Module Module 04:

04: Electric Electric

Fields Fields and
and Continuous Co
t uousC Charge
a
ge Distributions
1

Continuous Charge
Distributions
V
 о
( ) ?P=E ( )
ˆEr q Δ о
2 e k Δ=
g
Break distribution into parts:
о
о E E = Δ∑ EΔ∑

о →
E → ∫∫
 Ed
Ed
∑
Q= Δqi

→ ∫∫∫

dq
ii
VV
E field at P due to Δq

2e r Superposition:
=
E rˆ о
q e2 →d
dq
=ke r2
2

Continuous Sources:
Charge Density
R V l V R L dV dQ ρ =
2

w Area = A = wL Q
Length L = dL dQ λ =
Volume =V = πR2L
L
AL
Q
ρ= L L
V dQ σ=
dA
Q
σ= A
λ=Q
Q L
3

Examples of Continuous
Sources: Line Line of of
charge charge Length g = L
 dQ =

λ dL
L

Link to
applet
Q
Lλ= L
4

Examples of Continuous
Sources: Line Line of of
charge charge Length g = L
dQ =
λ dL
L

Link to
applet
Q
Lλ= L
5

Examples of Continuous
Sources: Ring Ring of of

Charge Charge dQ λ dL λ
dQ =
2
λ dL λ = Q
Q πR
Link to
applet
6

Examples of Continuous
Sources: Ring Ring of of

Charge Charge dQ λ dL λ
dQ =
2
λ dL λ = Q
Q πR
Link to
applet
7

P on axis of ring of charge, x

from center
Find E at P
8

g g , Radius a, charge density

λ.
Example: Ring of
Charge
1) Think about it
2) 2) Define D fi Variables
V i bl dq = λ dl = λ ( a dφ
)
Symmetry! E⊥ = 0
λ dq = λ dl
=
( a dφ )
xar +=
2222

Ring of Charge
9

ˆ
2 E e r d k dq = о
dq = λadφ
3) Write Equation
x
dE x = k edq r 3

q q
2e r 3e
r
Ring of Charge
о
xar += 2 2 e 3 =
r
k dq
r
10

Very special case: everything

except dq is constant

∫
2π 2π

x
E x = dE x ∫ = k e dq 3 ∫
4) Integrate

xx ∫ r
e 3 ∫
= λ ⋅ a2π dq ∫ = λadφ 0 2π ∫

= λa dφ 0 2π ∫

= k e x e r3 3 ∫ ∫
q
dq
Q=
11
∫∫
Ring of Charge
dq = λadφ
22 xar +=
5) Clean Up
x3
Ex Ex x = keQ rr
Q
= k e eQ

((a 2 x
+x 2
)) 3/2 3/2

E k Q
E о=k e Q (a 2 x+x2
i
)3/2
ˆ i 6) Ch kLi it 0
6) Check

Limit a → 0

x =kQ 2
Ex → k e Q ( ) 2 3/2 e x

Ring of Charge
12
x2
() x

Chkpt. Problem:
Line of Charge
L
2− 2+

Point P lies on perpendicular

L
2

bisector of uniformly charged

charged line line of of length
length L L, a a distance distance s
s away away. The The charge on
the line is Q. What is E at P?
jˆ
rˆ
ss
 iˆ
P
13
−
2

2
L
+ x Typically give the integration
variable (x’) a “primed”
variable name. ALSO: Difficult
integral (trig. sub.)
Hint: Line of Charge
xd θ
′
L ′
L
jˆ
rˆ
ˆ
θPi
 s
xd dq ′ = λ
P
θd′

22 xsr ′ +=

g
14

о Q
g E e ( 2 = k s s 2 / 4)
1/2 E Field from Line

of Charge Q s ( s +
+ L L / 4) ˆ j Limits:
lim
Limits: lim E о → k Q 2ˆ j
s

E j
Point charge >> L → k e s lim
Q Q λ s << L
о→ =
E 2 k e Ls ˆ j 2 k eλ

sg

ˆ j Infinite charged line

15

In-Class: Uniformly
Charged Disk
P P on on axis axis of of disk
disk of of charge, charge x x
from from center center Radius
R, charge density σ.
Find E at P
16

yg
(x>0)
x+R
( o
⎣ )⎦
Li Limits:

it lim x >> R E disk → 4 πε Qx P i t

 1
h o

2 i Point charge

ˆ lim E disk 2 i lim x <<

R о disk → σ 2 ε oInfinite charged

plane

Disk: Two Important

Limits
о E disk

= σ2 ε o
⎢⎢⎣− (x 2 +1xR

2 ) 1/2
⎥⎥⎦
ˆ
i
о
1ˆEiQ
p
⎡⎤
xσ ⎢⎥
17

Scaling: E for Plane

is Constant
) 1) Dipole: p
3
E falls off like 1/r 2) Point
2
charge: E falls off like 1/r
3) Line of charge:E falls
off like 1/r 4) 4) Plane
Plane of of charge:
charge: E E constant
constant
g
18
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8.02SC Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism Fall 2010

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