LECTURE 4

Electric Field Lines;

Electric Dipole Moment

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Objectives

Given the electric field lines, deduce the electric Determine the motion and/or stability of an
field vectors and nature of electric field sources electric dipole in a uniform electric field
ELECTRIC FIELD LINES
An electric field line is an imaginary line or curve drawn through a
region of space.
Its tangent at any point is in the direction of the electric-field vector at
that point.

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ELECTRIC FIELD LINES
It is not the same as trajectories.

Field lines never intersect.

At any particular point, the electric field has a unique

direction.

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ELECTRIC FIELD LINES

A single positive charge

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ELECTRIC FIELD LINES

Two equal and opposite charges (a dipole)

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ELECTRIC FIELD LINES

Two equal positive charges

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ELECTRIC FIELD LINES (CHARGE DISTRIBUTIONS)

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ELECTRIC FIELD LINES

E E
Weaker
Electric Field
Stronger
Electric Field

Electric Field Lines

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RULES ON DRAWING FIELD LINES
1. No field lines should intersect.
2. A field line must begin from the positive charge and end
at the negative charge.
3. The number of field lines, arising from, or emerging to, is
proportional to the magnitude of charge.
4. At the region very far away from the system of charges,
that system must look like a single charged particle.

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EXAMPLE
Which of the following is a possible set of electric field lines?

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EXAMPLE
Which of the following is a possible set of electric field lines?
Wrong. Electric field CORRECT.
lines cannot both begin
from and end to the
same charge (only one
or the other).

Wrong. Electric field

Wrong. Electric field lines must begin from
lines are always and end to a charge.
continuous. (Electric field lines do
not close in on itself)

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EXAMPLE
Given charges +Q and -2Q, which of the following diagrams shows a
correct representation of the electric field lines?

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 EXAMPLE
Given charges +Q and -2Q, which of the following diagrams shows a
correct representation of the electric field lines?

Field lines begin from

+Q and end at -2Q. The
field lines pointing
towards -2Q must be
twice the field lines
pointing away from +Q.

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EXAMPLE
The illustration shows the electric field lines due
to three point charges. The electric field is
strongest
A. where the field lines are closest together.
B. where the field lines are farthest apart.
C. where adjacent field lines are parallel.
D. none of the above

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 EXAMPLE
The illustration shows the electric field lines due
to three point charges. The electric field is
strongest
A. where the field lines are closest together.
B. where the field lines are farthest apart.
C. where adjacent field lines are parallel.
D. none of the above
Electric field line density represents the strength of the
electric field; Denser electric field lines (field lines are
closer together) represents stronger electric field.

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ELECTRIC DIPOLE
A pair of charges that are equal in magnitude and
have opposite signs.
These charges are separated by a small distance d.

–q +q
d

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ELECTRIC DIPOLE
We define the electric dipole 𝑝Ԧ
moment as –q +q
𝑝Ԧ𝑒 = 𝑞 𝑑Ԧ 𝑑Ԧ
directed from (-) to (+)
◦ 𝑑: Distance between two charges
◦ 𝑞: Magnitude of electric charge

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ELECTRIC DIPOLE
In a uniform external electric field:
𝐹Ԧ𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹Ԧ+ + 𝐹Ԧ− = 0
+ F
Torque: 𝜏Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ × 𝐹Ԧ = rF sin 𝜃
◦ Torque due to 𝐹Ԧ+ ∶
𝑑
𝑞𝐸 sin 𝜃 θ
2
◦ Torque due to 𝐹− ∶ 𝑑
𝑞𝐸 sin 𝜃 F –
2

Magnitude of torque: 𝑞𝐸𝑑 sin 𝜃

Direction of torque: ⨂, into the page*
*use right-hand rule (RHR)

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ELECTRIC DIPOLE

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ELECTRIC DIPOLE
After applying torque to the dipole, it will align itself
along the direction of the electric field.
The electric field does work on the dipole in order for
it to rotate.

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ELECTRIC DIPOLE
𝜏 = 𝑝𝐸 sin 𝜙
𝜙: angle between 𝑝Ԧ and 𝐸
𝑝 = 𝑞𝑑

𝝉 = 𝒑 × 𝑬 (torque in vector form)

Remark: The torque, 𝜏,Ԧ always tends to turn the electric dipole
moment, 𝑝,
Ԧ to align it with the direction of electric field, 𝐸.

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POTENTIAL ENERGY OF AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE

𝑈 = −𝑝Ԧ ⋅ 𝐸
(vector form)

𝑈 = −𝑝𝐸 cos 𝜙
(trigonometric form)

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EQUILIBRIUM AND STABILITY 𝑬
Case 1. Stable equilibrium
◦ 𝜙 = 0∘
𝒑
◦ 𝑝Ԧ is parallel to 𝐸
◦ 𝑈 = −𝑝𝐸 (min. potential energy)

Case 2. Unstable equilibrium

◦ 𝜙 = 180∘ or 𝜋
◦ 𝑝Ԧ is anti-parallel to 𝐸 𝑬
◦ 𝑈 = +𝑝𝐸 (max. potential energy)
𝒑

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EXAMPLE
Three point charges lie at the vertices of an equilateral
triangle as shown. Charges #2 and #3 make up an electric Charge #2
dipole.
+q
1. The net electric torque that Charge #1 exerts on the
dipole is:
Charge #1
a) clockwise. c) zero.
+q
b) counterclockwise. d) not enough information
2. The net electric force that Charge #1 exerts on the y
dipole is in:
–q
a) the +x-direction. d) the –y-direction. Charge #3
b) the –x-direction. e) none of the above x
c) the +y-direction.

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EXAMPLE
Three point charges lie at the vertices of an equilateral
triangle as shown. Charges #2 and #3 make up an electric Charge #2
dipole. +q F1on2
1. The net electric torque that Charge #1 exerts on the
dipole is: Charge #1
+q
a) clockwise. c) zero.
b) counterclockwise. d) not enough information y
F1on3
Charge #1 repels charge #2 and attracts charge #3. Because of these forces, the –q
electric dipole (made up of charges #2 and #3) will move clockwise in charge Charge #3
#1’s presence. x

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EXAMPLE
Three point charges lie at the vertices of an equilateral
triangle as shown. Charges #2 and #3 make up an electric Charge #2
dipole. +q F1on2
2. The net electric force that Charge #1 exerts on the dipole
is in: Charge #1
+q
a) the +x-direction. d) the –y-direction.
b) the –x-direction. e) none of the above y
c) the +y-direction. F1on3
–q
Charge #1 repels charge #2 and attracts charge #3. Because of these forces, the Charge #3
x
electric dipole (made up of charges #2 and #3) will move clockwise in charge
#1’s presence. In addition, a net-force directed to the +y direction is exerted on
the dipole (imagine both charges #2 and #3 as components of one bigger point Fnet
charge → the dipole) as shown on the right.
F1on3 F1on2

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QUIZ 4
The figure shows an electric dipole in a
uniform electric field that is directed
parallel to the plane of the figure. The
charges both lie in the plane.

1. What is the direction of the electric

dipole moment (refer to the +x-axis) (2
pts)
2. What is the direction of the torque?
(1pt) How will the dipole rotate? (1pt)

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