
coordinate system
We consider that V is a function of only. In this case
the Laplace equation in cylindrical coordinates reduces to
1
0

| | c c
=
|
c c
\ .
V
Case 1:
= + V Al n B, B an arbitrary constant
From this equation, we observe that equipotential surfaces
are given by = constant and are cylinders. Example of the
problem is that of a coaxial capacitor or coaxial cable.
Let us create the boundary conditions by choosing V = V
a
at
= a and V = 0 at = b, b > a.
|
.
|

\
|

+
|
.
|

\
|

=
b
a
b V a V
b
a
V V
V
a b b a
ln
ln ln
ln
ln

|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
a
b
b
V V
a
ln
ln

a
b
a
b
V
a
b
a
b
V V
V E
a a
ln
ln
ln
ln
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
| c
c
=
c
c
= V =

Letting V
b
= 0, we get
Therefore
d n a a D a D a
a
b
a
V
D
Then
D a
a
b
V
E D
a
a
b
V
E
N N N S
a
S
S
a
a

ln
1

ln
1

ln
1
= =
|
.
|

\
|
=
=
|
.
|

\
|
= =
|
.
|

\
|
=

c c

i.e.,
Hence
|
.
|

\
|
= =
a
b
V
a
D
a S N
ln
1 c

Therefore,
1
ln
1
2
ln
S S
S of one of S of one of
the plates the plates
with a with a
a
a
Q dS dS
V S
b
a
a
V a L
b
a
a


c
c
t
= =
= =
=
=
} }
over a length L meters of the
coaxial cable
a
b
L
V
Q
C
a
ln
2 c t
= =
Therefore the capacitance per unit length of the line C
L
is
a
b
C
L
ln
2 c t
= F/m
Next we consider V as a function of only. In this case
The Laplace equation in cylindrical coordinate system
reduces to
|
2
2
2 2
1
0
|
c
V =
c
V=
V
Case 2:
i.e.,
2
2 2
1
0
|
=
d V
d
| = + V A B
This is the general equation for V when V is a function of only. |
From this equation, we observe that equipotential surfaces
are given by = constant and are planes To visualize this, choose two
such equipotential surfaces, V = V
a
at = and V = 0 at = 0.
Insulating gap
V = Va
at =
V = 0
at = 0

a
V
V |
o
=
Once again we follow the 5 step procedure to determine
the capacitance of the system
1 1

a
V V
E V
o
c
= V = =
c
Note that E is a function of and not of . But the vector field E
Is a function of . Now,

a
V
D E
c
c
o
= =

o
c

a
N N S S S
V
a D a D D = = =

S
a
N
V
D
o
c
= =
The surface integration on
S
gives Q:
} } }
= = =
S
a
S
a
S
S
dS
V
ds
V
dS Q
o
c
o
c

and we get immediately the value for the capacitance of

the corner reflector system as
}
}
= = =
S
a
S
a
a
dS
V
dS
V
V
Q
C
o
c
o
c
Next we consider the Laplace Equation in spherical coordinates:
2
2 2
2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1
sin 0
sin sin
V V V
V r
r r r r
u
u u u u |
c c c c c
| | | |
V = + + =
| |
c c c c c
\ . \ .
In this system we consider that V is a function of r only.
Then the Laplace equation reduces to
0
1
2
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c
= V
r
V
r
r
V
--- ( a)
--- ( b)
One dimensional solution of Laplace Equation in spherical
coordinate system
Case 1:
A
o r V B
r
= +
Let us choose two such equipotential surfaces at r = a and
R = b, b > a , such that at r = a, V = V
a
and at r = b, V = V
b

We immediately recognise that this is the example of concentric
spheres or Spherical capacitor
1 1
1
1 1 1 1
b a
a b
V V
V V
a b
o r V
r
a b a b
| | | |

| |

| |
\ . \ .
= +
|
| | | |
\ .

| |
\ . \ .
Let V
b
= 0
1 1
1 1
a
r b
V V
a b
| |

|
\ .
=
| |

|
\ .
--- (h)
2
1 1
1

1 1 1 1
a
a
V
r b
E V V r
r
a b a b
| |
| |

| |
\ .
|
= V = V =
| | | |
|

| |
|
\ . \ .
\ .
2

1 1
a
V
D E r
r
a b
c
c = ==
| |

|
\ .
2

1 1
a
S S S N N
V
D D D a D a r
r
a b
c
= = = =
| |

|
\ .
2
1 1
a
N S
V
D
a
a b
c
= =
| |

|
\ .
Therefore the charge Q on the capacitor plate is
2 2
1 1 1 1
a a
S
S S S
V V
Q dS dS dS
a a
a b a b
c c
= = =
| | | |

| |
\ . \ .
} } }
Therefore we get the expression for the spherical capacitor as
2
2
4 4
1 1 1 1
a
a a
Q
V a
C
V a V
a b a b
c t tc
= = =
| | | |

| |
\ . \ .
4
1 1
C
a b
tc
=
| |

|
\ .
For an isolated sphere , i.e., as b 0 we get
4 C a t c =