EE1102 PHYSICS FOUNDATION FOR ELECTRICAL AND

ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

Part 1: Electricity and Magnetism

Faculty: Asst. Prof. Song Peng

School: School of EEE
Contact: peng.song@ntu.edu.sg

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 Course structure

Weekly lecture + Weekly tutorial

Part 1: Electricity and Magnetism (Week 1-5)

Lecturer: Prof. Song Peng
Part 2. Optics (Week 6-9)
Lecturer: Prof. Chen Yu-Cheng (Course coordinator)
Part 3. Quantum Physics (Week 10-13)
Lecturer: Prof. Wong liang Jie
Assessment:
CA: Quiz 1 (Week 5) + Quiz 2 (Week 10) + Assignment 1 (TBC)
+ Lab session + Final Exam

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 Electricity and Magnetism: Universal Behavior

Nature (Compass)

Human body
(Medical sensor)
Modern electronics (Nvidia GPU)
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Course objective

Maxwell’s Equations

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Contents

Week 1: Electric Fields (Serway, Chap 23)

Week 2: Gauss’s Law (Serway, Chap 24)
Week 3: Electric Potential (Serway, Chap 25)
Capacitance and Dielectrics (Serway, Chap 26)
Week 4: Magnetic Fields (Serway, Chap 29)
Sources of Magnetic Field (Serway, Chap 30)
Week 5: Faraday’s Law (Serway, Chap 31)
Induction (Serway, Chap 32)

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 1. ELECTRIC FIELDS

1.1 Properties of Electric Charges

1.2 Insulators and Conductors
1.3 Electric Force
1.4 Electric Field
1.5 Electric Field of a Continuous Charge Distribution
1.6 Electric Field Lines

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 1.1 Properties of Electric Charges

◼ There are two kinds of charges: positive

(+) & negative (–).

◼ Like charges repel one another and unlike

charges attract one another.

▪ Electric charge is always conserved, i.e. charge is neither

created nor destroyed.

▪ Electric charge is quantized, i.e. q = N e , where N is a positive or

negative integer and e is smallest unit of charge known. Electron
has a charge of – e, and proton a charge of +e.

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 1.2 Insulators and Conductors

◼ Materials can be classified in terms of their ability to conduct electric

charges:
(a) Electrical conductors, e.g. Al, Cu, Ag
(b) Electrical insulators, e.g. Rubber, glass
(c) Semiconductors, e.g. Si, Ge

Electric charges cannot Electric charges have Electric charges move freely
move limited mobility
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 1.2 How to generate charge in metal

Charging by conduction Charging by induction

With physical contact Without physical contact

Q: Difference in the type of induced charge?

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 1.2 How to generate charge in insulator
Charge Rearrangement in Insulators

Q: Is physical contact required for charge rearrangement?

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 1.3 Electric Force
◼ Coulomb’s law gives the magnitude of the electric force between two
point charges:
q1 q2
Fe = ke 2
(1.1)
r
where ke is the Coulomb constant.
◼ In SI units, charge is measured in the unit of coulomb (C).

◼ The term point charge refers to a particle of zero size that carries an
electric charge. The electrical behavior of electrons and protons is
well described by modeling them as point charges.

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 1.3 Electric Force
◼ With q in the unit of Coulomb (C), r in metre (m), and Fe in Newton
(N), the Coulomb constant has a value of
 q1 q2 
ke = 8.9875  109 Nm2 /C2  Fe = ke 2 
 r 
◼ ke is also expressed as
1
ke = (1.2)
4  o
where 0 is called the permittivity of free space, with a value of
−12
εo = 8.8542  10 2
C /Nm 2

◼ Measuring in coulomb, the smallest unit of charge known is

e = 1.60219 10 -19

C 12
◼ Example
What is the electric force between the electron and proton of a
hydrogen atom which are separated by a distance of 5.3×10-11 m?

◼ Solution
+e
2
q1 q2 e
F =k =k 2 Fe
e e r2 e r
− 2
1.60 10 19 
 2  C -e
=  8.99 109
Nm  
 2  2
 C   5.3 10 − 11 m 
 
= 8.2 10 − 8 N
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 1.3 Electric Force (Direction)
◼ Electric force is a vector. The electric force exerted by a charge q1 on
a second charge q2 can be expressed as:
 q1 q 2
F12 = k rˆ (1.3)
e r 2

where r̂ is a unit vector directed from q1 to q2 . (note rˆ = 1 )

F12
r
F12

r̂

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 1.3 Electric Force
◼ Coulomb force is a mutual force. As q1 exerts a force F12 on q2,
q2 similarly exerts a force F21 on q1 such that:
 
F12 = − F21
◼ This can also be deduced from Newton’s third law.

r
F12
F12

F21
r̂
F21

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 1.3 Electric Force
◼ In a multi-charge configuration, the resultant force on a particular
charge is equal to the vector sum of the electric forces exerted by
the other charges. (principle of superposition)

◼ E.g. In a 4-charge system, the resultant force F1 exerted on charge 1
due to the other 3 charges is:
q4
F1 = F21 + F31 + F41
F41

q3 F31
q1
F21

q2
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◼ Example
Find the resultant force F3 exerted on q3 by q1 and q2 if the charges
are located at the corners of a right angled triangle. Given that
q1 = q3 = 5 C, q2 = -2 C and a = 0.1 m.

◼ Solution
◼ First, draw arrows to indicate
the individual forces exerted
by q1 and q2 on q3.

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◼ The magnitude of the force exerted by q1 on q3 is:
 5.0 10− 6 C  5.0 10− 6 C 
q q  N.m  
2
F =k 1 3 
= 8.99 109  
13 e
2a( )
2 
 C 2 
 2 (0.10 m )2

= 11.23 N 450

◼ In vector form:
( )

F13 = F13 cos 450 i + F13 sin 450 j N
= (7.9 i + 7.9 j ) N
where i and j are unit vectors along
x and y axis respectively.
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◼ The magnitude of the force exerted by q2 on q3 is:
q2 q3
F23 = k
e a2
 2.0 10− 6 C  5.0 10− 6 C 
 2 
Nm  
=  8.99 109  
 2  ( )2
 C  0 .10 m
= 9.0 N
450
◼ In vector form:

F23 = − F23 i = − 9.0 i N

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▪ F3 can be expressed in vector form as:
  
F3 = F13 + F23 = (7.9 i + 7.9 j ) N − 9.0 i N
= (− 1.1 i + 7.9 j ) N F3
450
◼ The magnitude of F3 is given by:

F3 = F32x + F32y

= (− 1.1N ) + (7.9 N )
2 2

= 8.0 N

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 1.4 Electric Field
◼ The electric field E at any point in space is defined as the electric
force Fe per unit charge acting on a small positive test charge placed
at that point.

 Fe
 Fe
E= N / C (1.4)
qo
P

◼ Electric field E is a vector. Its magnitude is the electric force per unit
charge. Its direction is along that of the force acting on a positive
charge.

◼ The unit of electric field is N/C (or V/m).

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 1.4 Electric Field
◼ A particle of charge q subject to an electric field E experiences an
electric force given by:
 
Fe = q E (1.5)
◼ The electric force on a positive charge is in the same direction as E,
and that on a negative charge is in opposite direction to E.

E E
+q Fe Fe -q

Q: Difference between E and F ?

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 1.4 Electric Field

+ Fe +
r

Fe

◼ Consider a point charge q. It sets up an electric field E in the region

surrounding it. To find E at a point P at a distance r from q, consider
a small positive test charge qo placed at P. The force exerted on qo
by q is:

q qo Fe q
Fqqo = ke 2 rˆ ; E = = ke 2 rˆ (1.6)
r qo r
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 1.4 Electric Field
◼ To find E at any point due to a group of point charges, calculate E at
that point due to each individual charges, then sum them up
vectorially to get the resultant E, i.e. a superposition of the individual
fields.
 q1 q2 q3
E = k e 2 rˆ1 + k e 2 rˆ2 + k e 2 rˆ3 + 
r1 r2 r3
qi
= k e  2 rˆi (1.7) _ q3
i ri
E3
E2
q1 + E1
P

q2 + 24
 1.5 E field of a Continuous Charge Distribution
◼ To calculate E due to a continuous charge distribution, first divide
the charge distribution into small elements of charge q. The
electric field E at a point P due to one element of charge q is
 q  q 
E  k e 2 rˆ  E = ke r 2 rˆ 
r
◼ The overall E is the vector sum of the
contributions of all the charge elements qi .
  qi
E =  Ei  ke  2 rˆi
i i ri
 qi
E = ke lim  2 rˆi
qi →0 ri
i

dq
= ke  2 rˆ (1.8)
r 25
 1.5 E field of a Continuous Charge Distribution
◼ A continuous distribution of charge can be described as
continuously distributed along some line, over some surface, or
throughout some volume.

◼ Volume charge density: when a charge is distributed evenly

throughout a volume
• ρ ≡ Q / V with units C/m3

◼ Surface charge density: when a charge is distributed evenly over a

surface area
• σ ≡ Q / A with units C/m2

◼ Linear charge density: when a charge is distributed along a line

• λ ≡ Q / L with units C/m

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 1.5 E field of a Continuous Charge Distribution
◼ We can determine the charge dq in a small volume, a small area or a
small length element, if the charge density is known

• For the volume element: dq = ρ dV

• For the surface element: dq = σ dA
• For the length element: dq = λ dL

Q: Conversion between different charge density?

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 1.5 E field of a Continuous Charge Distribution
◼ Example
A ring of radius a carries a uniformly distributed positive total charge
Q. Calculate the electric field due to the ring at a point P, lying at a
distance x from its centre along the central axis ⊥ to the plane of the
ring.
Q
◼ Solution
◼ The electric field at P due to
an element of charge dq is:

dq
dE = k e 2
r

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 1.5 E field of a Continuous Charge Distribution
◼ Since dq is positive, dE is directed away from the ring. Resolve dE
into x and ⊥ components:
dEx = |dE| cos  ; dE⊥ = |dE| sin 

◼ By symmetry, the ⊥ component of the field at P due to any element

is always cancelled by the ⊥ component due to the element
diametrically opposite.  The overall ⊥ components of E = 0. 29
 1.5 E field of a Continuous Charge Distribution
◼ Thus the resultant E at P lies along the x axis, directed away from the
ring.
dq x ke x Q
dE x = dE cos = (ke 2 )( ) = 3 dq
r r r
ke x
= dq
(
x +a
2 2 3/ 2
)
◼ The overall E at P is:
ke x
Ex =  dE
ring
x =  (x
ring
2
+a )
2 3/ 2
dq

ke x ke x
=
(x 2
+a )  dq
2 3/ 2
ring
=
(x 2
+a )
2 3/ 2
Q

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 1.6 Electric Field Lines
◼ One useful way of visualizing electric field in a given space is
to construct electric field lines (EFLs).
◼ The EFLs carry information about the strength of the electric
field |E|, and its direction. E3
◼ The rules for drawing EFLs are
E2
a) E is tangential to the EFLs at each point. E1
b) EFLs begin on a positive charge and end
on a negative charge.
E E
c) EFLs never cross one another.

d) The number of EFLs drawn per unit area

is proportional to the magnitude of the
electric field |E|.

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 1.6 Electric Field Lines
▪ The EFLs for a negative point charge are drawn in exactly the same
way except that since E points toward the charge, the EFLs also
point toward the charge.

▪ Note that this conforms to the rule that EFLs end on a negative
charge. Since in this case where there is no positive charge, the
EFLs are originated from infinity.
E E

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 1.6 Electric Field Lines
▪ Along the line that joins the point charges, E from both point
charges are pointing in the same direction, hence E adds up and is
quite strong. Therefore, we have more lines drawn per unit area.

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 1.6 Electric Field Lines
▪ Somewhere further up, as the EFLs are pushing away from the point
charges, the horizontal components cancel each other, and are left
with the vertical components. So the net E points long the upward
direction. The EFLs are therefore directed upwards.

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◼ Example 1.2
A rod of length l has a positive uniform linear charge density  (C/m)
(charge per unit length) and a total charge Q. Calculate the electric
field at a point P that is located along the long axis of the rod and a
distance a from one end.

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◼ Solution
◼ On a small segment of length dx, the charge dq is dq =  dx.

◼ The field dE at P due to this

element of charge dq is: Q
dq dx
dE = ke 2 = ke  2
x x
◼ Since the rod contains positive charge, dE is directed away from dq.
The total E is an integration of all the dE contributed by the different
elements of the rod, and is directed away from the rod.
a +l a +l
dx l Q
E=  dE = 
a a
ke  2 = ke
x a(a + l )
= ke
a(a + l )
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 How about E in other cases:

Nonuniform charge distribution infinite charge distribution

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