Electrostatic Examples

Example
1: THE ELECTRIC DIPOLE
The Electric Dipole:
r+
+
r
_
Q
Q
Q 1 1
=
4 r+ 4 r 4 r+ r
2
r+
+
Law of Cosines:
C
A2 = B 2 + C 2 2 ABcos
r
_
( 2)
r = r + d
2
d
2r cos
2
3
r+
+
Important pracBcal approximaBon:
d << r
( 2 ) rd cos
r = r 2 + d
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
d
r cos
2
r
d
r + cos
2
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

Dene p Qd z

and note cos = z i r
( )
Qd
cos
2
4 r
p i r
2
4 r

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

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
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
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
Gaussian
Surface 2
Er
QTotal
2
4 o a
Gaussian
Surface 1
What is the potenBal?
22

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

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

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
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
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
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

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

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

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

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Example

1: THE ELECTRIC DIPOLE

The Electric Dipole:

The Electric Dipole:

The Electric Dipole:

Important pracBcal approximaBon:

The Electric Dipole:

The Electric Dipole:

The Electric Dipole:

The Electric Dipole:

The Electric Dipole:

The Electric Dipole:

Example 2: FINITE LENGTH LINE

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

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

Example 3: INFINITELY LONG LINE

Innitely long line charge:

No contribuBon over end caps

When the necessary symmetry

Example 4: A SPHERICAL CLOUD

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

Note that the elds must

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

For Gaussian Surface 1:

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

For Gaussian Surface 2:

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

What is the potenBal?

Spherical cloud of (uniform) charge:

Example 5: AN INFINITE SHEET OF

Innite sheet of charge:

Innite sheet of charge:

Innite sheet of charge:

Example 6: TWO COAXIAL SHELLS

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Once again, neglecBng

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Once again, neglecBng

The charge enclosed by surfaces

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Two coaxial shells of charge:

Two coaxial shells of charge:

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