.12.

2 Electric Field

Electric Field is a region where an electric charge experiences a force.

a) Field pattern for an isolated point charge:

An electric dipole is a positive charge and a negative charge, of the same magnitude,
separated by a distance.

b) Field pattern for electric dipole:

c) Field pattern for a uniformity charged surface:

Electric Field Strength, E

Definition: Electric field strength is defined as the force per unit charge.

; F= Electric force , Q= source charge

a) Electric field strength is a vector.
b) Unit of E is .

; Point charge,
By substitute the point charge F,

;for point charge

Conclusion: Electric field strength, E depends on source charge, Q and
distance from the source charge, r.

Example:
1. What is the magnitude of the electric field strength when an electron
experiences a 5.0N force? (3.13x10^19 N/C)

2. There is a negative charged particle of 0.32C in the free space.

(a) What are the magnitude and direction of the electric field 2.0m away
from the particle? (7.2x10^8 N/C toward the negative charge)
(b) What are the magnitude and direction of the electric force when an
electron is placed 2.0m away from this particle? (1.15X10^-10 N away from
negative charge)

3. What are the magnitude and direction of the electric field 1.5m away
from a positive charge of 2.1x10^-9 C? (8.4 N/C away from the positive
charge)

Motion of a Charged Particle in a Uniform Electric Field

Figure shows a particle of mass m and charge q in a uniform electric field

between two charged parallel plates.

There is a force acting on the charge in the

direction of the electric field E which
causes the particle to move in a straight line parallel to the electric field and
accelerate in the direction of E.

Force acting on the charge, F=ma=qE

Acceleration, a=qE/m

A negatively charged particle will experiences deceleration, a= -qE/m

When a positively charged particle entering a uniform electric field E with

velocity v at right angles to the field, there is a constant force F=qE pulling
the particle downward.

The horizontal component of velocity remains constant as v, but the vertical

component of velocity increases.

The path of the particle inside the electric field is a parabola.

Example:
 1. Two point charges of +2.0µC and -5.0µC are separated by a distance
of 6.0cm. Find the electric field at the midpoint between the two
charges. (E=6.99×10^7 N/C)

2. Point charges are fixed at the four corners of a square as shown in

Diagram (a) and Diagram (b). Copy each of the diagram and show
the direction of the resultant electric field E at the centre O of the
square.

Exercise:
1. An electric dipole consists of charges +5.0µC and -5.0µC are
separated by a distance of 2.0×10^-8 m. Calculate the electric field at
a point 4.0×10^-8 m from the charges and on the perpendicular
bisector of the line joining the two charges. (E=1.40×10^19 N/C)

2. Two parallel electrodes X and Y are separated by a distance of 1.80

cm. The electric field between the electrodes is 2.40×10^4 N/C.
Electrons are emitted with negligible velocity from electrode X.
(a) What is the force on an electron due to the electric field?
(3.84×10^-15 N)
(b)Calculate
(i) the acceleration of the electron in the electric field.
(4.22×10^15 m/s^2)
(ii) the velocity of the electron when it reaches electrode Y.
(1.23×10^17 m/s)
(iii) the time taken by the electron to travel from electrode X to
Y.
(2.93×10^-19 s)
(Charge of electron= -1.60 ×10^-19 C, mass of electron= 9.11×10^-31 kg)
3. The figure below shows an electron entering a uniform electric field with
a horizontal speed of 1.20×10^7 m/s. The two parallel charged plates which
are 4.0 cm apart have a potential difference of 300 V. The length of each
plate is 6.0 cm.

Calculate
(a)The time taken by the electron to traverse the electric field,
(5.0×10^-9 s)
(b)The force on the electron inside the electric field,
(1.2×10^-15 N)
(c) The acceleration of the electron inside the electric field,
(1.32×10^15 m/s^2)
(d) The vertical velocity of the electron at B.
(6.6×10^6 m/s^2)
(e) The vertical displacement of the electron when it emerges from the
electric field at B,
(1.65×10^-2 m)
(f) The actual velocity of the electron when it emerges from the electric
field.
(v=1.37×10^7 m/s , θ=28.8°)