University Physics II

PHYS 212

Lecture 3

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 1

 The Electric Field
• So far we have thought of the electric Force between
two stationary charges
• Suppose one charge were moving, how would the
second charge know that the first charge has moved?
• What if there were other charges, how would one
charge know about the extra charges?
• To deal with these situations, one introduces the
concept of a Field
– A field is a physical entity that extends throughout a
volume of space and exerts forces.
– Electric field = E(x,t)
– Magnetic field = B(x,t)

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 2

 The Electric Field (2)
• A charge creates an electric
field around itself and the other Electric field at a given
charge feels that field. point in space: place a
positive test charge q at
the point and measure
the electrostatic force
that acts on the test
+ + charge; then
Test charge q 
 F
E
q
Test charge: point object
with a very small positive
charge so that it does not
modify the original field

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 3

 The Electric Field (3)
• A field is not just an abstract concept that we use to
describe forces. The field is real.
• The electric field extends throughout space and
exerts forces on charged particles.
• If we place a positive point charge in an electric field,
there will be a vector force on that charge in the
direction of the electric field
– The magnitude of the force depends on the strength of the
electric field.
Field theory versus “action at a distance.”

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 4

 Precise Definition of Electric Field
• We define the electric field in terms of the force it
exerts on a positive point charge 
 F
E 
q
• Unit of the electric field:
N/C (Newtons per Coulomb)
• We can then write
  
F  qE ( x )
• Note that the electric force is parallel to the
electric field and is proportional to the charge
– The force on a negative charge will be in the opposite
direction

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 5

 Example – Field of a point charge
• What is the field created by a point charge q?

• Consider a “test charge” q0 at point x.

Force on q0:
•
 qq0
F  k 2 r̂
• 
Electric field at x:
r


  F q
E (x )   k 2 rˆ
q0 r

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 6

 Superposition of Electric Fields
• Suppose we have many charges.

• The electric field at any point in space will have contributions

from all the charges.

• The electric field at any point in space is the superposition of

the electric field from n charges is
    
E  E1  E2  E3  ...  En (vectors!)
• Note that the superposition applies to each component of
the field (x, y, z).

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 7

 Electric Field Lines
• We can represent the electric field graphically by electric field
lines — i.e., curves that represent the vector force exerted on
a positive test charge.
• Electric field lines will originate on positive charges and
terminate on negative charges.
• Electric field lines do not cross.
  F ( x ) 
– Why? E(x) 
q
and F is unique

• The electric force at a given point in space is tangent to the

electric field line through that point.

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 8

 Properties of Field Lines
• The strength of the electric field is represented by the density of
electric field lines
Weak

Strong

• The direction of the electric field is tangent to the electric field lines

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 9

 Field Lines from a Point Charge
• The electric field lines from a
point charge extend out radially
3D
• For a positive point charge, the
field lines point outward
– Terminate at infinity
• For a negative charge, the field
lines point inward
– Originate at infinity
2D

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 10

 Electric Field Lines for Two Point Charges
• We can use the superposition principle to calculate the electric field
from two point charges.
• The field lines will originate from the positive charge and terminate
on the negative charge.

3d 2d

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 11

 Electric Field Lines (2)

- +

What is the direction of the E field at points halfway

between two identical charges?
Use superposition principle:

  
E net  E   E 

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 12

Electric field lines from two identical point charges

  
E net  E   E 
January 19, 2020 University Physics II 13
 General Observations about Field Lines
• If the field lines connect, we have an
attractive force
– Imagine the charges pulling on each other
• If the field lines seem to spread out, we
have a repulsive force
– Imagine the charges pushing each other apart

 Field lines always originate on

positive charge and terminate on
negative charge
 Field lines never cross

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 14

 Quiz: Identify the charges
• Which charges in the figure are positive?
3
1
2
• A: 1, 2, 3
• B: 4, 5, 6
• C: 2, 3, 5
• D: 1, 4, 6 4
• E: All are positive
• F: Not enough info
6
5

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 15

 Quiz: Identify the charges
• Identify the charges in the following
configuration

A. G, H, I are negative
B. G, H are positive, I is negative
C. G, H, I are positive
D. All we can say is that all charges have the same sign
January 19, 2020 University Physics II 16
 Electric Field Lines
• Visualization of electric field lines

Grass seeds
The charge of grass seeds is
Coulomb redistributed by induction.
force The Coulomb force makes the
seeds align along the field
+ lines.

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 17

 Electric Field from a Point Charge
• Suppose we have two charges, q and q0, 1qq0
separated by a distance r. The electric F
force between the two charges is 4 0 r 2

• We can consider q0 to be a test charge, F 1 q

and determine the electric field from E 
q0 4 0 r 2
charge q as

F1,x  F2,x  ...  Fn,x

• The electric field is a vector, so to add Ex 
q0
electric fields we must add the
components separately F1,y  F2,y  ...  Fn,y
Ex 
q0
January 19, 2020 University Physics II 18
 Electric field from 4 point charges (1)
• Four charges q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC,
q3 = 20 nC and q4 = -10 nC form a square of edge
length 5 cm. What electric field do the particles
produce at the square center?

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 19

 Problem solving strategy
• Research has shown that experts in all fields use similar
problem solving strategies
1. THINK
Read the problem carefully. Ask yourself what quantities are known, what quantities
might be useful but are unknown, and what quantities are asked for in the
solution.
2. SKETCH
Make a sketch of the physical situation to help you visualize the problem.
3. RESEARCH
Write down the physical principles or laws that apply to this problem. Use equations
representing these principles that connect the known and unknown quantities to
each other.
4. SIMPLIFY
Do not plug in numbers yet! Instead, simplify your result algebraically as much as
possible.
5. CALCULATE
Put in the numbers with units and calculate your answer.
6. ROUND
Look at the number of significant figures that you want to quote for your result.
7. DOUBLE-CHECK
Step back and look at the result. Judge for yourself if the answer (both the number
and the units) seems realistic.
January 19, 2020 University Physics II 20
 Electric field from 4 point charges (1)
• Four charges q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC,
q3 = 20 nC and q4 = -10 nC form a square
of edge length 5 cm. What electric field
do the particles produce at the square center?
• THINK
• Each of the four charges produces an electric field at the center of the square
• We can use the principle of superposition to calculate the electric field at the
center of the square
– The electric field at the center of the square is the vector sum of the electric field
from each charge

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 21

 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (2)
• SKETCH
• We can draw a sketch of the four charges
placed on the corner of a square
• We define an x-y coordinate system
as shown
– We place q2 and q3 on the x axis
– We place q1 and q4 on the y axis
– The center of the square is at x = y = 0

• We define the side of the square

– a = 5 cm

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 22

 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (3)
 RESEARCH
q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
 The electric field at the center of the q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
square is given by the principle of
superposition
    
E center  E 1  E 2  E 3  E 4

 Which implies
Ecenter,x  E1,x  E2,x  E3,x  E4,x
Ecenter,y  E1,y  E2,y  E3,y  E4,y

 All four charges are the same distance r

from the center of the square
2a a
r 
2 2

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 23

 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (4)
 The electric field component from each
charge at the center of the square is q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
given by q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
qi
Ei  k 2
r

 SIMPLIFY
 Start with the x-components of the
electric field at the center of the
square
E center,x  E 1,x  E 2,x  E 3,x  E 4,x
 q2 q3
E center,x  k 2   xˆ   k 2  xˆ 
r r
k
E center,x  2 q 3  q 2 
r
January 19, 2020 University Physics II 24
 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (5)
 Now the y-components of the electric
field at the center of the square q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
E center,y  E 1, y  E 2, y  E 3, y  E 4, y q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
 q1 q4
E center,y  k 2   y   k 2  yˆ 
ˆ
r r
k
E center,y  2 q 4  q1 
r
 The magnitude of the electric field at
the center of the square is then

Ecenter  Ecenter,x
2
 Ecenter,y
2

k 2k
Ecenter  2
r
q3  q2   q4  q1 
2 2
 2
a
q3  q2   q4  q1 
2 2

 a a2 
 remembering that r  2 and r  2 
2

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 25

 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (6)
 The angle of the electric field at the
center of the square is q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
 Ecenter,y 
  tan  1

 Ecenter,x 
 k 
2  4 1
q  q
r 
  tan 1  
k
2  3
 q  q2 
r 
1  q4  q1 
  tan 
 q3  q2 

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 26

 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (7)
 CALCULATE
q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
 Putting in our numerical values we get q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC

2k
Ecenter  2 q3  q2   q4  q1 
2 2

a
q3  q2   20 nC  -20 nC   40 nC  40 10 9 C
q4  q1   10 nC  10 nC  20 nC  20 10 9 C
 Nm 2

2  8.99  10 9

 C2 
40 10   
9 2 9 2
Ecenter  C  20 10 C
0.050 m  2

Ecenter  321636.0179 N/C

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 27

 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (8)
 For the direction of the field we get
q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
 q4  q1  q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
  tan  1

 q  q 
3 2

 10  10 
  tan  1
  tan 1
0.5 
 20  20 
  26.56505118

 ROUND
 We report our results to two significant
figures

Ecenter  3.2 10 5 N/C

  27
January 19, 2020 University Physics II 28
 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (9)
 DOUBLE-CHECK
q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
 Our units of N/C are correct q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
 What would the field be due to q1?

 Nm 2

kq1  8.99  10 9
2 
C 

10 10 9
C 
Eq1  2 
r 0.05 m  2

Eq1  3.6 10 4 N/C

 Which is less than the field from our

four charges, so pretty good

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 29

 Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (10)
 What about the angle?
q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC

E3  x
E2

 
E4 E1   27 
Ecenter

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 30

 Quiz: Electric field lines
• Consider the four field patterns shown. Assuming
there are no charges in the regions shown, which of
the patterns represent(s) a possible electric field?

A) only (a)
B) only (b)
C) (b) and (d)
D) (a) and (c)
E) (b) and (c)
F) None of the above.

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 31

 Quiz: Electric field lines
• Consider the four field patterns shown. Assuming
there are no charges in the regions shown, which of
the patterns represent(s) a possible electric field?

B) only (b)
field lines only start
or end at charges
and cannot go
in circles

January 19, 2020 University Physics II 32