Chapter 2

The Electric Field

Goals for Chapter 2
• To consider the electric field as a map of force on a
test charge
• To see how electric fields superimpose
• To visualize and consider the path of electric field
lines around a charge or charges
• To see the unique applications of electric dipoles
Electric Field, 𝑬
The electric field vector 𝐸 at a point in space is defined as the electric force
𝐹 acting on a positive test charge 𝑞0 located at that point divided by the
magnitude of the test charge:
𝐹
𝐸= 𝐹 = 𝑞0 𝐸
𝑞0
Figure: (a) A charge 𝑞 exerts a force on a
test charge 𝑞0 at point P. (b) The electric
field 𝐸 established at P due to the presence
of 𝑞. (c) The force 𝐹 = 𝑞0 𝐸 exerted by 𝐸
on the test charge 𝑞0
The SI unit of 𝐸 is newton per coulomb
(N/C) or volt per meter (V/m).

• The direction of 𝐸 is the direction of the force on a positive test charge

placed in the field,
The Electric Field of a Point Charge
A positive test charge 𝑞0 is then placed at point P, a distance 𝑟 away
from 𝑞.

𝑞𝑞0
From Coulomb’s law, the force exerted on 𝑞0 is: 𝐹=𝑘 2 𝑟
𝑟
𝐹 1 𝑞𝑞0
Because 𝐸= 𝑞0
= 𝑞0
𝑘 𝑟2
𝑟

𝑞 1 𝑞 Electric Field of a
𝐸=𝑘 2 𝑟= 2
𝑟 Point Charge
𝑟 4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟
 The electric field due to a group of
point charges 𝑞1 , 𝑞2 , 𝑞3 . . . at
point P

 Then we calculate the vector sum 𝐸 of the electric fields of all the
charges as

where 𝑟𝑛 is the distance from the 𝑛𝑡ℎ source charge 𝑞𝑛 to the point P and
𝑟𝑛 is a unit vector directed away from 𝑞𝑛 to P.
Example

Calculate the electric field at point P, at a

distance 10 cm, produced by a charge of 1 nC.

Solution

𝑞 = 1 𝑛𝐶 = 1 × 10−9 𝐶 ; 𝑟 = 10 𝑐𝑚 = 0.1 𝑚 ;

𝑞 −9
9 1×10
𝐸=𝑘 𝑟2
=9× 10 0.12 = 900 𝑁/𝐶
Electric Field Lines
For a more descriptive image of the field we use the idea of electric field
lines. • An electric field line is an
imaginary line.

• Direction of the lines of

force is the direction of
electric field.

• Where the lines are close

together E is large and
where they are far apart E
is small.

• Direction of field lines

from positive to negative
charge.
Example
A point charge 𝑞 = −8.0 𝑛𝐶 is located
at the origin. Find the electric field vector
at the field point x= 1.2 m , y = - 1 .6 m

Solution
Example
If the plates are 1.0 cm apart and are connected to a 100-volt battery, the
field is vertically upward and has magnitude 𝐸 = 1 × 104 𝑁/𝐶. (a) If an
electron (charge = −𝑒 = −1.60 × 10−9 𝐶, mass 𝑚 = 9.11 × 10−31 𝑘𝑔 )
is released from rest at the upper plate, what is its acceleration? (b) What
speed and kinetic energy does it acquire while traveling 1.0 cm to the
lower plate? (c) How long does it take to travel this distance?

Solution

(a) The electron’s acceleration is

(b) electron’s speed at any position y is calculated by

The velocity is downward, so

The electron’s kinetic energy is
(c)
Example
An electron is projected with an initial speed of 𝑣0 = 1.60 × 106 𝑚/𝑠
into the uniform field between the parallel plates in figure. The electron
enters the field at a point midway between the plates. (a) If the electron
just misses the upper plate as it emerges from the field, find the magnitude
of the electric field. (b) Discuss whether it is reasonable to ignore the
effects of gravity.

Solution

 The motion is similar to projectile motion; use constant acceleration

equations for the horizontal and vertical components of the motion.

For an electron q = −e

𝐹 = 𝑞𝐸 = 𝑚𝑎
This acceleration must be produced by the electric-field force:

𝐹 = 𝑒𝐸 = 𝑚𝑎

(b) Note that the acceleration produced by the electric field is much larger

than g, the acceleration produced by gravity (a >> g ), so it is reasonable

to ignore the effects of gravity.

𝑎 = 6.40 × 1013 𝑚/𝑠 2 𝑔 = 9.8 𝑚/𝑠 2

 Example: Field of an electric dipole
Point charges 𝑞1 = +12 𝑛𝐶 and 𝑞2 = −12 𝑛𝐶 are 0.100 m apart. (Such
pairs of point charges with equal magnitude and opposite sign are called
electric dipoles.) Compute the electric field caused by 𝑞1 , the field caused
by 𝑞2 and the total field (a) at point a (b) at point b and (c) at point c
Solution

We calculate the other field magnitudes in a

similar way. The results are
 𝑞2
For the charge 𝑞2 𝐸2 = 𝑘 2
𝑟2

 The directions of the corresponding fields are in all cases away from
the positive charge 𝑞1 and toward the negative charge 𝑞2 .
(c) Figure shows the directions of 𝐸1 and 𝐸2 at c.
Both vectors have the same x-component:

From symmetry, 𝐸1𝑦 and 𝐸2𝑦 are equal

and opposite, so their sum is zero. Hence
Example

Four point charges 𝑞1 = 𝑞2 = 𝑄 and 𝑞3 = 𝑞4 = −𝑄,

where 𝑄 = 2 𝜇𝐶, are placed at the four corners of a
square of side 𝑎 = 0.4 𝑚. Find the electric field at the
center P of the square.

Solution
The distance between each charge and the center
P of the square is 𝑎/√2.

𝐸13 = 𝐸1 + 𝐸3
 𝐸24 = 𝐸2 + 𝐸4

the resultant electric field vector 𝐸 = 𝐸13 + 𝐸24 which is along the
positive x-direction

From symmetry, 𝐸13 and 𝐸24 are equal and opposite, so their sum is
zero.
Example: Field of a ring of charge
Charge is uniformly distributed around a conducting ring of radius a. Find
the electric field at a point P on the ring axis at a distance x from its center.
Solution
We divide the ring into
infinitesimal segments 𝑑𝑠 as shown
in figure. The linear charge density
is

𝑄 𝑑𝑄
𝜆= =
2𝜋𝑎 𝑑𝑠

the charge in a segment of length 𝑑𝑠 is 𝒅𝑸 = 𝝀 𝒅𝒔. Electric field at

point P due to charge 𝑑𝑄 is

𝑑𝐸 = 𝑑𝐸𝑥 𝑖 − 𝑑𝐸𝑦 𝑗
Consider two identical segments, one as shown in the figure at 𝑦 = 𝑎 and
another halfway around the ring at 𝑦 = −𝑎. Due to symmetry vertical
components of two halves cancel each other at point P, and thus the net
electric field directed along the x-axis.

𝑑𝐸 = 𝑑𝐸𝑥 𝑖

𝑥
𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑑𝐸𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 ; 𝑑𝑄 = 𝜆 𝑑𝑠 ; cos 𝛼 = = 𝑥/ 𝑥 2 + 𝑎2 1/2
𝑟
To find 𝐸𝑥 we integrate this expression over the entire ring—that is,
for s from 0 to 2𝜋𝑎 (the circumference of the ring).
Example: Field of a charged line segment

Positive charge 𝑄 is distributed uniformly along the y-axis between 𝑦 = −𝑎

and 𝑦 = +𝑎. Find the electric field at point P on the x-axis at a distance x
from the origin.

Solution

The linear charge density is 𝝀 = 𝑸/𝟐𝒂

𝑄 𝑑𝑄
𝜆= =
2𝑎 𝑑𝑦
the charge in a segment dy is
𝑑𝑄 = 𝝀 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑄 2𝑎 𝑑𝑦

r = 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 1/2
The magnitude of the field at P due to the segment at height y is

𝑑𝐸𝑥 = 𝑑𝐸 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 ; 𝑑𝐸𝑦 = −𝑑𝐸 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 ; 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 = 𝑥/𝑟 and 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 = y/r

𝑑𝐸 = 𝑑𝐸𝑥 𝑖 + 𝑑𝐸𝑦 𝑗
 To find the total field at P, we must sum the fields from all segments
along the line—that is, we must integrate from 𝑦 = −𝑎 to 𝑦 = +𝑎 .

or, in vector form,

If the segment is very short (or the field point is very far from the segment)
so that 𝑥 >> 𝑎
 Force and Torque on an Electric Dipole

 Consider an electric dipole is placed in

a uniform electric field 𝐸 as in figure.

 The net force on this electric dipole is

zero, but there is a net torque that
tends to rotate the dipole clockwise.

𝜏 = 𝐹+ 𝑑 2 sin 𝜙 + 𝐹− 𝑑 2 sin 𝜙 = 𝑞𝐸 (𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙)

𝜏 = 𝑝𝐸𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 ⟹ 𝜏 = 𝑝 × 𝐸

𝑝 = 𝑞 𝑑 : Electric Dipole Moment, its q : magnitude of charge

direction is along the dipole axis from the d : separation between two
negative charge to the positive charge charges
Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole

The work 𝑑𝑊 done by a torque 𝜏 during an infinitesimal displacement d𝜙

is
𝑑𝑊 = 𝜏 𝑑𝜙 = 𝑝 𝐸 sin 𝜙 𝑑𝜙

The total work done on the dipole is

𝑊= 𝜏 𝑑𝜙 = 𝑝 𝐸 sin 𝜙 𝑑𝜙

The potential energy for a dipole in an electric field is

𝑈 = −𝑝 𝐸 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 = −𝑝 ∙ 𝐸
Example
Figure shows an electric dipole in a uniform electric field of magnitude
5 × 105 𝑁/𝐶 that is directed parallel to the plane of the figure. The charges
are ±1.6 × 10−19 𝐶; both lie in the plane and are separated by 0.125 𝑛𝑚.
Find (a) the net force exerted by the field on the dipole; (b) the magnitude
and direction of the electric dipole moment; (c) the magnitude of the
torque; (d) the potential energy of the system in the position shown.

Solution
(a) 0.125 𝑛𝑚 = 0.125 × 10−9 𝑚

𝐹+ = +𝑞 𝐸 ; 𝐹− = −𝑞 𝐸 ;

𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹+ + 𝐹− = 0

 The net force on an electric dipole in a uniform external electric field is

zero.
The direction of 𝑝 is from the negative to the positive charge, 1450
clockwise from the electric-field direction.