Electromagnetic Field Theory

(EMFT)

Course In-charge:
Dr.Mirza Salman Baig
Associate Professor(Visiting Faculty)
Email: mirza_salmanbaig@hotmail.com
Contact no.: 0345-2847048
LECTURE 10
 Field of a Sheet of Charge
• Another basic charge configuration is the infinite sheet of
charge having a uniform density of ρ C/m2.
• Let us examine a sheet of charge above,
which is placed in the yz plane.
• The plane can be seen to be assembled from
an infinite number of line charge, extending
along the z axis, from –∞ to +∞.
• For a differential width strip dy’, the line
charge density is given by ρ = ρ dy’.
• The component dEz at P is zero, because the
differential segments above and below the y
axis will cancel each other.
• The component dEy at P is also zero, because
the differential segments to the right and to
the left of z axis will cancel each
other.
• Only dEx is present, and this component is a function of x alone.
• The contribution of a strip to Ex at P is given by:
•  s dy
dEx  cos 
2 0 x  y
2 2

s xdy

2 0 x 2  y2
• We now introduce a unit vector aN, which is normal to the sheet and directed away from it.

• The field of a sheet of charge is constant in magnitude and direction. It is not a function of distance.
• The charge-distribution family is now complete: point (Q), line (ρ ),
surface (ρ ), and volume (ρ ).
Electromagnetic Field Theory
(EMFT)

Course In-charge:
Dr.Mirza Salman Baig
Associate Professor(Visiting Faculty)
Email: mirza_salmanbaig@hotmail.com
Contact no.: 0345-2847048
LECTURE 11
 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Faraday’s Experiment
• 1837, the director of the Royal Society in London, Michael
Faraday, discussed the effect of various insulating materials on
static electric fields.
• He had a pair of concentric metallic spheres constructed
• The outer one consisting of two hemispheres that could be firmly
clamped together.
• He also prepared shells of insulating material (or dielectric
material, or simply dielectric) that would occupy the entire volume
between the concentric spheres.
 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Faraday’s Experiment
• His experiment, consisted of the following steps:
1. Equipment dismantled  the inner sphere was given a known
positive charge.
2. The hemispheres were then clamped together around the charged
sphere with about 2 cm of dielectric material between them.
3. The outer sphere was discharged by connecting it momentarily to
ground.
4. The outer sphere was separated carefully, using tools made of
insulating material in order not to disturb the induced charge on it, and
the negative induced charge on each hemisphere was measured.
 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Experimental Findings
• outer sphere was equal in magnitude to the original charge
placed on the inner sphere
• and that this was true regardless of the dielectric material
separating the two spheres.
• there was some sort of “displacement” from the inner
sphere to the outer which was independent of the
medium, and we now refer to this flux as displacement,
displacement flux, or simply electric flux.
 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Experimental Findings
• a larger positive charge on the inner sphere induced a
correspondingly larger negative charge on the outer sphere
• leading to a direct proportionality between the electric flux and the
charge on the inner sphere
• If electric flux is denoted by ψ (psi) and the total charge on the inner
sphere by Q , then for Faraday’s experiment

• electric flux is measured in coulombs.

 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Experimental Findings
• considering an inner sphere of radius a and an outer sphere of
radius b, with charges of Q and -Q , respectively
• The paths of electric flux extending from the inner sphere to the
outer sphere are indicated by the symmetrically distributed
streamlines drawn radially from one sphere to the other.
• At the surface of the inner sphere, coulombs of electric flux are
produced by the charge Q(= ψ) Cs distributed uniformly over a
surface having an area of
 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Experimental Findings
• The density of the flux at this surface is
• Electric flux density, measured in coulombs per square meter
(sometimes described as “lines per square meter,”), is given the letter
D,
• The electric flux density D is a vector field
 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Experimental Findings
• The direction of D at a point is the direction of the flux lines at
that point,
• the magnitude is given by the number of flux lines crossing a
surface normal to the lines divided by the surface area.
• the electric flux density is in the radial direction and has a value of

• and at a radial distance r , where a ≤ r ≤ b,

 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Experimental Findings
• If we now let the inner sphere become smaller and smaller, while
still retaining a charge of Q , it becomes a point charge in the limit,
but the electric flux density at a point r meters from the point
charge is still given by

• Compare with the previous chapter the radial electric field

intensity of a point charge in free space
 ELECTRIC FLUX DENSITY
Experimental Findings
• therefore, in free space following relation applies
• For a general volume charge distribution in free space
 Problem
Find the electric flux density at a point having a distance 3 m from a
uniform line charge of 8 nC/m lying along the z axis in free space.
• Solution:

• For the value ρ = 3 m,

Electromagnetic Field Theory
(EMFT)

Course In-charge:
Dr.Mirza Salman Baig
Associate Professor(Visiting Faculty)
Email: mirza_salmanbaig@hotmail.com
Contact no.: 0345-2847048
LECTURE 12
 Gauss’s Law

• The results of Faraday’s experiments with the concentric spheres could

be summed up as an experimental law by stating that the electric flux
passing through any imaginary spherical surface lying between the two
conducting spheres is equal to the charge enclosed within that
imaginary surface.

• Faraday’s experiment can be generalized to the following statement,

which is known as Gauss’s Law:
• “The electric flux passing through any closed surface is equal to the
total charge enclosed by that surface.”
• Imagine a distribution of charge, shown as a cloud of point
charges, surrounded by a closed surface of any shape.
•

• If the total charge is Q, the Q coulombs of electric flux will pass

through the enclosing surface.
• At every point on the surface the electric-flux-density vector D
will have some value DS (subscript S means that D must be
evaluated at the surface).
• ΔS defines an incremental element of area with magnitude of
ΔS and the direction normal to the plane, or tangent to the
surface at the point in question.
• At any point P, where DS makes an angle θ with ΔS, then the
flux crossing ΔS is the product of the normal components of
DS and ΔS.
• We can formulate the Gauss’s law mathematically as:

• The charge enclosed meant by the formula above might

be several point charges, a line charge, a surface charge, or
a volume charge distribution.