Chapter 22 & 23

Electric Fields II
 Electric Fields II
1. Calculation of E from Coulomb’s Law
• E on axis of finite line charge
• E off axis of a finite line charge
• E due to an infinite line charge
• E on the axis of a ring charge
• E on the axis of a uniformly charged disk
• E due to an infinite plane of charge.

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 Electric Fields II

2. Gauss’s Law
3. Calculation of E using Gauss’s Law
4. Discontinuity of En
5. Charge and Field at Conductor Surfaces

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 E-Field due to Coulomb’s Law

This equation of dE is the beginning of each calculation.

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 E on Axis of Finite Line Charge
Origin of coordinate system

The origin is selected at the center of the line charge to

provide symmetry in the solution to facilitate our analysis.

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 E on Axis of Finite Line Charge

Examine the solution and its

limiting cases

kdq L
dE = 2 ˆ r dq =λdz for z p >>
r
kdq ˆ kλdz ˆ
2
dE zˆi = 2 i = 2 i kQ
(zp - z) ( zp - z) Ez ≈ 2
L zp
2
dz kλL kQ
E z = kλ ∫ 2 = 2 = 2
(z - z) z P2 -   -  
-L L L
p z P2
2
2 2

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The Off Axis Line Charge Calculation

5th Edition 6th Edition

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The Off Axis Line Charge Calculation

Changing coordinates
from (x,y) to (r,z)
The situation is
symmetric in r

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 The Off Axis Line Charge Calculation

kdq kλdx

dE = 2 = 2 ; dE y = dE cosθ
r r
kλdx y kλydx 4 2 2 2
dE y = 2 = ; cosθ = ; r = x + y
r r r3 5

Positive angle kQ
direction Ey = ( sinθ2 - sinθ1 )
Ly
kQ
Ex = ( cosθ2 - cosθ1 )
Ly

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The Off Axis Line Charge Calculation
Examine the solution and its limiting cases.
kQ
Ey = ( sinθ2 - sinθ1 )
Ly
kQ
Ex = ( cosθ2 - cosθ1 )
Ly

For a line charge of infinite length Q is replaced by λ since

2kλ Q and L become infinite.
Ex → 0 E y =
R
Physically: Equal charge on each side of the origin

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The Infinite Line Charge Calculation

5th Edition 6th Edition

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The Infinite Line Charge Calculation

Examine the solution and its

limiting cases

2kλ
Ex → 0 E y =
R

With this geometry Ex is

zero at every step.

5th Edition
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 Solution Comparisons

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Uniform Ring Charge - E on the Axis

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Uniform Ring Charge - E on the Axis
Examine the symmetry first to see which
components might cancel out.

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Uniform Ring Charge - E on the Axis
Solution and limiting cases

kdq kdq x kxdq

dE x = 2 cosθ = 2 = 3
r r r ( x + a )2
2 2

kx kQx
Ex = 3 ∫ dq = 3

(x 2
+a 2
) 2
(x 2
+a 2
) 2

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 E = 0 in the Plane of the Ring

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Axial E-Field on Both Sides of the Ring
kQ u
Ex = 3
a 2 ( 1+ u 2 ) 2

kQx kQx kQx

Ex = 3 = 3 = 3

(x 2
+a  2
2
) 2
x  2
3
2
x  2 2

 
a 1+ 2 
a  1+ 2 
  a   a 
x x
kQ
a kQ a kQ u
Ex = 3 = 2 3 = 2 3

 x 
2 2 a  x 
2 2 a (1+ u )2 2
a 2  1+ 2   1+
 a   a 2 

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 Uniform Surface Charge - The Disk
Use the ring field results to build up
the disk E-field
kxdq
dE x = 3

( x2 + a2 ) 2

dq =σdA = σ2πada
R
ada
E x = 2πkxσ ∫ 3

0 (x 2
+a 2
) 2

 1 1 
E x = -2πkxσ  - 
2 2 2
 x +R x 

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 Uniform Surface Charge - The Disk

 1 1 
E x = -2πkxσ  - 
 2 2
 x +R x2 
for x << R
1 1  σ
lim E x = - lim 2πkxσ  -  = +2πkσ = +
x →0 x →0
R x  2ε0
This is the result we saw earlier for the E-field near the infinite plane. For x
sufficiently small the disk will appear to be an infinite plane.

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 E-Field Discontinuity Crossing a
Surface Charge Distribution
1
Since k=
4πε0

σ
Ez = ±
2ε0

We will look at this in

more detail near the end of
the chapter.

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 Solution Comparisons
At small distances the
You can’t get “far” away
differences are noticeable.
from an infinite plane

These solutions
look the same at
large disrances.

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Infinite Dielectric Planes with Uniform Fixed
Charge
Between the planes
σ σ σ
ET = + + =
2
2ε0 2ε0 ε0
1

To the right of the planes

σ σ
E1x = + E2x = −
2ε0 2ε0
σ σ σ σ
E1x = + E2x = +
2ε0 2ε0 ET = + − =0
2ε0 2ε0
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 Electric Flux - Net Q = 0

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 Electric Flux - Net Q ≠ 0

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 Basic Flux Definition
Flux is the product of the electric field vector and the area that
it is passing through.



ϕ= E• A

Passing through
means we only count
the component of E
that is perpendicular
to the surface area.

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 A More Precise Flux Definition


ϕ= E•ˆ nA2 = EA2 cosθ

This is the electric

flux that passes
through area A2

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In general both the direction and the magnitude of the electric
field crossing the surface can be varying.

We will limit our calculations to situations where the electric

field is constant in magnitude and direction on the surface.

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 Net Flux Calculation
kQ
φnet = ∫ En dA = En ∫ dA = 2 4πR 2 = 4πkQ
S S
R
Q
φnet =
ε0

To be useful the Gaussian

surfaces that we pick
must possess a high
degree of symmetry.

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 Statement of Gauss’s Law
The net outward flux through any closed
surface equals the net charge inside the surface
divided by εo
Qinside
φnet = ∫ En dA = En ∫ dA =
S S
ε0
The same as Coulomb’s Law for electrostatics, but
Gauss’s Law is true all the time. Even if we can’t find
a simple surface to use it to our advantage.

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 Given E-field - Find the charge enclosed
Surface 1

Surface 2

Surface 3

The closed surface can consist of several surfaces that together

form a closed surface.

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 Surface 1 R = 5.0 cm, L = 20 cm

N
E = +200 kˆ

N C
E = -200 kˆ
C
Surface 2

Surface 3

From the direction of the field we know that we are dealing

with an infinite sheet of positive charge and we want to
determine how much charge is contained within the volume
formed by our Gaussian surface.

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 E-values on both sides are the same

Surface 1
R = 5.0 cm, L = 20 cm

N
E = +200 kˆ

N C
E = -200 kˆ
C The flux is positive on
Surface 2 surfaces 1 and 2 and is zero
on surface 3 since E is
parallel to that surface.
Surface 3

φright = Eright kπR (
ˆ 2 = +200kˆ kπ(0.0500)
ˆ 2
)
= 1.57Nm 2 /C


φleft ˆ 2
= Eleft (-k)πR = -200kˆ ((-k)π(0.0500)
ˆ ) = 1.57Nm /C 2 2

φnet = φright + φleft + 0 = 1.57 + 1.57 = 3.14Nm 2 /C

Qinside =ε 0φ net = 27.8pC
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 Infinite Slab Geometry

Cylindrical surface goes all the way through the slab since it must form a closed surface.

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 Infinite Slab Geometry

This is the same surface we

used in the previous problem.
In this case we know the
charge distribution and we
want to calculate the E-field
everywhere along the z-axis.

The material is a dielectric. The charge is distributed uniformly

throughout the volume of the dielectric slab.
Since the slab is infinite the electric field is everywhere
perpendicular to the surface of the slab.
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 E-Field Outside the Infinite Slab
First we solve for |z| > a
(Outside the charge distribution)

Qinside 1 ρ +a
φnet = 2En A =
ε0
=
ε0 ∫ ρdV = ε ∫
V
-a
Adz
0

ρA(2a)
φnet = 2En A =
ε0
ρ(2a) σ
En = = Same result as before.
2ε0 2ε0
Integrating the volume density over one dimension creates a
σ = ρ2a
surface density.
MFMcGraw-PHY 2426 Ch22&23a-Electric Fields II-Revised 8/23/2012 36
 E-Field Inside the Infinite Slab

Next we solve for |z| < a

(Inside the charge distribution)

Qinside 1 ρ +z
φnet = 2En A =
ε0
=
ε0 ∫ ρdV = ε ∫
V
-z
Adz'
0

ρA(2z)
φnet = 2En A =
ε0
ρ(2z) σ z
En = =  
2ε0 2ε0  a 

MFMcGraw-PHY 2426 Ch22&23a-Electric Fields II-Revised 8/23/2012 37

 E-Field Discontinuity - A More
Realistic View σ
Ez = ±
2ε0
σ
Ez = ±
2ε0

k = 1/4πε0 ; σ = 2aρ

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 E-Field Due to a Thin Spherical
Shell of Charge
Gaussian surface

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 Conductive Sphere

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 Dielectric Sphere

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 Dielectric Sphere
Q' within r Q' = 43 πρr 3
Q within R Q = 43 πρR 3
r3
Q' = 3 Q
R
Q'
∫S EdA = ε0
3
2 Q' r 1
E i4πr = = 3Q
ε0 R ε0
1 1 r3 Q
E= 2 3
Q = 3
r
4πε0 r R 4πε0 R

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E-Field Due to a Uniform Line Charge

There is only electric

flux across the curved
portion of the Gaussian
surface.

φcurved = E R 2πRL
Our previous result:
Qinside 2kλ λ
φnet = φcurved = E R 2πRL = Ey = =
ε0 R 2πε 0 R
Q λL
E R 2πRL = inside =
ε0 ε0
λ
ER =
2πε0 R
MFMcGraw-PHY 2426 Ch22&23a-Electric Fields II-Revised 8/23/2012 43
 Zero E-Field Inside a Conductor
The net positive charge on the conductor is achieved by
removing some of the electrons from the formerly neutral
conductor. The remaining electrons then spread out and find new
equilibrium positions that results in a net positive charge on the
surface of the conductor.
Inside the Gaussian
surface there is no charge,
therefore there are no
electric field lines crossing
the arbitrarily chosen
Gaussian surface.

Gaussian surface

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Charges and Fields at Conductor Surfaces

MFMcGraw-PHY 2426 Ch22&23a-Electric Fields II-Revised 8/23/2012 45

 Imaging Electric Field Lines
A potential
difference is set up
between the two
conductors. Hence
there is a net charge
on each surface.
All field lines
contact the
conductor surfaces at
right angles.
Inside the closed
circular electrode
there is no electric
field.
Thin pieces of thread suspended in oil line up along the electric field lines.

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Electric Fields, Charges and Conductors
The symmetrically placed
positive charge situation is easily
understood.
The originally neutral conducting
hollow sphere is still electrically
neutral but its negative charge has
been displaced more toward the
inner surface.
Since there is no E-field in the
conductor itself
∫ En dA = 0
S

Therefore the total charge inside S

is zero. Hence the induced
negative charge is equal and
opposite to the positive charge.
MFMcGraw-PHY 2426 Ch22&23a-Electric Fields II-Revised 8/23/2012 47
Electric Fields, Charges and Conductors
Gaussian surface “Inside the conductor” means
inside the actual conducting
material itself and not inside
the hollow volume inside the
spherical shell.
The E-field outside the
conductor is the same as if
only the point charge was
present and the conductive
shell was not there.

MFMcGraw-PHY 2426 Ch22&23a-Electric Fields II-Revised 8/23/2012 48

Electric Fields, Charges and Conductors
What changes in the
unsymmetrical case, where the
positive charge is moved off the
center position?

The number of electric field lines

eminating from the positive charge
and ending on the negative charges
on the inner surface of the hollow
sphere are equal in number.
As the positive charge moves closer
to the inner surface the
concentration of negative charge
increases there - the number of
negative charges remains the same.

MFMcGraw-PHY 2426 Ch22&23a-Electric Fields II-Revised 8/23/2012 49

Electric Fields, Charges and Conductors
The drawing is a little misleading. The
total induced negative charge is equal to
the induced positive charge. When the
center positive charge moves off center
both induced charge densities change but
the size of the induced charges remain
the same.
Up close the field outside the conductor
no longer resembles that of an isolated
positive charge.
As the distance from the sphere becomes
large compared to the radius of the
sphere the external field approaches that
of a point charge once again.

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 Homework Problems

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