Visualization of Electric Fields

• An electric field (like any vector field) can be

visualized using flux lines (also called streamlines
or lines of force).
• A flux line is drawn such that it is everywhere
tangent to the electric field.
• A quiver plot is a plot of the field lines
constructed by making a grid of points. An arrow
whose tail is connected to the point indicates the
direction and magnitude of the field at that point.

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
Visualization of Electric Potentials
• The scalar electric potential can be visualized
using equipotential surfaces.
• An equipotential surface is a surface over which V
is a constant.
• Because the electric field is the negative of the
gradient of the electric scalar potential, the
electric field lines are everywhere normal to the
equipotential surfaces and point in the direction
of decreasing potential.

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric (Displacement) Flux Density

• The density of electric displacement is the electric

(displacement) flux density, D.
• In free space the relationship between flux density and
electric field is

D  0 E

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric (Displacement) Flux Density
(Cont’d)
• The electric (displacement) flux density for a
point charge centered at the origin is

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Gauss’s Law
• Gauss’s law states that “the net electric flux
emanating from a close surface S is equal to
the total charge contained within the
volume V bounded by that surface.”


S
D  d s  Qencl

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

S By convention, ds
ds
is taken to be outward
V from the volume V.

Since volume charge

density is the most
Qencl   qev dv general, we can always write
V Qencl in this way.

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Applications of Gauss’s Law
• Gauss’s law is an integral equation for the
unknown electric flux density resulting from a
given charge distribution.

known

S
D  d s  Qencl
unknown

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Applications of Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)
• In general, solutions to integral equations
must be obtained using numerical techniques.
• However, for certain symmetric charge
distributions closed form solutions to Gauss’s
law can be obtained.

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Applications of Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)
• Closed form solution to Gauss’s law relies on
our ability to construct a suitable family of
Gaussian surfaces.
• A Gaussian surface is a surface to which the
electric flux density is normal and over which
equal to a constant value.

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
Electric Flux Density of a Point Charge
Using Gauss’s Law
Consider a point charge at the origin:

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Point Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(1) Assume from symmetry the form of the field

D  aˆ r Dr r 
spherical
symmetry

(2) Construct a family of Gaussian surfaces

spheres of radius r where
0r 
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Point Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(3) Evaluate the total charge within the volume

enclosed by each Gaussian surface

Qencl   qev dv
V

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
Electric Flux Density of a Point Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

Gaussian surface

Qencl  Q

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Point Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(4) For each Gaussian surface, evaluate the

integral

S
 D  d s  DS surface area
of Gaussian
surface.
magnitude of D
on Gaussian
surface.

 D  d s  D r  4 r
2
r
S
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Point Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(5) Solve for D on each Gaussian surface

Qencl
D
S

Q D Q
D  aˆ r  E  aˆ r
4 r 2
0 4 0 r 2

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law
Consider a spherical shell of uniform charge density:

 q0 , a  r  b
qev  
a
0, otherwise
b

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(1) Assume from symmetry the form of the field

D  aˆ r Dr R 
(2) Construct a family of Gaussian surfaces
spheres of radius r where
0r 
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)
• Here, we shall need to treat separately 3 sub-
families of Gaussian surfaces:

1) 0r a
2) ar b
a
3) r b
b

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)
Gaussian surfaces
for which
0r a

Gaussian surfaces
for which
ar b
Gaussian surfaces
for which
r b
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(3) Evaluate the total charge within the volume

enclosed by each Gaussian surface

Qencl   qev dv
V

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)
• For
0r a Qencl  0
• For
ar b
r
4 3 4
Qencl   q0 dv  q0  r  q0  a 3

a
3 3
4
 q0  r 3  a 3
3
 
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)
• For
r b
b
4 3 4
Qencl   qev dv  q0  b  q0  a 3

a
3 3
4

 q0  b 3  a 3
3


Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(4) For each Gaussian surface, evaluate the

integral

S
 D  d s  DS surface area
of Gaussian
surface.
magnitude of D
on Gaussian
surface.

 D  d s  D r  4 r
2
r
S
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(5) Solve for D on each Gaussian surface

Qencl
D
S

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)


0, 0r a

 q 0
4
3

 r 3
 a3
q0  a 3
D  aˆ r  aˆ r  r  2 , ar b
 4 r 2
3 r 
 4

 q0  b  a
3
3
q b 3
 a 3

aˆ r 3  aˆ 0
, r b
 4 r 2 r 2
3 r

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

• Notice that for r > b

Total charge contained

in spherical shell
Qtot
D  aˆ r
4 r 2

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
Electric Flux Density of a Spherical Shell of
Charge Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)
0.7

0.6

0.5 q0  1 C/m 3
a 1m
Dr (C/m)

0.4

0.3
b2m
0.2

0.1

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
R

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of an Infinite Line
Charge Using Gauss’s Law
Consider a infinite line charge carrying charge per
unit length of qel:

qel

z
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of an Infinite Line Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(1) Assume from symmetry the form of the field

D  aˆ  D  
(2) Construct a family of Gaussian surfaces
cylinders of radius  where
0 
Course: EEE 3131, Engineering
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of an Infinite Line Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(3) Evaluate the total charge within the volume

enclosed by each Gaussian surface

Qencl   qel dl
L

cylinder is
Qencl  qel l infinitely long!

Course: EEE 3131, Engineering

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of an Infinite Line Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(4) For each Gaussian surface, evaluate the

integral

S
 D  d s  DS surface area
of Gaussian
surface.
magnitude of D
on Gaussian
surface.

 D  d s  D   2  l
S
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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman
 Electric Flux Density of an Infinite Line Charge
Using Gauss’s Law (Cont’d)

(5) Solve for D on each Gaussian surface

Qencl
D
S

qel
D  aˆ 
2 

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Electromagnetics By: S M Rahman