Physics 208 Formula Sheet for Exam 1

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Force on a charge: An electric eld E exerts a force F on a charge q given by: F = qE Coulombs law: A point charge q located at the coordinate origin gives rise to an electric eld E given by E= q r 4 0 r2

Electric conductors: The electric eld inside a conductor is zero. All excess charge on a conductor resides on the surface of that conductor.

Electric Potential: The electric potential is dened as the potential energy per unit charge. If the electric potential at some point is V then the electric potential energy at that point is U = qV . The electric potential function V (r) is given by the line integral:
r

where r is the distance from the origin (spherical coordinate), r is the spherical unit vector, and 0 is the per mittivity of free space:
0

V (r) =
r0

E dl + V (r0 )

= 8.8542 1012 C2 /(N m2 )

Beware of the minus sign. This gives the potential produced by a point charge q: V = q 4 0 r

Superposition: The principle of superposition of electric elds states that the electric eld E of any combination of charges is the vector sum of the elds caused by the individual charges E=
i

for a collection of charges qi V =

i

Ei

qi 4 0 ri

To calculate the electric eld caused by a continuous distribution of charge, divide the distribution into small elements and integrate all these elements: E= dE =
q

and for a continuous distribution of charge V =

q

dq r 4 0 r2

dq 4 0 r

Electric ux: Electric ux is a measure of the ow of electric eld through a surface. It is equal to the product of the area element and the perpendicular component of E integrated over a surface: E = E cos dA = E n dA = E dA

where in each of these cases, the potential is taken to be zero innitely far from the charges.

Field from potential: If the electric potential function is known, the vector electric eld can be derived from it: Ex = V x Ey = V y Ez = V z

where is the angle from the electric eld E to the surface normal n. Gauss Law: Gauss law states that the total electric ux through any closed surface is determined by the charge enclosed by that surface: E = E dA = Qencl
0

or in vector form: E= V V V + + k x y z

Beware of the minus sign.