L5: Electric Potential

& Taylor Series Expansions

Poisson Equation

Pre-Reading:
Ch 2.3.1, 2.4.1

Reminder:

TA office hours
Thursday 1-2 pm, Hebb drop-in centre
 Electric Potential from Vector Calculus
Perspective

• Gauss’ Law tells us the divergence of a

charged body is non-zero

• What about the curl?


Ñ´E = 0!
in electrostatics
 Clicker: Superposition of potential

Superposition can be applied to force and

fields. Can superposition be applied to
electric potential V?

A. Yes
B. No
C. Sometimes
 We usually choose V(r  ∞) ≡ 0 when
calculating the potential of a point charge to be
V(r) = +κq/r. How does the potential V(r)
change if we choose our reference point to be
V(R)=0 where R is closer to +q than r.

+q
R r ∞

A V(r) is positive but smaller than kq/r

B V(r) is positive but larger than kq/r
C V(r) is negative
D V(r) doesn’t change (V is independent of
choice of reference)
 
E(r) = -ÑV (r )
r  
V (r) º - ò E(r ') · dr '
origin

Could this be a plotr of |E|(r)? Or V(r)?

(for SOME physical situation?)

A) Could be E(r), or V(r)

B) Could be E(r), but can't be V(r)
C) Can't be E(r), could be V(r)
D) Can't be either E) ???
 +Q +Q

A B

Two isolated spherical shells of charge,

labeled A and B, are far apart and each has
charge Q. Sphere B is bigger than sphere A.
Which shell has higher voltage? [V(r=) = 0]

A) Sphere A B) Sphere B
C) Both have same voltage.
 Clicker

The potential is constant everywhere along in some

region of space. You can conclude that:
A. The E-field has a constant magnitude in that space.
B. The E-field is zero in that space.
C. You can conclude nothing at all about the
magnitude of E along that line.
 Clicker

The potential is zero at some point in space.

You can conclude that:
A. The E-field is zero at that point
B. The E-field is non-zero at that point
C. You can conclude nothing at all about the E-
field at that point
 Summary
r

Def of potential: V (r) º - ò E(r ') · dr '
r0

1 r (r')
How do you compute it: V (r) =
4pe 0
òòò Â
dt '

What good is it? 

E(r) = -ÑV (r )

Where did it come from? Ñ ´ E(r) = 0
A uniformly charged ring, in the xy plane,
centered on the origin, has radius a and total
charge Q. V(r =) = 0.
What is the voltage at z on the z-axis?

z kQ kQ
A) B)
a z
kQ kQ
C) D) 2 2
a 2 + z2 a +z
a
E) None of these
A uniformly charged ring, in the xy plane,
centered on the origin, has radius a and total
charge Q. V(r =) = 0.
What is the voltage at z on the z-axis?

z kQ kQ
A) B)
a z
Â
kQ kQ
C) D) 2 2
a 2 + z2 a +z
a
dq
E) None of these
 Excercise
Find the electric potential at point P at distance z
above a charged DISC, surface charge density σ.

Strategy:
z 1. Draw a coordinate system,
Identify variables
1 r (r')
V (r) =
4pe 0
òòò Â
dt '
2. Find R
a
3. Write down the integral and
compute

(5 min)
 Taylor Series in Physics

• Often used to approximate solutions- ex. “When the

problem says “limits of far away”, “limits of nearby”, etc.”

• Taylor’s Theorem states that most functions (including

the ones in this class) can be expressed as an infinite

sum of polynomials f (x) = å c (x - a)n
n
n=0
f (n) (a)
where the cn are given by cn =
n!
and f(n) denotes the nth derivative of the function f.

• Most problems in physics use Taylor series that have

been tabulated and can be looked up: ex, sin(x), ln(1+x)
 Taylor Series FAQs
Why use Taylor Series?
– Polynomials are nice - we can easily take their derivatives or
manipulate them algebraically, so replacing a complicated
function by the first few terms in its Taylor series often
greatly simplifies a problem

How many terms do you usually need to keep in your series?

– It depends, but typically the first 2 or 3 terms.

When does it fail?

– Function with undefined derivatives at point of interest
 Recall…
We found the electric potential at point P at
distance z above a charged DISC, surface charge
density σ.

z
How does the potential near a
charged disc behave when
|z|>>R?

(5 min)
Potential far away from disc:
 Taylor expansion - Another Approach

How does the potential near a charged disc behave

when |z|>>R?

We are specifically expanding a function of the form (1+x)1/2

around zero, so the Taylor Expansion of a function of this
form is the binomial theorem,

So for us
 Recall…
We found the electric potential at point P at
distance z above a charged DISC, surface charge
density σ.

z
How does the potential near a
charged disc behave when
|z|<<R?

(5 min)
Potential close to disc:
Summary:
 Poisson’s Equation

We have:

r
First two combined: Ñ V = -
2

e0
In general, this is known as Poisson’s equation
When ρ=0, Laplace’s Equation
• Homework 2 will appear shortly on Canvas,
due in two weeks

• Next week:
More on the solutions of the Poisson
equation, Boundary conditions, Conductors
Tutorial 3