Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

I.5 Electric field of a continuous charge distribution

→ The distance between charges in a group of charges are much smaller than the distance from
the group to a point where the electric field is to be calculated.
• In such situations, the system of charges can be modeled as continuous.
• So, the system of closely spaced charges is equivalent to a total charge that is
continuously distributed along some line, over some surface, or throughout some
volume.

⟶ The total electric field  at P due to a continuous charge distribution is the
vector sum of the fields 

 due to all the elements ∆ of the charge distribution

(see the figure). 
• Hence, we proceed in the following way:

charge
 .
- We divide the system into small elements, each of which, contains a small

- 

  ⟹   ∑
      .
∆ ∆

- From discrete to continuous, ∆ → 0, the total  -field at  is 


 lim∆ → ∑  ⟹ 
      .
∆ 

We mention that the upper and lower limits of integration are important and to be
determined.
⟶If  (total charge) is non-uniformly distributed(non-homogeneous distribution) through a:

==˃ " $ ( : Volume charge density, and   ) ∭ ")

 %
# &'
- Volume
Surface of area + ==˃ , $& ( : Surface charge density, and   ) ∬ ,)+
 %
-
-
Along a line of length / ==˃ 0 $ (: Linear charge density, and   )  0)/
 %
1 &
-

" ⟹ " .
 2
• If Q is uniformly distributed (homogeneous distribution), then

# #

, ⟹ ,+ .
 2
- -

0 ⟹ 0/ .
 2
1 1

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

A rod of length ℓ has a uniform positive charge per unit length λ and a total charge . Calculate
Example 1.6:

the electric field at a point  that is located along the long axis of the rod and a distance "8"
from one end (see the figure).
Solution:



⟶For the small segment )4, the charge ) 0)4 where 0

 2
9 1
( is uniformly

The electric field ) due to dq is in the negative 4 direction. So, ) )9 : ;): .
distributed).

)

•


Hence, 
.
9 : ;:, where  |9 | | )9 |
•

So, )9 ;) ; ;

 >9
•
 9
• .
B ?@1
 | )9 |  ? 0 9 0 ? 0A 9 C
 ?@1 9 ?@1 9
 9 ?
• .

 0$ ; ( G G  ;: : .
  D>1 D2 BD2
? 1@? ?E1@?F ?E1@?F ?E1@?F
•

⟶Find  for 8 ≫ /.

• 8≫/⟹ ⟶0.
1
?
• So,  ≅
D2 D2 D2
?E1@?F I
? $ @( ?
.
J

• Therefore for 8 ≫ /, the charge distribution

3
behaves as a point charge Q.

⟶Remark:

 5

   E?@9F 0  E?@9F .
 1 >9 1 9 
• 

B ?@1
Let L 8 M 4 ⟹ )L )4, NO  E?@9F ? APC ; ?@1 .
1 9 ?@1 P  
P ? ?
•

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

A ring of radius 8 carries a uniformly distributed positive total charge . Calculate the electric
Example 1.7:

field due to the ring at a point  lying a distance Q from its center along the central axis
perpendicular to the plane of the ring(see the figure a) Q

)
)R
Solution: a Y

)X
⟶ ) = )R  + )S a :

where )S )9 M )X )9 : M )X Y  = b8[ + Q [

Q
• So,  R  M S .
) = 0)/

8 )/ 3

Figure a
4

⟶The perpendicular component of the field created by any charge element, )S created by 1,
is canceled by the perpendicular component created by an element on the opposite side of the
ring, )[S created by 2 (see the figure b). z axis

)[ )

⊥ axis
• This is an aspect of what is called the symmetry.

o Remark: In physics, we can understand a )[S )S

symmetry of a physical system as a physical
feature(characteristic) of the system that is preserved
or remains unchanged under some transformation.

1 8 8 2
5

In the case of the ring shown in figures a and b
- The total charge is uniformly distributed.

drawing a straight line through the origin 5(here diameter 28)

- The charge element at 1 is the same as at 2 by

- The remark abut this symmetry makes the calculus of the  -field
from 1 to the other side(here opposite side) of the ring. Figure b

due to the ring at the Q-axis more easy.

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

• So, S  )S c)9 M )X d  )9 M  )X 

0 due to the symmetry of the ring
where 9 =  )9 = 0 and X =  )X = 0 .

⟶Therefore,  = R  .

R =  )R =  )eONa =  eONa
• eONa = ⟹ R  × Q  )  )
 R  DR DR
• 
R
 ' × g
ER  @? FER  @? F

⟹ R  ⟹ 
Q 
Q Q
3 3
cQ2 M82 d2 cQ2 M82 d2

 created at the origin.

⟶Find 

• At the origin Q = 0 ==> R 0.

⟶Find the electrostatic force created at a charge  < 0 placed near the center of
the ring (Q ≪ 8 ).

kR R ;||R , where R  lO EQ ≪ 8F.

DR
?'
So kR ;||  mQn ⟹ Qn M Q
•
DR | |D2
0 : Simple harmonic motion(SHM).
?' &?'
•

Q 

A disk of radius o has a uniform surface charge density ,. Y

Example 1.8:

Calculate the electric field at a point  that lies along the R :
central perpendicular axis of the disk and a distance Q from 
the center of the disk. ) ,)+
Q
Solution:

A-First method: )
5 3
 o
• To solve this problem, we consider the disk
as a set of concentric rings.
• So, the electric field created by the disc is the

4
sum of the contributions of all rings making
up the disk.

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

• The thin ring of radius r and width (thickness) ) creates:

)R ' × )
R

ER  @  F
o ) ,)+
o )+ is a surface area

+ s [ ElO 8 tuvF
⟹ )+ 2s) ⟹ ) ,E2s)F

So, )R × ,E2s)F ⟹ R Q,s 

R w [ 
' '
ER  @  F ER  @  F
•

o To solve this integral we make the change of variables:

R  @w
)L B R @w
 

L Q M  ⟹ )L
[ [
2), 8u) x y ;2 zL [ {
R L[ R

o Hence, R Q,s × E;2F | ; R} .

 
g
ER  @w  F

• R 2 ,s |1 ;
R
} ⟹  R  2 ,s |1 ;
R
}  . 
g g
ER  @w  F ER  @w F
Q
Y
)
B-Second method to find ~ at . )R
:
a
) )9 : M )X Y M )R  
a
•

⟹  9 : M X Y M R  . ) ,)+
Q 8 b [ M Q [
9  )9 0 and X  )X 0.
)
•

R  
(due to the symmetry).
So,  5 3
 o
o R  )R .
•

o Where, )R )eONa eONa

D
?

But, eONa
R R
? √  @R 
.

And ) ,)+ ,2s) . 4

Hence, )R ×√ ⟹ )R ,Qs ×

D„[  R [ 
E  @R  F  @R  '
E  @R  F

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

⟹R  )R ,Qs × 

w [ 
'
E  @R  F

o R ,Qs × 
w [ 
'
E  @R  F

To solve this integral we make the change of variables:

R  @w
Let L Q M  ⟹ )L 2) and R  ;2 AL C
[ [ R  @w  P †g
' 
P R
.

Hence, R 2 ,s |1 ; } ⟹  R  2 ,s |1 ; }  .
R R
g g
ER  @w  F ER  @w F

C- Deduce the electric field close to the disk along the perpendicular axis.

Q ≪ o or o ⟶ ∞ . So,
R R
• w
⟶ 0 ⟹ w ⟶ 0 .

R 2 ,s |1 ; } ⟹ R 2 ,s ˆ1 ;  ≅ 2 ,s
R R
g g
ER  @w  F Š 
•
w‰  @Œ
‹

 „
⟹ R = 2 ,s = 2 × Ž × ,s ⟹ R = [ .


So, for Q ≪ o or o ⟶ ∞ , R =

„
•
[
: This result shows a way to get a uniform electric

field.
o Electric field is uniform because it is constant in direction  = R  and constant in
„
magnitude R = [ .


o We will obtain in the Gauss’s law chapter the same result for the field created by a
uniformly charged infinite sheet.

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

Example 1.9:
Consider a vertical straight wire of length /=30 cm, uniformly charged by a
linear charge density 0 1‘ ’/m (see the figure).

1) Determine the electric field vector  created by the wire at a point 
5

along its perpendicular bisector and at distance 8 20 em from its midpoint 5.

2) What would the electric field vector  at  be if the wire is infinite in length?
3) What is the electrostatic force exerted on a positive charge  located at the point ?
3
Solution:

1) ⟶ The electric field at point P due to each

)3

charge element of length )3 is ) = 

3  b3 [ M 8[
and is directed along the line joining the
element)3 to point .
⟶ ) = )9 : + )X Y
⟹  = 9 : + X Y . 8 a  4
⟶ By symmetry X =  )X = 0 . 5 a a

So,  9 : M|9 |: . d

/ /[
•
) Ÿ M 8[
2 4
⟶ 9 =  )9 = +  ) eONa

⟹ 9 = +   eONa .

• 0= ⟺ ) = 0)3 .
X

The rod is uniformly charged⟹ 0

 @2
X 1
• .

So, 9 M eONa M 0 )3 ⟹ 9 M 0 )3
 •–—˜ •–—˜
  
•
•–—˜
⟶  )3 =?
A. First method:
? ? ?
• eONa = ⟹  = •–—˜ ⟹  [ = •–— ˜ .
X ?
• š8ua = ? ⟹ 3 = 8 × š8ua ⟹ )3 = )(8 × š8ua) = 8 × )(š8ua) = •–— ˜ )a .
•–—˜ •–—˜ ? •–—˜˜
• So,  )3 = J
× •–— ˜ )a = ?
.
›œ ž

)a
•–—˜ •–—˜
• Hence,   )3 =  ?

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 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

Therefore, 9 M 0 )3 ⟹ 9 M 0 ˜  )a =M B˜ eONa)a

•–—˜ ˜ •–—˜ D> @˜
 g ? ? 
•

o eONa is an even function, so 9 M2  eONa)a .

D> @˜
?

o Finally, 9 M2 0  eONa)a M2 ¡Ntua¢˜

@˜ D>
?
I
⟹ 9 M Ntua ⟹ 9 M ×
[D> [D> 
? ? 2
£/ M82
.
4

And,  9 : M Ntua : .

[D>
?
I
o Numerical application: 9 M × 5.4 × 10Ž ¥¦’ .
[D> 
? 2
£/ M82
4

B. Second method:
? •–—˜ ? ? ?
• eONa = ⟹ 
= ×
= 1 = 3 .
(32 +82 )×(32 +82 )2 (32 +82 )2
•–—˜ X
• Hence,  
)3 = 8  3
(32 +82 )2

o 
X X —§˜
3 1
82
E32 M82 F2 82 E32 M82 F2
.

@1
• So,
[
eONa )3 )3
9 M 0x )3 M 08 x M 08 × x
[ 3 3
E32 M 82 F2 B1 E32 M 82 F2
[
@1 @1
[ [
)3 3
⟹ 9 M 08 × 2 x 3 M2 08 × ¨ ©
 E32 M 82 F2 8[ E3 [ M 8 [
[ F

/ /
2 2 0 2
⟹ 9 M2 08 × M ×
 8 
/ [ [
/ [ [
8[ ª$2( M 8[ « ª$2( M 8[ «
/
2 0 2 2 0
⟹ 9 M × M Ntua
8  8
/ [ [
ª$2( M 8[ «

21
 Abbas Ghaddar and Tarek Khalil

M∞

2) ⟶If the wire is infinite in length

/ /
⟷ 3 ∈ ¡3 , 3[ ¢ = z− , + { = ¢−∞, +∞¡
8
2 2

and a ∈ ¡a , a[ ¢ = ¡−a , +a ¢ = A− , + C .
[ [

® ®
D> @ [D>@ [D> [D>
⟶ 9 = +  ®

eONa)a =   eONa)a = Ntu $ ( =
? B ?  ? [ ?


and,  = 9 : = + ? : .
[D>

So, 
[D>
at a distance 8 from a wire of infinite length(see the figure) . ;∞
?

3) k 
I

× × : .
[D> 
g
?
I  
‰$ ( @? Œ


22