Electromagnetic

fields & waves

EEEB 253
Chapter 6

Semester I 2013/14
27th May – 6th Sept. 2013
College of Engineering
Chapter 6: Electrostatic boundary
– value problems 2

• Previous chapters – charge distribution is known, use GL or CL to determine Efield

• If the potential difference is known, use
• Practical electrostatic problems:- only electrostatic conditions (Charge or potential
difference) at some boundaries are known – need to find E and V throughout the
region – Boundary value problems
• Need to use Poisson’s or Laplace’s equations – derived from GL

1. Poisson’s equation
2. Laplace’s equation
3. Procedures for solving Poisson’s
and Laplace’s equations
4. Capacitance
Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.1: Poisson’s equation // 6.2
Laplace’s equation 3

• Poisson’s equation
• Special case – for a charge-free region  (Laplace’s eqn)

• Hence, the Laplace’s equations in different coordinate systems are:-

• Poisson’s equations in different coordinate systems are obtained by

replacing 0 with
• Laplace’s equations:- useful to solve electrostatic problems involving
a set of conductors maintained at different potentials. Eg. Capacitors,
vacuum tube diodes

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.3: Procedures for solving Poisson’s
and Laplace’s equations 4

• Followings are the general procedures:-

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.4: Capacitance 5

• Capacitor – must have 2 or more conductors carrying equal but

opposite charge; separated by free space or dielectric
• Capacitance – ratio of the magnitude of the charge on one of the plate
to the potential difference between the plates
• Unit – Farad (F); indicate how much charge can be stored
• 2 methods to calculate capacitance of 2 conductors

• 1) choose a suitable coordinate; 2) Plates carrying charge +Q and –Q;

3) Calculate E using CL or GL, calculate ; 4)

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.4: Capacitance 6

• Parallel plate capacitor

• Assume carrying charge +Q and –Q; hence
• Using Laplace’s eqn. (Example 6.11)

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.4: Capacitance 7

• Using Laplace’s eqn. (Example 6.11)

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.4: Capacitance 8

• Coaxial capacitor  coaxial cable

• Length, L; inner radius, a; outer radius, b
• Using GL for a < < b,
• ,
• Capacitance of a coaxial cable 
• Using Laplace’s eqn. (Example 6.8 with full cylinder)
• Coaxial = full cylinder (inner and outer surfaces)

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.4: Capacitance 9

• Using Laplace’s eqn. (Example 6.8 with full cylinder)

• Q = s x surface area = s x 2L

• C = Q/Vo = 2L / ln (b/a)

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.5: Resistance 10

• Resistance 
• 1) Choose a suitable coordinate system; 2)Assume Vo as the potential
difference between the conductor terminals; 3) Solve Laplace’s
equation to obtain V, then determine E and I from ; 4)
Obtain R from V0/I
• Example 6.8

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.5: Resistance 11

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.5: Resistance 12

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
6.5: Resistance 13

• Example 6.9

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power
Chapter 6 Conclusion 14

• Laplace’s equation is a special case of Poisson’s equation where the

region free of charges
• Need to follow the general procedures
• Tutorial questions:- 6.11, 6.12, 6.16, 6.31

Ker Pin Jern © Universiti Tenaga Nasional, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Power