Chapter 24 - Electric Field

Objectives: After finishing this

lecture you should be able to:
• Define the electric field and explain what
determines its magnitude and direction.
• Write and apply formulas for the
electric field intensity at known
distances from point charges.
• Discuss electric field lines and the
meaning of permittivity of space.
• Write and apply Gauss's law for fields around
surfaces of known charge densities.
 The Concept of a Field
A field is defined as a property of space in which a
material object experiences a force.

m . Above earth, we say there is

P
a gravitational field at P.
F
Because a mass m experiences a
downward force at that point.
No force, no field; No field, no force!

The direction of the field is determined by the force.

 The Gravitational Field
Consider
Note that points A and
the force F isBreal,
above
but
• B
A F the field
surface of the
is just earth—justway
a convenient
• points in space.
of describing space.
F
The field at points A or B might
be found from:
F
g=
If g is known at m
every point above
the earth then the The magnitude and direction of
force F on a given the field g is depends on the
mass can be found. weight, which is the force F.
 The Electric Field
1. Now, consider point P a
distance r from +Q. F
P +.
+q
E
2. An electric field E exists
r
at P if a test charge +q
has a force F at that point. ++ ++
++Q++
3. The direction of the E is
the same as the direction of Electric Field
a force on + (pos) charge.
4. The magnitude of E is F N
E = ; Units
given by the formula: q C
 Field is Property of Space
Force on +q is with
F . field direction.
+q + E -q -. E
r Force on -q is F r
+ ++ against field + ++
+
++Q++ direction. +
++Q++
Electric Field Electric Field

The field E at a point exists whether there is a

charge at that point or not. The direction of the
field is away from the +Q charge.
Field Near a Negative Charge
Force on +q is with F
+q +. E field direction. -q -. E
F r r
Force on -q is
- --
-- -Q against field - -
- -- -Q --
-- direction. --
Electric Field Electric Field

Note that the field E in the vicinity of a negative

charge –Q is toward the charge—the direction that a
+q test charge would move.
 The Magnitude of E-Field
The magnitude of the electric field intensity at a
point in space is defined as the force per unit
charge (N/C) that would be experienced by any
test charge placed at that point.

Electric Field F N

E = ; Units  
Intensity E q C

The direction of E at a point is the same as the

direction that a positive charge would move IF
placed at that point.
Example 1. A +2 nC charge is
placed at a distance r from a +2 nC
.P
–8 mC charge. If the charge +q +
4000 N
experiences a force of 4000 N, E E r
what is the electric field - --
intensity E at point P? -
- -Q - –8 mC--
First, we note that the direction of Electric Field
E is toward –Q (down).
F 4000 N E = 2 x 1012 N/C
E= =
q 2 x 10-9C Downward

Note: The field E would be the same for any charge

placed at point P. It is a property of that space.
Example 2. A constant E field of 40,000 N/C
is maintained between the two parallel
plates. What are the magnitude and
direction of the force on an electron that
passes horizontally between the plates.c
+ + + + + + + + +
The E-field is downward, F- e- -
and the force on e- is up. e- - e -. E
F
E = ; F = qE - - - - - - - - -
q
F = qE = (1.6 x 10-19 C)(4 x 104 CN )
F = 6.40 x 10-15 N, Upward
 The E-Field at a distance r
from a single charge Q
Consider a test charge +q placed FE
+q +.. P
at P a distance r from Q.
P
The outward force on +q is: r
kQ
kQq ++ ++ E = 2
F= 2 +
+Q + r
r ++
The electric field E is therefore:
2 kQ
F kQq r
E= = E= 2
q q r
Example 3. What is the electric field
intensity E at point P, a distance of 3 m
from a negative charge of –8 nC?
E=? . First, find the magnitude:
P 9 Nm2 -9
r kQ (9 x 10 )(8 x 10 C)
3m E= 2 = C2

r (3 m)2
-Q
-8 nC E = 8.00 N/C

The direction is the same as the force on a positive

charge if it were placed at the point P: toward –Q.

E = 8.00 N, toward -Q
The Resultant Electric Field.
The resultant field E in the vicinity of a number
of point charges is equal to the vector sum of the
fields due to each charge taken individually.
Consider E for each charge. E1 E2
q1 - •A
Vector Sum: ER
E = E1 + E2 + E3 E3 +
q3 - q2

Magnitudes are from:

kQ Directions are based
E= 2 on positive test charge.
r
 Example 4. Find the resultant field at point A
due to the –3 nC charge and the +6 nC
charge arranged as shown.
-3 nC
q1 - E for each q is shown
3 cm E 5 cm with direction given.
1 +6 nC
• + kq1 kq2
E2 A 4 cm q2 E1 = 2 ; E2 = 2
r1 r2
9 Nm2 -9 9 Nm 2
(9 x 10 )(3 x 10 C) (9 x 10 )(6 x 10-9C)
E1 = C2
2
E2 = C2

(3 m) (4 m)2

Signs of the charges are used only to find direction of E

 Example 4. (Cont.)Find the resultant field at
point A. The magnitudes are:
9 Nm2
-3 nC
q1 - (9 x 10 )(3 x 10-9 C)
E1 = C2

(3 m)2
3 cm E 5 cm
1 +6 nC 9 Nm 2
(9 x 10 )(6 x 10-9C)
• + E2 = C2
E2 A 4 cm q2 (4 m)2

E1 = 3.00 N, North E2 = 3.38 N, West

ER
Next, we find vector resultant ER
E1
E1 
ER = E + R ; tan  =
2
2 1
2
E2
E2
 Example 4. (Cont.)Find the resultant field at
point A using vector mathematics.
ER E1 = 3.00 N, West
E1 E2 = 3.38 N, North

E2 Find vector resultant ER
3.38 N
E = (3.00 N) + (3.38 N) = 4.52 N;
2 2
tan  =
3.00 N
 = 48.40 N of W; or q = 131.60

Resultant Field: ER = 4.52 N; 131.60

 Electric Field Lines
Electric Field Lines are imaginary lines drawn in
such a way that their direction at any point is the
same as the direction of the field at that point.

+ ++ - -
-- -Q --
+
++Q++ --

Field lines go away from positive charges and

toward negative charges.
 Rules for Drawing Field Lines

1. The direction of the field line at any point is

the same as motion of +q at that point.
2. The spacing of the lines must be such that they
are close together where the field is strong and
far apart where the field is weak.

E1
E2
+ q1 q2 - ER
 Examples of E-Field Lines
Two equal but Two identical
opposite charges. charges (both +).

Notice that lines leave + charges and enter - charges.

Also, E is strongest where field lines are most dense.
 The Density of Field Lines
Gauss’s Law: The field E at any point in space is
proportional to the line density  at that point.

Gaussian Surface Line density  DN

DA

DN
=
Radius r DA
Line Density and Spacing Constant
Consider the field near a positive point charge q:
Then, imagine a surface (radius r) surrounding q.

Radius r E is proportional to DN/DA and

is equal to kq/r2 at any point.
r
DN kq
 E; =E
DA r 2

Gaussian Surface Define eo as spacing constant. Then:

DN 1
= e 0 E Where e 0 is: e0 =
DA 4 k
 Permittivity of Free Space
The proportionality constant for line density is
known as the permittivity eo and it is defined by:

1 C2
e0 = = 8.85 x 10-12
4 k N  m2
Recalling the relationship with line density, we have:
DN
= e 0 E or DN = e 0 E DA
DA
Summing over entire area
N = eoEA
A gives the total lines as:
Example 5. Write an equation for finding
the total number of lines N leaving a
single positive charge q.
Radius r Draw spherical Gaussian surface:
r DN = e 0 E DA and N = e 0 EA
Substitute for E and A from:
kq q
E= 2 = ; A = 4 r 2
Gaussian Surface r 4 r 2
 q  N = eoqA = q
N = e 0 EA = e 0  2 
(4 r 2
)
 4 r 
Total number of lines is equal to the enclosed charge q.
 Gauss’s Law
Gauss’s Law: The net number of electric field
lines crossing any closed surface in an outward
direction is numerically equal to the net total
charge within that surface.

N = e 0 EA = q

If we represent q as net enclosed q

positive charge, we can write EA =
rewrite Gauss’s law as: e0
 Example 6. How many electric field
lines pass through the Gaussian
surface drawn below.
Gaussian surface
First we find the NET
charge q enclosed
by the surface: -4 mC +8 mC
q1 - q2 +
q = (+8 –4 – 1) = +3 mC q4
-1 mC
+
N = e 0 EA = q q3 - +5 mC

N = +3 mC = +3 x 10-6 lines
Example 6. A solid sphere (R = 6 cm) having
net charge +8 mC is inside a hollow shell (R
= 8 cm) having a net charge of –6 mC. What
is the electric field at a distance of 12 cm
from the center of the solid sphere?
Draw Gaussian sphere at Gaussian surface
radius of 12 cm to find E.
- -6 mC
N = e 0 EA = q -
8cm
-
- +8 mC -
6 cm
q = (+8 – 6) = +2 mC -
q 12 cm - -
e 0 AE = qnet ; E =
e0 A
q +2 x 10-6C
E= =
e 0 (4 r ) (8.85 x 10
2 -12 Nm2
C 2 )(4 )(0.12 m)
2
Example 6 (Cont.) What is the electric field
at a distance of 12 cm from the center of the
solid sphere?
Draw Gaussian sphere at Gaussian surface
radius of 12 cm to find E. - -6 mC
8cm - -
N = e 0 EA = q - +8 mC
6 cm
-
q = (+8 – 6) = +2 mC -
12 cm - -
q
e 0 AE = qnet ; E =
e0 A
+2 m C
E= = 1.25 x 10 6 N
E = 1.25 MN/C
e 0 (4 r )
2 C
 Summary of Formulas
The Electric Field F kQ N
E= = 2 Units are
Intensity E: q r C

The Electric Field kQ

E= 2 Vector Sum
Near several charges: r

Gauss’s Law for q

e 0 EA = q;  =
Charge distributions. A