Chapter 26 - Electric Field

A PowerPoint Presentation by
Paul E. Tippens, Professor of Physics
Southern Polytechnic State University

© 2007
 Objectives: After finishing this
unit you should be able to:
• Define the electric field and explain what
determines its magnitude and direction.
• Write and apply formulas for the
electric field intensity at known
distances from point charges.
• Discuss electric field lines and the
meaning of permittivity of space.
• Write and apply Gauss's law for fields around
surfaces of known charge densities.
 The Concept of a Field
A field is defined as a property of space in which a
material object experiences a force.

Above earth, we say there is

Pm .
a gravitational field at P.
F
Because a mass m experiences a
downward force at that point.
No force, no field; No field, no force!

The direction of the field is determined by the force.

 The Gravitational Field
Consider
Note that points A and
the force F isBreal
above
, but
 B
A F the surface of the
field is just earth—just
a convenient
 points
way ofindescribing
space. space.
F
The field at points A or B might
be found from:
F
g
If g is known at m
every point above
the earth then the The magnitude and direction of
force F on a given the field g is depends on the
mass can be found. weight, which is the force F.
 The Electric Field
1. Now, consider point P a
distance r from +Q. F
P +.
+q
E
2. An electric field E exists
r
at P if a test charge +q
has a force F at that point. ++ ++
++Q++
3. The direction of the E is
the same as the direction of Electric Field
a force on + (pos) charge.
4. The magnitude of E is F N
E  ; Units
given by the formula: q C
 Field is Property of Space
Force on +q is with
F. E field direction.
+q + -q -. E
r Force on -q is F r
+ ++ against field + ++
+
++Q++ direction. +
++Q++
Electric Field Electric Field

The field E at a point exists whether there is a

charge at that point or not. The direction of the
field is away from the +Q charge.
Field Near a Negative Charge
Force on +q is with F
+q +. E field direction. -q -. E
F r r
Force on -q is
- --
-- -Q against field - -
- -- -Q --
-- direction. --
Electric Field Electric Field

Note that the field E in the vicinity of a negative

charge –Q is toward the charge—the direction that a
+q test charge would move.
 The Magnitude of E-Field
The magnitude of the electric field intensity at a
point in space is defined as the force per unit
charge (N/C) that would be experienced by any
test charge placed at that point.

Electric
Electric Field F N
Field E  ; Units  
Intensity
Intensity EE q C

The direction of E at a point is the same as the

direction that a positive charge would move IF
placed at that point.
Example 1. A +2 nC charge is
placed at a distance r from a +2 nC
.P
–8 C charge. If the charge +q +
4000 N
experiences a force of 4000 N, E E r
what is the electric field - --
intensity E at point P? -
- -Q - –8 C--
First, we note that the direction of Electric Field
E is toward –Q (down).
F
E 
4000 N E = 2 x 1012 N/C
-9
q 2 x 10 C Downward

Note: The field E would be the same for any charge

placed at point P. It is a property of that space.
Example 2. A constant E field of 40,000 N/C
is maintained between the two parallel
plates. What are the magnitude and
direction of the force on an electron that
passes horizontally between the plates.c
+ + + + + + + + +
The E-field is downward, F- e- -
and the force on e- is up. e- - e -. E
F
E  ; F  qE - - - - - - - - -
q
F  qE  (1.6 x 10 C)(4 x 10
-19 4 N
C )
FF =
= 6.40
6.40 xx 10 -15 N,
10-15 N, Upward
Upward
 The E-Field at a distance r
from a single charge Q
Consider a test charge +q placed FE
+q +.. PP
at P a distance r from Q.
The outward force on +q is: r
kQ
kQq ++ ++ E  2
F 2 +
+Q + r
r ++
The electric field E is therefore:
2 kQ
F kQq r
E  E 2
q q r
Example 3. What is the electric field
intensity E at point P, a distance of 3 m
from a negative charge of –8 nC?
E=? . First, find the magnitude:
P 9 Nm 2 -9
r kQ (9 x 10 )(8 x 10 C)
3m E 2  C2
r (3 m) 2
-Q
-8 nC EE == 8.00
8.00 N/C
N/C

The direction is the same as the force on a positive

charge if it were placed at the point P: toward –Q.

E = 8.00 N, toward -Q
The Resultant Electric Field.
The resultant field E in the vicinity of a number
of point charges is equal to the vector sum of the
fields due to each charge taken individually.
Consider E for each charge. E1 E2
q1 - A
Vector
Vector Sum:Sum: ER
EE == EE11 ++ EE22 ++ EE33 E3 +
q3 - q2

Magnitudes are from:

kQ Directions are based
E 2 on positive test charge.
r
 Example 4. Find the resultant field at point A
due to the –3 nC charge and the +6 nC
charge arranged as shown.
-3 nC
q1 - E for each q is shown
3 cm E 5 cm with direction given.
1 +6 nC
 + kq1 kq2
E2 A 4 cm q2 E1  2 ; E2  2
r1 r2
9 Nm 2 -9 9 Nm 2
(9 x 10 )(3 x 10 C) (9 x 10 )(6 x 10-9 C)
E1  C2
2
E2  C2
(3 m) (4 m) 2

Signs
Signs of
of the
the charges
charges are
are used
used only
only to
to find
find direction
direction of
of EE
 Example 4. (Cont.)Find the resultant field at
point A. The magnitudes are:
9 Nm 2
-3 nC
q1 - (9 x 10 )(3 x 10-9 C)
E1  C2
(3 m) 2
3 cm E 5 cm
1 +6 nC 9 Nm 2
(9 x 10 )(6 x 10-9 C)
 + E2  C2

E2 A 4 cm q2 (4 m) 2

E1 = 3.00 N, West E2 = 3.38 N, North

ER
Next, we find vector resultant ER E1
E1 
ER  E  R ; tan  
2
2 1
2
E2
E2
 Example 4. (Cont.)Find the resultant field at
point A using vector mathematics.
ER E1 = 3.00 N, West
E1 E2 = 3.38 N, North

E2 Find vector resultant ER
3.38 N
E  (3.00 N)  (3.38 N)  4.52 N;
2 2
tan  
3.00 N
 = 48.40 N of W; or  = 131.60

Resultant
Resultant Field:
Field: EERR == 4.52
4.52 N;
N; 131.6
131.600
 Electric Field Lines
Electric Field Lines are imaginary lines drawn in
such a way that their direction at any point is the
same as the direction of the field at that point.

+ ++ - -
-- -Q --
+
++Q++ --

Field lines go away from positive charges and

toward negative charges.
 Rules
Rules for
for Drawing
Drawing Field
Field Lines
Lines

1. The direction of the field line at any point is

the same as motion of +q at that point.
2. The spacing of the lines must be such that they
are close together where the field is strong and
far apart where the field is weak.

E1
E2
+ q1 q2 - ER
 Examples of E-Field Lines
Two equal but Two identical
opposite charges. charges (both +).

Notice that lines leave + charges and enter - charges.

Also, E is strongest where field lines are most dense.
 The Density of Field Lines
Gauss’s Law:
Gauss’s Law: The
The field
field EE at
at any
any point
point in
in space
space
isis proportional
proportional to
to the
the line density  at
line density at that
that point.
point.

Gaussian Surface Line density  N

A

N

Radius r A
Line Density and Spacing Constant
Consider the field near a positive point charge q:
Then, imagine a surface (radius r) surrounding q.
Radius r E is proportional to N/A and
is equal to kq/r2 at any point.
r
N kq
 E; E
A r 2

Gaussian Surface Define  as spacing constant. Then:

N 1
  0 E Where  0 is: 0 
A 4 k
 Permittivity of Free Space
The proportionality constant for line density is
known as the permittivity  and it is defined by:

1 C2
0   8.85 x 10-12
4 k N  m2
Recalling the relationship with line density, we have:
N
  0 E or N   0 E A
A
Summing over entire area
A gives the total lines as: NN == ooEA
EA
Example 5. Write an equation for finding
the total number of lines N leaving a
single positive charge q.
Radius r Draw spherical Gaussian surface:
r N   0 E A and N   0 EA
Substitute for E and A from:
kq q
E 2  ; A = 4 r 2
Gaussian Surface r 4 r 2
 q 
N   0 EA   0  2 
(4 r 2
) NN == ooqA
qA == qq
 4 r 

Total number
Total number of
of lines
lines isis equal
equal to
to the
the enclosed
enclosed charge
charge q.
q.
 Gauss’s Law
Gauss
Gauss’s’s Law:
Law: The
The net
net number
number of of electric
electric field
field
lines
lines crossing
crossing any
any closed
closed surface
surface in in an
an outward
outward
direction
direction isis numerically
numerically equal
equal to
to the
the net
net total
total
charge
charge within
within that
that surface.
surface.

N   0 EA  q

If we represent q as net enclosed q

positive charge, we can write EA 
rewrite Gauss’s law as: 0
 Example 6. How many electric field
lines pass through the Gaussian
surface drawn below.
Gaussian surface
First we find the NET
charge q enclosed
by the surface: -4 C +8 C
q1 - q2 +
q = (+8 –4 – 1) = +3 C q4
-1 C
+
N   0 EA  q q3 - +5 C

N = +3 C
N = +3 C = +3 x 10-6 lines
= +3 x 10 -6
lines
Example 6. A solid sphere (R = 6 cm) having
net charge +8 C is inside a hollow shell (R
= 8 cm) having a net charge of –6 C. What
is the electric field at a distance of 12 cm
from the center of the solid sphere?
Draw Gaussian sphere at Gaussian surface
radius of 12 cm to find E.
- -6 C
N   0 EA  q -
8cm
-
- +8 C -
6 cm
q = (+8 – 6) = +2 C -
q 12 cm - -
 0 AE  qnet ; E 
0 A
q 2 x 10-6 C
E 
 0 (4 r ) (8.85 x 10
2 -12 Nm 2
C 2 )(4 )(0.12 m)
2
Example 6 (Cont.) What is the electric field
at a distance of 12 cm from the center of the
solid sphere?
Draw Gaussian sphere at Gaussian surface
radius of 12 cm to find E. - -6 C
8cm - -
N   0 EA  q - 6 cm
+8 C -
q = (+8 – 6) = +2 C -
12 cm - -
q
 0 AE  qnet ; E 
0 A
2  C
E  1.25 x 10 6 N
EE == 1.25
1.25 MN/C
MN/C
 0 (4 r )
2 C
Charge on Surface of Conductor
Since like charges Gaussian Surface just
repel, you would inside conductor
expect that all charge
would move until they
come to rest. Then
from Gauss’s Law . . . Charged Conductor

Since charges are at rest, E = 0 inside conductor, thus:

N   0 EA  q or 0 = q
All charge
All charge isis on
on surface;
surface; None
None inside
inside Conductor
Conductor
Example 7. Use Gauss’s law to find the E-
field just outside the surface of a conductor.
The surface charge density = q/A.
Consider q inside the
E1 E3
pillbox. E-lines through E3
all areas outward. + ++++
A
+
 0 AE  q + E3 E3
E +
++ + + + 2
E-lines through sides
cancel by symmetry. Surface Charge Density 
The field is zero inside the conductor, so E2 = 0
0 q 
oE1A + oE2A = q E 
0 A 0
Example 7 (Cont.) Find the field just outside
the surface if = q/A = +2 C/m2.
Recall that side fields E3 E1 E3
cancel and inside A
field is zero, so that + + ++++
+ E3 E
E3
+
++ + + + 2
q 
E1  
0 A 0 Surface Charge Density 

2 x 10-6 C/m 2
E -12 Nm 2 EE == 226,000
226,000 N/C
N/C
8.85 x 10 C2
 Field Between Parallel Plates
Equal and opposite charges.
+ E1 - Field E1 and E2 to right.
+ -
Q1 + E2 - Q2 Draw Gaussian pillboxes
+ - on each inside surface.
E1
+ E2
- Gauss’s Law for either box
gives same field (E1 = E2).

q 
  0 AE   q E 
0 A 0
 Line of Charge

A1 2r Field due to A1 and A2

Cancel out due to
r symmetry.
A
L  0 AE  q
E
q

q EA  ; A  (2 r ) L
L
A2 0

q q 
E ; = E
2 0 rL L 2 0 r
Example 8: The Electric field at a distance of
1.5 m from a line of charge is 5 x 104 N/C.
What is the linear density of the line?

r 
E   2 0 rE
L E 2 0 r
q
 E = 5 x 104 N/C r = 1.5 m
L

  2 (8.85 x 10 -12 C2
Nm 2
4
)(1.5 m)(5 x 10 N/C)

4.17 C/m
 Concentric Cylinders
Outside is like
charged long wire:
b ++
++++ Gaussian surface
a +++++
++++ -6 C
+++ ra
++
b ++ a rb

a r r2 12 cm b
1

For a  b For a
E E
r > rb 2 0 r rb > r > ra 2 0 r
 Example 9. Two concentric cylinders of radii 3
and 6 cm. Inner linear charge density is +3
C/m and outer is -5 C/m. Find E at distance
of 4 cm from center.
Draw Gaussian surface -7 C/m ++
between cylinders. a = 3 +++++++++
+++
b cm +++
+++
E
2 r
0 b=6 cm r + +
3 C/m +5 C/m
E
2 0 (0.04 m)

EE == 1.38
1.38 xx 10
1066N/C,
N/C, Radially
Radially out
out
Example 8 (Cont.) Next, find E at a distance of
7.5 cm from center (outside both cylinders.)

Gaussian outside of
-7 C/m ++
both cylinders.
a = 3 cm +++++++++
a  b +++
E +++
2 0 r +++
b=6 cm ++
(3  5)  C/m
E +5 C/m r
2 0 (0.075 m)

EE == 5.00
5.00 xx 10
1055N/C,
N/C, Radially
Radially inward
inward
 Summary of Formulas
The
The Electric
Electric Field
Field F kQ N
E  2 Units are
Intensity
Intensity E:
E: q r C

kQ
E 2
The
The Electric
Electric Field
Field Vector Sum
Near
Near several
several charges:
charges: r

Gauss’s
Gauss’s Law
Law for q
for  0 EA  q;  
Charge
Charge distributions.
distributions. A
CONCLUSION: Chapter 24
The Electric Field