Electricity & Magnetism

HAFIZ FAROOQ ALAM COURSE CODE PHYS 201

CHEMISRTY DEPARTMENT BS- CHEMISTRY
UNIVERISTY OF SAHIWAL 3th SEMESTER
 Lecture introduction
Outlines

➢ Objectives
➢ 1. Electric dipole ➢ 2.3. Explanation
➢ 1.1. Introduction ➢ 2.4. Dependence on 𝜃
➢ 1.2. Example ➢ 3. Potential energy of electric dipole
➢ 2. Electric dipole in an electric field ➢ 3.1. Introduction
➢ 2.1. Force and torque on electric dipole ➢ 3.2. Derivation
➢ 2.2. Derivation ➢ 3.3. Explanation

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 Lecture introduction
Objectives

➢ To study the basic knowledge about the electric dipoles.

➢ To study what forces and torques does an electric dipole

experience when placed in an external electric field
➢ To understant how much energy is stored in an dipole when
placed in an electric field

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 1. Electric Dipole
1.1. Introduction

➢ An electric dipole is a pair of point charges with equal magnitude and

opposite sign (a positive charge q and a negative charge -q ) separated by
a distance d.

➢ the electric dipole moment is a vector quantity. The magnitude of 𝑝 is

given by 𝑝 = 𝑞𝑑 and its direction is along the dipole axis from the
negative charge to the positive charge as shown in Fig. 21.31.

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 Electric Dipole
( Continued…)

1.2. Example
21.30 (a)A water molecule is an example of an electric dipole
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 2. Electric dipole in an electric field

➢ Place an electric dipole in a

uniform external electric field
𝐸 as shown in Fig. 21.31.

21.31 The net force on this electric dipole is

zero, but there is a torque directed into the page
that tends to rotate the dipole clockwise.
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 2.1. Force and Torque on an Electric Dipole

➢ The forces 𝐹+ and 𝐹−on the two charges both have magnitude qE, but

their directions are opposite, and they add to zero. The net force on an

electric dipole in a uniform external electric field is zero.

➢ However, the two forces don’t act along the same line, so their torques

don’t add to zero.

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 2.1. Force and Torque on an Electric Dipole
(Continued…)

➢ We calculate torques with respect to the center of the dipole. Let the angle between
the electric field 𝐸 and the dipole axis be 𝜃 then the lever arm for both 𝐹+ and 𝐹− is
𝑑
2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

➢ The torque of 𝐹+ and the torque of 𝐹− both have the same magnitude of
𝑞𝐸 𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃, and both torques tend to rotate the dipole clockwise
2

(that is, 𝒯is directed into the page in Fig. 21.31)

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 2.2. Derivation

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 2.3. Explanation

➢ Hence the magnitude of the net torque is twice the magnitude of either
individual torque:
𝒯 = 𝑞𝐸 𝑑 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
➢ where d𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 is the perpendicular distance between the lines of action of the two
forces.
➢ The product of the charge q and the separation d is the magnitude of a quantity

called the electric dipole moment, denoted by p:

𝑝 = 𝑞𝑑

➢ The units of p are charge times distance. For example, the magnitude of the

11 electric dipole moment of a water molecule is 𝑝 = 6.13 × 10−30 𝐶. 𝑚

 2. Explanation
( Continued….)
➢ In terms of dipole moment, the magnitude of the torque exerted by the field
becomes 𝒯 = (𝑃𝐸)𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

➢ Since the angle 𝜃 in Fig. 21.31 is the angle between the directions of the vectors 𝑝
and 𝐸, this is reminiscent of the expression for the magnitude of the vector product.

➢ Hence we can write the torque on the dipole in vector form as

𝒯 = 𝑝 ×𝐸
➢ we can use the right-hand rule for the vector product to verify that in the

situation shown in Fig. 21.31, 𝒯 is directed into the page.

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 2.4. Dependence on 𝜃

➢ The torque is greatest when 𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸 are perpendicular and is zero when they are

parallel or antiparallel.

➢ The torque always tends to turn to 𝑝 line it up with 𝐸.

➢ The position 𝜃 = 0 with 𝑝 parallel to 𝐸 is a position of stable equilibrium,

➢ The position 𝜃 = 𝜋 with 𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸 antiparallel, is a position of unstable

equilibrium.

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 3. Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole
3.1. Introduction

➢ When a dipole changes direction in an electric field, the electric-field

torque does work on it, with a corresponding change in potential

energy.
➢ The work done dw by a torque during an infinitesimal displacement is
given by
𝑑𝑊 = 𝒯𝑑𝜃

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 3. Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole
3.2. Derivation

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 Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole
3.2. Derivation

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 Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole
3.2. Derivation

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 Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole
3.3. Explanation
➢ The potential energy has its minimum (most negative) value at the stable
equilibrium position, where 𝜃 = 0 and 𝑝 is parallel to 𝐸.

➢ The potential energy is maximum when 𝜃 = 𝜋 and 𝑝 is antiparallel to 𝐸 then

𝑈 = +𝑝𝐸 .
➢ At 𝜃 = 𝜋/2 where is 𝑝 is perpendicular to 𝐸, U is zero.

➢ We could define differently so that it is zero at some other orientation of 𝑝 but

our definition is simplest.

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 Potential Energy of an Electric Dipole
3.3. Explanation ( Continued….)

➢ In this discussion we have assumed that 𝐸 is uniform, so there is no

net force on the dipole. If 𝐸 is not uniform, the forces at the ends may

not cancel completely, and the net force may not be zero.

➢ Thus a body with zero net charge but an electric dipole moment can

experience a net force in a non uniform electric field.

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 Example 21.13

Figure 21.32a shows an electric dipole in a

uniform electric field of magnitude 5.0 × 105
N/C that is directed parallel to the plane of
the figure. The charges are ±1.6 × 10-19 C;
both lie in the plane and are separated by
0.125 nm = 0.125 × 10-9 m. Find
(a) the net force exerted by the field on the
dipole
(b) the magnitude and direction of the
electric dipole moment;
(c) the magnitude and direction of the
torque; (d) the potential energy of the
system in the position shown.
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 Solution

(a)The field is uniform, so the forces on the two charges are equal and
opposite. Hence the total force on the dipole is zero.
(b) The magnitude of the electric dipole moment is

The direction of is from the negative to the positive charge, 145˚

clockwise from the electric-field direction (Fig. 21.32b).
(c) The magnitude of the torque is

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 Solution
( Continued….)
(c) The magnitude of the torque is

From the right-hand rule for vector products (see Section 1.10), the
direction of the torque is out of the page. This corresponds to a
counterclockwise torque that tends to align
(d) The potential energy

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 Example 21.14

Solution
You have to solve by yourselves.
You may take help from the
recommended book page no. 713.
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 For More reading Visit the Following

➢ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXyR2VaxgYo

➢ “University physics with modern physics” by H.D Young, R.A. Freedman,

13th edition, Pearson. Page 709-712

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