Example

1: THE ELECTRIC DIPOLE

The Electric Dipole:

r+
+

r
_

Q
Q
Q 1 1
=

4 r+ 4 r 4 r+ r
2

The Electric Dipole:

r+
+

Law of Cosines:

C
A2 = B 2 + C 2 2 ABcos

r
_

( 2)

r = r + d
2

d
2r cos
2
3

The Electric Dipole:

r+
+

Important pracBcal approximaBon:

d << r

( 2 ) rd cos

r = r 2 + d

The Electric Dipole:

d << r

( 2 ) rd cos

r = r + d
2

d2 d
= r 1+ 2 cos
r
4r
d
r 1 cos
r

d
d
r 1 cos = r cos
2
2r

x << 1
x
1 x 1
2

d << r

The Electric Dipole:

d
r cos
2
r

d
r + cos
2

The Electric Dipole:

x << 1

Q 1 1
=

4 r+ r

1
1 x
1 x

d<<r

Q
1
1
=

d
d
4 r
1 cos 1+ cos

2r
2r

Q
d
d
Qd

1+ cos 1 cos =
cos
2

4 r 2r
2r
4 r
7

The Electric Dipole:

Dene p Qd z


and note cos = z i r

( )

Qd

cos
2
4 r

p i r

2
4 r

The Electric Dipole:

p i r

4 r 2

1
E = = r

r
r

= 0

1 Qd

Qd
= r
cos
cos
2
2

r 4 r
r 4 r

1 Qd

Qd
= r 2
cos
sin
3
2
r 4 r
4 r

Qd
sin

=
2
r
cos

4 r 3

)
9

The Electric Dipole:

Qd
sin

E=
2
r
cos

3
4 r

Qd
Qd
2
2
2
E =
4cos

+
sin

=
1+
3cos

3
3
4 r
4 r

10

Example 2: FINITE LENGTH LINE

OF CHARGE (again)

Earlier we found the E-eld on the z-axis. Doing anything else

would have required dicult integraBons.

Here is a case where it is easier to nd the potenBal and then
compute the electric eld.

11

a
dQ = dz

r = z z

z
Note the -independence

(0,0, z )

2
2
R = r r , R = r + ( z z )

r
z

r
d =

P dE
r

dEz

dE P

dz

4 o r r
12

 dz
d =

4 o r r
dz
=

4

r
r
a
o
a

dz

4 o r + ( z z )
2

dx
x +a
2

= ln x + x 2 + a 2

2
z

a
+
r
+
z

a
(
)

=
ln
4 o z + a + r 2 + z a 2
( )

13

2
z

a
+
r
+
z

a
(
)

=
ln
4 o z + a + r 2 + z a 2
( )

E =

1
1

Ez =
=

2
z
4 o r 2 + z a 2
2
( ) r + ( z + a)

2
2
2
2
r + ( z a ) + ( z a ) r + ( z a )

Er =
=

r
4 o
r
+

2
2
2
2
r + ( z + a) + ( z + a) r + ( z + a)

14

for z = 0

1
1
=0
Ez =

2
4 o r 2 + 0 a 2
2
r
+
0
+
a
( )
( )

2
2
2
2
r
+
z

a
+
z

a
r
+
z

( ) ( )
( )

Er =

4 o
r
+

2
2
2
2
r
+
z
+
a
+
z
+
a
r
+
z
+
a
( ) ( )
( )

z=0

r
r
=
+
2

2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4 o r + a a r + a
r +a +a r +a
a

1
=

2 o r r 2 + a 2 a 2 o r Agrees with our earlier results

15

Example 3: INFINITELY LONG LINE

OF CHARGE via Gausss Law

16

Innitely long line charge:

Note that the elds MUST
be independent of both z
and
r

No contribuBon over end caps

since

Gaussian
Surface

D i da =
S

r i z = 0

E = Er r

d dz +
o Er r i rr

Cylinder

i z r dr d
o Er r

End
Caps

=0

= o Er r d = 2 o Er r = Qenc =
0

Er =
=
2 o r 2 o r

When the necessary symmetry

exists, Gausss Law is generally
MUCH simpler than Coulombs
Law.

17

Example 4: A SPHERICAL CLOUD

OF CHARGE

18

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

Since the charge density
is uniform:

QTotal = 43 r 3

Gaussian
Surface 2
Gaussian
Surface 1

Note that the elds must

be independent of both
and , thus

E = Er r

19

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

Gaussian
Surface 2

For Gaussian Surface 1:

E
i
d
a
=

E
r
i
r4

r
o r
o
S1

Gaussian
Surface 1

= QEnclosed
a

r
= QTotal
a

QTotal r 3
QTotal
Er =
=
r
2
3
3
4 o r a
4 o a
r<a

QTotal = 43 r 3

E = Er r
20

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

Gaussian
Surface 2

For Gaussian Surface 2:

E
i
d
a
=
4

E
r
o r
o

Gaussian
Surface 1

QTotal = 43 r 3

S2

= QEnclosed = QTotal
QTotal
Er =
,r >a
2
4 o r

E = Er r
21

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

Gaussian
Surface 2

Er

QTotal
2
4 o a

Gaussian
Surface 1

What is the potenBal?

22

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

r

= Er r i r dr

QTotal

dr
r>a
2

4 o r
= a
r
Q
QTotal r

Total
4 r 2 dr 4 a 3 dr r < a
a
o
o

QTotal

r>a
4 o r

=
2
2
Q
Q
a

r
Total + Total
r<a
3
4 o a 4 a
2
o

23

Example 5: AN INFINITE SHEET OF

CHARGE

24

Innite sheet of charge: a simple yet important result for the study of the parallel plate
capacitor
Note how the elds must be independent of x, y, and z
Gaussian
Surface

y
x

zEz
E=
zEz

z>0
z<0
25

Innite sheet of charge:

o E i da = Q = s r 2

( )

o E i da = o
S

E i da + o

Top
Surface

zEz i z da + o

Top
Surface

+ o

Bottom
Surface

E i da + o

( zE ) i ( zda )

E i da

Cylindrical
Side

Bottom
Surface

( zE ) i ra d dz
z

Cylindrical
Side

da = rdrd = r 2

s
2 o Ez r = r s Ez =
2 o
2

26

Innite sheet of charge:

s

z
z>0

2 o

E=

s

z
z<0

2 o

Since the sheet extends of innity we would expect trouble nding the potenBal:

s
= zEz i z dz =
dz =
2 o

27

Innite sheet of charge:

However,

ab = ( b) ( a )

s
s
= zEz i z dz =
dz =
2 o
2 o
a
a
b

s
s
=
b a) =
a b)
(
(
2 o
2 o

28

Example 6: TWO COAXIAL SHELLS

OF CHARGE

29

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Once again, neglecBng

end eects,

E = Er r

sa

Note :

sb

Q
Q
sa =
, sb =
2 ah
2 bh
2 ahsa = 2 bhsb
a
sb = sa
b

30

Two coaxial shells of charge:

b
Gaussian
Surface 1

Once again, neglecBng

end eects,

E = Er r

Gaussian
Surface 3
Gaussian
Surface 2

The charge enclosed by surfaces

one and three is zero,
hence Er = 0 inside the inner
cylinder and outside the outer
cylinder.

Also, the top and bofom
surfaces do not contribute to
the integral as usual, since

r i ( z ) = 0

31

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Q
S ( Er r) i ( r r d dz ) = o
2

Q
S Er r d dz = o
2

Er ( 2 rh ) =

s ( 2 ah )
o

s a
Er =
or

32

Two coaxial shells of charge:

s a
E=
or
0

r<a
a<r<b
r>b

s a
( r ) = ( Er r ) i ( r dr ) =
dr
r

b o
r

r
s a
s a
s a r
=
ln r ) =
ln r ln b) =
ln , a < r < b
(
(
b
o
o
o b

a r
s ln
a<r<b
(r ) =
o b

0
otherwise

33

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Also,

s a a
ba = ( a ) ( b) =
ln , a < r < b
o b

r
ln

ba b
(r ) =
a
ln

a<r<b
otherwise

34

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Gausss Law was derived from:

i D = D i da = Qenclosed

S
pointwise

over a volume in space

At a point where there is no charge (i.e., inside the cylinder) the divergence
should equal zero. Lets verify this for this example:

s a

D = oE =
, a<r<b

or


1
s a
1

i D =
rDr =
r
0

r r
r r o r


As an exercise, verify that the divergence of the dipole eld found earlier is
also zero.

( )

35

Two coaxial shells of charge:

As an exercise, verify that the divergence of the dipole eld found earlier is
also zero.

Qd

sin

D = E =
2
r
cos

4 r 3

i.e., show that

i D = 0

36