Semester II, 2015-16

Department of Physics, IIT Kanpur

PHY103A: Lecture # 14
(Text Book: Intro to Electrodynamics by Griffiths, 3rd Ed.)

Anand Kumar Jha

Notes
Homework # 5 has been posted on the course
webpage.
Quiz Next Tuesday (02-Feb-2016), during tutorial
Quiz timing: 11:00 11:20 am (20 Min).
Course coverage (up to HW # 4, Griffiths Ch 3)

Summary of Lecture # 13:

The field of a polarized object
Vdip =

1 () r

2
40 r

vol
1

a +
r
4
r
40
0

vol

=
=

Surface charge density

Volume charge density

These bound charges are not just mathematical constructs. They are real.
Total bound charge is zero.
Uniform Polarization
Non-Uniform Polarization

0
0

= 0

Questions 1:
Vdip

a +

r
r
40
40

vol

Q: Is the decomposition unique?

Ans: Yes, it is. Because there is only one way in which an object can be divided
into its surface and volume.
Questions 2:
Q: What happens to the Gausss law when we have polarized objects?
Ans: We are going to answer this today.

Gausss law in the presence of Dielectrics

Bound charges in a dielectric

In addition, there can be some free charge in the dielectric as well

Total charge inside a dielectric is

= +

Gausss law for the electric field is therefore

0 = = + = +

Note: is the total field, not just what is generated by the polarization

(0 + ) =

Define: 0 +

Electric displacement

= Differential form of Gausss law in presence of a dielectric

= Integral form of Gausss law in presence of a dielectric

Gausss law in the presence of Dielectrics

Ex. 4.4 (Griffiths, 3rd Ed. ): Find the electric displacement.
=

a =
2 =
=

What is the electric field outside the dielectric ( > ) ??

=
=

0
20

(since 0 + and = 0)

What is the electric field inside the dielectric ( < ) ??

Since inside is not known, electric field inside cannot be found.

Gausss law in the presence of Dielectrics

Why did we not include the surface charge in the derivation of the Gausss
law?
We dont need to. Volume charge takes care of everything.
When the Gaussian surface is drawn in the bulk of the material,
the surface charge does not come into picture.
On the surface, the Gausss law anyway cannot be applied.

Boundary conditions in Dielectrics

Boundary Conditions on electric field
=

= 0

above

enc
0

below

=
0

E above E below = 0

Boundary Conditions on electric displacement

=

= above below =

= 0 ( ) + = above
=

above
below
below
8

Electric Field Vs Electric Displacement

Similarity:
Divergence and Gausss Law:

=
0

Boundary condition: E above E below =

0

=
above below =

Difference:

Curl is not zero:

=

= 0

But

But = 0 + = 0

E above E below = 0

But

above below = above below

9

Linear Dielectrics
Two ways that an atom/molecule acquires dipole moment

Stretch of an atom/molecule

else

Rotation of a polar atom/molecule

is the atomic polarizability

else is the external field, caused by everything except the atom

Dipole moment is a microscopic quantity. However, polarization (dipole

moment per unit volume) is a macroscopic quantity.
is called the electrical susceptibility and depends on the
If is not too strong
details (microscopic and macroscopic of the medium)
= 0
is the total macroscopic field caused by everything.
10
How are and connected?