Equipotential

Adjacent points that have the same electric potential

form an equipotential surface.
General property
The Electric field is always perpendicular to an
Equipotential surface so no work is done on
charged particle that remains on this surface
The figures are E-fields (blue)
and cross-sections of
Equipotential surfaces
(yellow) for a point charge and
dipole

Dipole
+ Point charge

Calculating the E field from the Potential

We have determine how to derive the potential at a point
if the electric field along a path is known.
Can we go the other way, that is, determine the electric
field from the potential ??
Solving this problem graphically is easy if we know the
potential V at all points near a point charge or an
assembly of charges.
We then draw in a family of equipotential surfaces and
the electric field lines are perpendicular to those surfaces
revealing the variation of E.

What is the mathematical equivalent of this graphic

procedure ??

Calculating the E field from the Potential

The figure shows a cross-section of a family of
closely spaced equipotential surfaces, the potential
difference between each pair of adjacent surfaces
being dV.

Suppose that a positive test charge qO moves

through a distance ds from one equipotential
surface to an adjacent one.
During this displacement, the work on
the test charge is -qOdV
Recall that

=
Equating these two quantities

Calculating the E field from the Potential

The work equation
Can be rewritten as
Since E cos is the component in the direction ds,
we denote Es as this component
The above equation becomes
The partial derivatives involves only the variation of V
along a specified axis in this case the s-axis.
It could be the X,Y and Z axis

Calculating the E field from the Potential

This equation states

As previously mentioned, the s-axis can be rotated into x,y, and z axis,
therefore the x,y, and z components of E at any point are

Calculating the E field from the Potential

Given potential function V(x,y,z)

Find the E-field at x=1m, y=2m, z=3m with q=1x10-6 C

Ex=Ey=Ez = 6.42x102 (V/m)

Charged Disk: Calculate Potential then E-field

When a charge distribution q is continuous, we choose a
differential element of charge dq, determine the potential
V at a point due to dq and integrate over the full surface.
Taking a potential of zero to be at infinity we have

To determine V at point P we integrate to sum the

potentials due to all charge elements

Charged Disk: Calculate Potential then E-field

We have previously calculated the magnitude of the electric field
at points on the central axis of the plastic charged disk of radus R
that has a uniform charge density on one surface. We will
attempt to derive an expression for V(z), the potential on the zaxis.
In this case a charge element dq is a flat ring of radius R and dR
thick. The charge of the ring is

All the parts of the ring have the same r. Using the relationship
between dV and dq from the previous slide, we have

Charged Disk: Calculate Potential then E-field

The net potential at P is determined by integrating
the contributions of all the rings from R = 0 to R=R

Since 2RdR = dR2 and

Charged Disk: Calculate Potential then E-field

Recalling E can be calculated from V(X,Y,Z) using
the below relationship
where

Ex = 0 (no x dependence in V)
Ey = 0 (no y dependence in V)
Ez =

Same result obtained in

chapter 23 pg 532
It works !!!

Potential of Charged Isolated Conductor

Potential of Charged Isolated Conductor

Figure 25-19 is a plot of potential and electric field against radial distance r from the
center for an isolated spherical conducting shell of 1.0m radius, having a charge of
1C. For points outside the shell, we can calculate V(r) as the charge interacts as if
it were concentrated at the center of the shell. Since there is no net electric field
inside the shell, the V(r) becomes independent of r. Therefore the potential at all
points inside he shell has the same value as that on the surface

Introduction to Capacitance

A capacitor is comprised of two insulated

conductors. Electrical energy may be
stored in a system of two conductors by
moving charge from one conductor to the
other with a battery. While the net charge
of the system is still zero, the charge on
one conductor is +Q and on the other -Q.
The capacitor is said to be charged to +Q.

Each conductor is an equipotential region, with the

conductor charged to +Q at the higher potential. Thus
there will be a definite potential difference between the
conductors, which is conventionally represented by V.

Defining
Capacitance

Capacitance Example

Capacitance Example