LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES – LAGUNA

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING PROGRAM

ELEN43E - ELECTROMAGNETICS

Electric Dipole

Ronel V. Vidal, PECE

ronel_vidal@lpl.edu.ph
 Electric Dipole

• formed when two point charges of equal

magnitude but opposite sign are separated by
a small distance z P
R1

+Q R
R2
d
y

–Q
x
• Consider the dipole shown in the figure below.
• The potential at point P(R,, ):
Q 1 1 Q  R2  R1 
V      z
4 o  R1 R2  4 o  R1R2  P
• Where: R1
R1 & R2 – distances between P and
+Q and P and –Q , respectively +Q R
• If R >> d,
d,  R2
d
R2 – R1  d cos  y
R2R1  R2
–Q d cos 
• The potential x
becomes:
Q d cos 
V
4 o R 2
 Electric Dipole

• Since d cos   d  a R , where d  d a z , & the

dipole moment is p  Qd ; the potential V may
be written as:
p  aR
V
4 o R 2

• If dipole center is not at the origin but at R’:

p  a ( R  R ')
V 2
4 o R  R'
 Sample Problems

• Two dipoles with dipole moments  5a z nC  m

and 9a z nC  m are located at points
(0,, 0,
(0 0,––2) and (0, 0, 3)
3), respectively. Find the
potential at the origin.
origin.
• An electric dipole at the origin has a dipole
moment p  0.1a z nC  m . Find V at:
– (0, 0, 5) m
– (2, 1, 3) m
 Sample Problems

• A dipole of moment p  4a x  5a y  3a z nC  m

is located at P(1, 2,–
2,–1) in free space. Find V at:
– P1(0, 0, 0)
– P2(1, 2, 0)
– P3(1, 2,–
2,–2)
– P4(2, 6, 1)
 Sample Problems

• A dipole having a moment

p  10a x  3a y  5a z nC  m is located at
Q(2, 4, 1) in free space
– find V at P(x, y, z)
– find V at N(5, 1, 0)
 Sample Problems

• Point charges of 11C and –1 C are located at

(0, 0, 0.5) and (0, 0,–
0,–0.5), in that order.
Treating these two charges as a dipole at the
origin, calculate:
– V at P(3, 0, 4)
– V at N(8, 0,–
0,–6)
END

Ronel V. Vidal, PECE