http://www.lab-initio.com (nz183.

jpg)

Todays lecture is

unofficially

brought to you by

The Museum of Electricity

Announcements
Exam 1 is Tuesday, February 18, 5:00-6:15 pm.
Exam rooms (on next slide) will be posted on the Physics 24
web site under Course Information.
Wednesday of this week is deadline to submit the
appropriate memo or e-mail regarding an exam conflict. Follow
this web link for instructions on what to do.
One of the homework problems for tomorrow is Special
Homework #4. You can find it on the web here.

 Physics 24 Test Room Assignments, Spring 2014:

Instructor
Dr. Hale
Dr. Parris
Mr. Upshaw
Mr. Viets
Dr. Vojta
4:30 & 5:30 Exams
Special Needs

Sections
F, H
G, L
E, K
A, C
B, D

Exam is from
5:00-6:15 pm!

Room
G-31 EECH
125 BCH
199 Toomey
104 Physics
G-3 Schrenk
202 Physics
Testing Center

Know the exam time!

Find your room ahead of time!

If at 5:00 on test day you are lost, go to 104 Physics and check the exam
room schedule, then go to the appropriate room and take the exam there.

More Announcements
Exam 1 special arrangements:
Seven Test Center students. You need to also make an
appointment with Test Center. By before now.
I sent these seven students an e-mail Friday. If you did not
receive the e-mail, you are NOT on the Test Center list!

Eight 4:30 exam students (so far).

Six 5:30 exam students (so far).

More Announcements
LEAD Schedule (lead.mst.edu)
Physics Learning Center, 2-4:30 pm and 6-8:30 pm Monday,
Wednesday, rooms 129/130 Physics.
Tutor available, 7-9 pm Monday through Thursday, room
G4A IDE.

Tutors available, 4:30-6:00 pm Monday and Wednesday, G-3

basement, TJ.
Tutors available, 4:30-6:00 pm Monday and Wednesday,
Res. Col. 1 Seminar Room.
Tutor available, 12:00-2:00 pm Monday and Wednesday,
Student Success Center, 198 Toomey.

More Announcements
If any of tomorrows homework problems involve a ring of
charge: there is no starting equation for V on the axis or at the
center of ring of charge. You must derive any equation you use.
If any of tomorrows homework problems involve a
spherically-symmetric charge distribution: do not use the
starting equation for V due to a point charge. You must derive
any equation you use.

Todays agenda:
Electric potential of a charge distribution.

You must be able to calculate the electric potential for a charge distribution.

Equipotentials.

You must be able to sketch and interpret equipotential plots.

Potential gradient.

You must be able to calculate the electric field if you are given the electric potential.

Potentials and fields near conductors.

You must be able to use what you have learned about electric fields, Gauss law, and
electric potential to understand and apply several useful facts about conductors in
electrostatic equilibrium.

Electric Potential of a Charge Distribution

Example 1: potential and electric field between two parallel
conducting plates.
Assume V0<V1 (so I have a direction to draw the electric field).
Also assume the plates are large compared to their separation,
so the electric field is constant and perpendicular to the plates.

Also, let the plates be separated

by a distance d.

E
V0

V1

V V1 V0

plate 1

plate 0

E d

V E dx E dx Ed
d

|V|=Ed

V0

dl
d

V1

The famous Mr.

Ed equation!*

V
E
, or V Ed
d
Ill discuss in lecture why the
absolute value signs are needed.
*2004, Prof. R. E. Olson.

Important note: the derivation of

V Ed
did not require rectangular plates, or any plates at all. It works
as long as E is uniform and parallel or antiparallel to d.

In general, E should be replaced

by the component of E along

E
d
the displacement vector d .

Example 2: A total charge Q is uniformly distributed on the

surface of a conducting sphere of radius R. (a) Show that the
electric potential for r>R outside the sphere is the same as the
electric potential of a point charge Q located at r=0. (b) What is
the electric potential inside and on the surface of the sphere?
Example 3.8 in your textbook claims that because the electric
field outside a charged spherical shell is the same as the field of
a point charge (of same total Q) at the center of the shell, the
electric potential outside must be the same for the two cases.
You may be asked to show this in a homework problem for
tomorrow. If so, start with the equation for the electric field of a
spherically-symmetric charge distribution and use

V Vf Vi E d
f

to calculate the potential.

Example 3: A rod of length L located along the x-axis has a total

charge Q uniformly distributed along the rod. Find the electric
potential at a point P along the y-axis a distance d from the
origin.
y
*

P
d

dq=dx

dq
dx

x
L

dq
dx
dV k
k
r
x 2 d2

=Q/L
L

V dV
0

*What are we assuming when we use this equation?

Thanks to Dr. Waddill for this fine example.

dx

Q L dx
k
k
2
2
L 0 x2 d2
x d

A good set of math tables will

have the integral:

P
d

r
dq
dx

dx
x d
2

ln x x 2 d 2

kQ L L2 d 2
V
ln
L
d

Include the sign of Q to get the correct sign for V.

What is the direction of V?

Example 4: Find the electric potential due to a uniformly

charged ring of radius R and total charge Q at a point P on the
axis of the ring.
dQ
r

Every dQ of charge on the

ring is the same distance
from the point P.

dq
dq
dV k
k
r
x2 R2
V

ring

dV k

ring

dq
x2 R2

dQ
r

Homework hint: derive

this equation in
tomorrows homework!

k
x R
2

kQ
x2 R2

ring

dq
You must derive an equation for the
potential at the center of a ring if you
need it for homework! In lecture I will
show you how easy the derivation is.

Include the sign of Q to get the correct sign for V.

Could you use this expression for V to calculate E? Would you

get the same result as I got in Lecture 3?

Quiz time

(maybe for points, maybe just for practice!)

Example 5: A disc of radius R has a uniform charge per unit

area and total charge Q. Calculate V at a point P along the
central axis of the disc at a distance x from its center.
dQ
r
P

The disc is made of

concentric rings. The
area of a ring at a
radius r is 2rdr, and
the charge on each ring
is (2rdr).

We *can use the equation for the potential due to a ring,

replace R by r, and integrate from r=0 to r=R.

dVring
*I just derived it, so I get to use it.

k2rdr
x2 r2

dQ
r
P
R

1
V dV
ring
40

V
x2 r2
20

20

2rdr

ring

x 2 r 2 20

Q
x R x
20 R 2
2

R 2

rdr
x2 r2

x2 R2 x

dQ
r
P
R

Q
V
20 R 2

x2 R2 x

Could you use this expression for V to calculate E? Would you

get the same result as I got in Lecture 3?

Example 6: calculate the potential at a point outside a very long

insulating cylinder of radius R and positive uniform linear charge
density .
To be worked at the blackboard.

dq
I would prefer to not start with dV k
and integrate. Why?
r
r

R
ln . Why the sign? V
ln
Result: V
20 R
20 r

dq
I see from this calculation that I CAN NOT start with dV k
r
and integrate. Why?
What would be different for an infinite line of charge?
Conducting cylinder? What is V everywhere inside a conducting
cylinder of linear charge density ? Insulating cylinder?

See your text for other examples of potentials calculated from

charge distributions, as well as an alternate discussion of the
electric field between charged parallel plates.
Remember: worked examples in the text are testable.

Make sure you know what Vab means, and how it relates to
V.
Vif = Vf Vi so Vif = -Vif

Special Dispensation
For tomorrows homework only: you may use the equation for the
electric field of a long straight *wire without first proving it:

E line

.
20 r

Of course, this is relevant only if a homework problem requires you

to know the electric field of a long straight *wire.
You can also use this equation for the electric field outside a long
cylinder that carries charge.

*or very long charged cylinder

Special Dispensation
For tomorrows homework only: you may use this equation for the
electric field of a spherically-symmetric charge distribution without
first proving it:

Esphere

kQ
2 .
r

Of course, this is relevant only if a homework problem requires you

to know the electric field of a spherically-symmetric charge
distribution.
In the case of other future homework or exam problems involving a
spherically-symmetric charge distribution, the problem statement
should make it clear whether or not you need to prove this. If it is
not clear, ask your recitation instructor.

Homework Hint!
Problems like 3.32 and 3.33: you must derive an expression
for the potential outside a long conducting cylinder. See
example 3.10. V is not zero at infinity in this case. Use

V E d .
f

If 3.32 and 3.33 are not assigned, dont be disappointed. We

can still get you on this in problems in chapter 4!

Homework Hints!
In energy problems involving potentials, you may know the
potential but not details of the charge distribution that
produced it (or the charge distribution may be complex). In
that case, you dont want to attempt to calculate potential
q1q 2
energy using U k
. Instead, use U q V .

r12

If the electric field is zero everywhere in some region, what

can you say about the potential in that region? Why?

PRACTICAL APPLICATION
For some reason you think practical applications are important.
Well, I found one!

More Cooking with High Voltage

Application: Deep Space Propulsion Systems

Dr. Joshua Rovey, MAE Dept.

Todays agenda:
Electric potential of a charge distribution.

You must be able to calculate the electric potential for a charge distribution.

Equipotentials.

You must be able to sketch and interpret equipotential plots.

Potential gradient.

You must be able to calculate the electric field if you are given the electric potential.

Potentials and fields near conductors.

You must be able to use what you have learned about electric fields, Gauss law, and
electric potential to understand and apply several useful facts about conductors in
electrostatic equilibrium.

Equipotentials
Equipotentials are contour maps of the electric potential.

http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/digital/topo.htm

Equipotential lines are another visualization tool. They

illustrate where the potential is constant. Equipotential lines
are actually projections on a 2-dimensional page of a 3dimensional equipotential surface. (Just like the contour
map.)
The electric field must be perpendicular to equipotential lines.
Why?
Otherwise work would be required to move a charge along an
equipotential surface, and it would not be equipotential.

In the static case (charges not moving) the surface of a

conductor is an equipotential surface. Why?
Otherwise charge would flow and it wouldnt be a static case.

Here are some electric field and equipotential lines I generated

using an electromagnetic field program.

Ill discuss in lecture some

implications this figure has
for charged particle motion.

Equipotential lines are shown in red.

Toy
http://www.falstad.com/vector2de/

Todays agenda:
Electric potential of a charge distribution.

You must be able to calculate the electric potential for a charge distribution.

Equipotentials.

You must be able to sketch and interpret equipotential plots.

Potential gradient.

You must be able to calculate the electric field if you are given the electric potential.

Potentials and fields near conductors.

You must be able to use what you have learned about electric fields, Gauss law, and
electric potential to understand and apply several useful facts about conductors in
electrostatic equilibrium.

Potential Gradient
(Determining Electric Field from Potential)
The electric field vector points from higher to lower potentials.

More specifically, E points along shortest distance from a higher

equipotential surface to a lower equipotential surface.
You can use E to calculate V:

Vb Va E d .
b

You can use the differential version of this equation to calculate

E from a known V:

dV E d E d

dV
E
d

For spherically symmetric charge distribution:

dV
Er
dr
In one dimension:

dV
Ex
dx
In three dimensions:

V
V
V
Ex
, Ey
, Ez
.
x
y
z

V V V
or E
i
j
k V
x
y
z

More *^#$*& signs!

dV
E
d
dV
Er
dr

V
V
V
Ex
, Ey
, Ez
.
x
y
z
Calculate
-dV/d(whatever) including all signs. If the result is

+,
E points along the +(whatever) direction. If the result is -,
EE points along the (whatever) direction.

Example (from a Fall 2006 exam problem): In a region of

space, the electric potential is V(x,y,z) = Axy2 + Bx2 + Cx,
where A = 50 V/m3, B = 100 V/m2, and C = -400 V/m are
constants. Find the electric field at the origin

V
E x (0, 0, 0)
Ay 2 2Bx C
C
(0,0,0)
x (0,0,0)
V
E y (0, 0, 0)
(2Axy) (0,0,0) 0
y (0,0,0)
V
E z (0, 0, 0)
0
z (0,0,0)

E(0,0,0) 400 i
m

Todays agenda:
Electric potential of a charge distribution.

You must be able to calculate the electric potential for a charge distribution.

Equipotentials.

You must be able to sketch and interpret equipotential plots.

Potential gradient.

You must be able to calculate the electric field if you are given the electric potential.

Potentials and fields near conductors.

You must be able to use what you have learned about electric fields, Gauss law, and
electric potential to understand and apply several useful facts about conductors in
electrostatic equilibrium.

Potentials and Fields Near Conductors

When there is a net flow of charge inside a conductor, the
physics is generally complex.
When there is no net flow of charge, or no flow at all (the
electrostatic case), then a number of conclusions can be
reached using Gauss Law and the concepts of electric fields
and potentials

Summary of key points (electrostatic case):

The electric field inside a conductor is zero.

Any net charge on the conductor lies on the outer surface.

The potential on the surface of a conductor, and everywhere
inside, is the same.
The electric field just outside a conductor must be
perpendicular to the surface.
Equipotential surfaces just outside the conductor must be
parallel to the conductors surface.

Another key point: the charge density on a conductor surface

will vary if the surface is irregular, and surface charge collects at
sharp points.
Therefore the electric field is large (and can be huge) near
sharp points.

Another Practical Application

To best shock somebody, dont touch them with your hand;
touch them with your fingertip.

Better yet, hold a small piece of bare wire

in your hand and gently touch them with
that.

Clarification
What does our text mean by Vab? The Physics 23 notation, which we also
use in Physics 24, is [Wnet]if = K = Kf Ki.
Our texts convention is Vab = Va Vb. This is explained on page 84 of
our text. If we re-write this in Physics 23 notation, it means Vab = Vab =
Va Vb. The second subscript, b, represents where we start, and the first
subscript, a, represents where we end up.
In problem 4.60, Vab = +210 V means Va Vb = 210 V, so a is at a higher
potential than b. Then
Vad = Va Vd = 140 V. Point a is 140 V higher than point d.
Vac = Va Vc = 70 V. Point a is 70 V higher than point c.
From the above, point c must be at a higher potential than point d.
Vcd = Vc Vd = 70 V. Positive because point c is 70 V higher than d.