CHAPTER

1 Electric Charges and Fields

Electric Charge Q1 r
Charge is a property of matter due to which two bodies interact x=
Q1 ± Q2
with each other electromagnetically. There are two kinds of
charges- positive and negative. SI unit is coulomb. Charge is x → distance of null point from Q1 charge
quantized and additive. (+) for like charges [null point will be in between Q1 & Q2]
ms (–) for unlike charges [null point will be outside Q1 & Q2
Coulomb’s Law and near weaker charge]
Force between two charges
 Equilibrium of Three Point Charges
1 q1q2 
F= r
4π ∈0 ∈r r 2 X
∈r = dielectric constant of the medium, ∈0 = permittivity of free Q1 q Q2
space r
q1 q2 (i) Q1 & Q2 must be of like nature.
r (ii) q should be of unlike nature.
™ Coulomb’s Law is applicable only for static point charges. Q1 −Q1Q2
= x = r and q
( )
2
Q1 + Q2 Q1 + Q2
Principle of Superposition
Force on a point charge due to many charges is given by Electric Dipole
     
F = F 1 + F 2 + F 3 + ........ 
™ Electric dipole moment p = qd , where d is distance from
The force due to one charge is not affected by the presence negative to positive charge.
™   
of other charges. ™ Torque on dipole placed in a uniform electric field τ= p × E
™ Electric field at a general point due to a dipole.
Electric Field or Electric Field Intensity y E
 Er
 F
E= 
q E
Unit is N/C or V/m.
P

Electric Field due to Point Charge Q r


 F 1 Q 
=E L= im r
q0 → 0 q
0 4 π ∈0 r 2 x
–q +q
Null Point for Two Charges 1 p 1 + 3cos 2 θ
Electric field: E =
r If Q1 > Q2
4π ∈0 r3
Q1
Eθ 1
Q2
⇒ Null point is m ear Q2 Direction: tan =
α = tan θ
Er 2
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 ™ Electric field at an axial point (or End-on) of dipole (v) Lines of force end or start normally at the surface of a con

 1 2p
E= ductor.
4π ∈0 r 3
™ Electric field at an equatorial position (Broad-on) of dipole (vi) If there is no electric field there will be no lines of force.

 1 (− p) (vii) Lines of force per unit area normal to the area at a
E=
4π ∈0 r 3 point represents magnitude of intensity. Crowded lines
Electric Lines of Force represent strong field while distant lines represent weak
Electric lines of electrostatic field have following properties. field.
(i) Imaginary
(viii) Tangent to the line of force at a point in an electric field gives
(ii) Can never cross each other
the direction of Electric Field.
(iii) Can never form closed loops
(iv) The number of lines originating or terminating on a charge Gauss’ Law
is proportional to the magnitude of charge.  
Electric flux: φ = ∫ E.d s

∫ E.d s = ∑ enlosed
  q
Expression for Gauss' Law:
∈0

(Applicable only on closed surface)

qen
Net flux emerging out of a closed surface is
ε0

Name/Type Formula Note Graph

Point charge  kq ™ q is source charge.
E =  2 rˆ 
|r | ™ is vector drawn from source charge
q to the point. E
™ Outwards due to + ve charges and
inwards due to – ve charges.
r
Infinitely long line charge λ ™ l is linear charge density (assumed
rˆ uniform)
2πε0 r
or ™ r is perpendicular distance of point E

from line charge.
2k λ
rˆ r̂ is radial unit vector drawn from the
r ™
r
line charge to the point.
Infinite non-conducting thin sheet σ ™ s is surface charge density. E
nˆ (assumed uniform)
2ε0
™ n̂ is unit normal vector 2 


Infinite conducting thin sheet σ ™ s is surface charge density. E

nˆ (assumed uniform)
ε0
™ n̂ is unit normal vector 0


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 Uniformly charged ring kQx ™ Q is total charge of the ring E
E= Emax.
x = distance of point on the axis from
Q
(R 2
+x )
2 3/ 2 ™
center of the ring. x
Ecentre = 0
R
™ Electric field is always along the axis. 2
(away from ring if Q is +ve, towards
ring if Q is –ve.)
Infinitely large charged σ ™ s is the surface charge density (assumed E
conducting sheet n̂ uniform)
ε0
n̂ is the unit vector perpendicular to the 
™
0
 sheet.
r

Uniformly charged hollow (i) for r ≥ R ™ R is radius of the sphere. E

conducting/non-conducting/ 
 kQ ™ r is vector drawn from center of
solid conducting sphere E =  2 rˆ KQ/R2
|r | sphere to the point.
Q
™ Sphere acts like a point charge placed
(ii) For r < R
at center for points outside the sphere. r
E=0  R
™ E is always along radial direction.

™ Q is total charge (= s4pR2).

(s = surface charge density)
Uniformly charged solid non- (i) for r ≥ R 
™ r is vector drawn from center of E
conducting sphere (insulating  kQ sphere to the point
material) E =  2 rˆ KQ/R2
|r | ™ Sphere acts like a point charge placed at
(ii) for r ≤ R the center of points outside the sphere
Q 
 kQ r E is always along radial direction
r
™
E= rˆ
R
R3  4 
™ Q is total charge  ρ ⋅ πR 3  .
 3 
(r = volume charge density)
™ Inside the sphere E ∝ r .
™ Outside the sphere E ∝ 1/r 2 .

For a charged Long Conducting Cylinder of length L σ

™ Electric field intensity at a point near a charged conductor E =
q ∈0
™ For r ≥ R : E =
2π ∈0 rL σ2
™ Εlectrostatic pressure on a charged conductor, P =
™ For r < R : E = 0 2∈0

q ∈0 2
+ + ™ Energy density in electric field U = E
+ + 2
+ +
+ R +
L + +
+ +
+ +
+ +

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