Topic for the class: Conductors in electric field

Unit: II Title : Conductors, Dielectrics & Capacitance

Date: 11-01-2024 Time: 15:00AM

Mr. Pradeep Vinaik Kodavanti

Assistant Professor
Department of EECE
GITAM Institute of Technology (GIT)
Visakhapatnam – 530045
Email: pkodavan@gitam.edu
 Course Objectives
 To introduce various concepts of vector calculus and coordinate systems.
 To expose different concepts of electrostatic, magnetostatic and time varying
electromagnetic systems.
 To familiarize the concepts of conductors, and dielectrics.
 To impart the concepts of Magnetic materials, magnetic forces and
inductance.
 To expose the students the ideas of electromagnetic waves.

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Learning Outcomes
After completion of this unit, the student will be able to
Determine current density and capacitance (L3).
Classify conductors and dielectrics (L2).
Apply Laplace and Poisson’s equations for capacitance calculations (L3).
Differentiate various types of capacitors (L4).

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Conductor in an uniform electric field

− +¿  Consider an isolated conductor in an

− +¿ external electric field,
 A conductor has abundant free electrons.
−
𝑬𝒊 +¿
𝑬𝒆  Charge migration takes place such that, they
− +¿
accumulate on the surface of the conductor
− +¿
& form an induced surface charge.
− +¿

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Conductor in an uniform electric field contd…
The induced charges set up an internal
− +¿ induced electric field , which cancels .
𝑬 =0  A perfect conductor cannot contain an
− +¿
− +¿ electrostatic field within it. .
𝑉 𝐴𝐵 =0 𝑬𝒆  A conductor is called an equipotential body,
− +¿
the potential is same every where in the
− +¿
𝜌 𝑉 =0 conductor. or
− +¿
 Charge resides only on the surface of the
conductor.

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Dielectric in an uniform electric field
The effect of electric field
on dielectric is the creation
of dipoles that align
themselves in the direction
of electric field. (Nonpolar)

Polar dielectrics have built in permanent

dipoles that are randomly oriented.
When electric field is applied, the dipoles
tend to align parallel to electric field.

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 Current & current density

 Convection current
Conduction current
Displacement current (Module IV)
 The current through a given area is the electric charge passing
through the area per unit time.
 If current flows through a surface , the current density is

(assuming perpendicular to surface)

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 Current & current density contd…
 If current density is not normal to the surface,
 The total current flowing through the surface,
 Convection current does not require conductors, it occurs
when current flows through an insulating medium.

𝝆𝑽
Current through the filament,
𝒖
∆𝑺 ∆𝑺
Convection current density

∆𝑳
14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields
 Conduction current
Conduction current requires a conductor.
A conductor has abundant free electrons, conduction current
due to impressed electric field.

Force on an electron with charge is

Electrons collide with atomic lattice & drifts from one atom to another.

, (Newton’s law)
Drift velocity
14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields
 Conduction current contd…
If n number of electrons per unit volume, electronic charge density is

Consider

conduction current density, , Point form of Ohm’s law.

Where is the conductivity of the conductor.

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 Equation of continuity
Current through a closed surface is (outward flow of positive charge)
Rate of decrease of charge inside a closed surface is
From conservation of charge,
Using divergence theorem,

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 Dielectric constant or relative permittivity

Dielectric strength is the maximum electric field that a dielectric

can withstand or tolerate without breakdown.

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 Linear, homogeneous and isotropic media

A medium is said to be linear if varies linearly with

If permittivity, and conductivity, are constant at each and every
point of a region (independent of coordinate axis) then the medium
is said to be a homogeneous medium.
A medium is said to be isotropic if the direction of is same as the
direction of

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Boundary conditions

If the field exists in a region consisting of two different media, the

conditions that the field must satisfy at the interface or boundary
separating the media are known as boundary conditions.
Boundary conditions at an interface separating
 Dielectric and dielectric
 Conductor and dielectric
 Conductor and free space

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Dielectric and dielectric boundary conditions
Normal Dielectric 1, 𝑫𝒏 𝟏
Normal
𝑬𝟏 𝑬 𝒏𝟏 𝑫𝟏 𝑫𝒏𝟏
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏
𝜭𝟏 ∆𝑺
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏 ∆ h→ 0a b 𝑫 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝟏 ∆ h → 0
c 𝑫𝟐
un da ry d 𝑫𝒏𝟐
Bo 𝑬𝟐 𝑬 𝒏𝟐 ∆𝑤 Pill box
𝜭𝟐 Dielectric 2, 𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐 𝑫 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝟐
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐
𝑫𝒏 𝟐
Conservative property, Gauss’s Law,

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 Dielectric and dielectric boundary conditions contd…
Normal Dielectric 1, 𝑫𝒏 𝟏
Normal
𝑬𝟏 𝑬 𝒏𝟏 𝑫𝟏 𝑫𝒏𝟏
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏
𝜭𝟏 ∆𝑺
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏 ∆ h→ 0a b 𝑫 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝟏 ∆ h → 0
c 𝑫𝟐
a ry 𝑫𝒏𝟐
Bound 𝑬𝟐 𝑬 𝒏𝟐 d Pill box
∆𝑤
𝜭𝟐 Dielectric 2, 𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐 𝑫 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝟐
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐
𝑫𝒏 𝟐

, ,

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 Conductor-Dielectric boundary conditions

Normal Dielectric , 𝑫𝒏
Normal
𝑬 𝑬𝒏 𝑫 𝑫𝒏
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏
𝜭 ∆𝑺
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏 ∆ h→ 0a b 𝑫 𝒕𝒂𝒏 ∆ h → 0
n da ry d c
Bo u Pill box
∆𝑤
Conductor 𝑬 =𝟎

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 Boundary conditions contd…
Problem

Two homogeneous isotropic dielectrics meet on plane . For and for . A uniform

electric field exists for Find

Solution: 𝑧
𝑬𝟏
𝜽𝟏 𝑬 𝒏 𝟏=𝟑 𝒂 𝒛 =𝑬 𝟏 ∙ 𝒂 𝒛
𝑧 ≥ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 1 =4
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏
𝑧 =0
𝑬𝟐
𝑧 ≤ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 2=3 𝜽𝟐 𝑬 𝒏𝟐
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐
14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields
 Boundary conditions contd…
Problem
𝑧
𝑬𝟏
𝜽𝟏 𝑬 𝒏 𝟏=𝟑 𝒂 𝒛 𝑘𝑉 /𝑚= 𝑬 𝟏 ∙ 𝒂 𝒛
𝑧 ≥ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 1 =4
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏
𝑧 =0
𝑬𝟐
𝑧 ≤ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 1 =3 𝜽𝟐 𝑬 𝒏𝟐 From boundary conditions,
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐

𝑬 𝟐=𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐 +𝑬 𝒏𝟐=5 𝒂 𝒙 −2 𝒂 𝒚 +4 𝒂 𝒛 𝑘𝑉 /𝑚

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields
 Boundary conditions contd…
Problem
𝑧
𝑬𝟏
𝜽𝟏 𝑬 𝒏 𝟏=𝟑 𝒂 𝒛 𝑘𝑉 /𝑚= 𝑬 𝟏 ∙ 𝒂 𝒛
𝑧 ≥ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 1 =4
𝜶𝟏
𝑧 =0 𝜶𝟐 𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏
𝑧 ≤ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 1 =3 𝜽 𝑬 𝒏𝟐
𝑬𝟐 𝟐
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Boundary conditions contd…
Problem
𝑧
𝑬𝟏
𝜽𝟏 𝑬 𝒏 𝟏=𝟑 𝒂 𝒛 =𝑬 𝟏 ∙ 𝒂 𝒛
𝑧 ≥ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 1 =4
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟏
𝑧 =0
𝑬𝟐
𝑧 ≤ 0 , 𝜖 𝑟 1 =3 𝜽𝟐 𝑬 𝒏𝟐
𝑬 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐
Energy density in medium 1 Energy density in medium 2

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Capacitance

Two conductors embedded in a homogeneous

dielectric.
Conductors is positive (Q) & is negative(-

𝑬 Q).
Potential difference between and is
Capacitance,

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 Capacitance contd…
Parallel plate capacitor
𝑧

Electric field between two sheets of charge

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 Parallel plate capacitor contd…
𝑧

but

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 Energy stored in parallel plate capacitor

Energy stored,

Joules

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 Capacitance contd…
Spherical capacitor
Electric field between two spheres
−
𝜖
𝑏
+¿
𝑎
− +¿ +¿ −
+¿
𝑬
−

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 Spherical capacitor contd…

Isolated capacitor:

In order to have a capacitance of 1Farad, the radius of sphere is

(assuming free space)

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 Poison’s & Laplace’s equation

Consider point form of Gauss’s law, , but

, but

Poison’s equation
If , then
Laplace’s equation
The primary importance of Laplace’s equation is to solve electrostatic
problems involving a set of conductors maintained at different potentials.
14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields
 Laplace’s equation
Let be a scalar, , , are coordinates, , , are scaling factors then is given by

Cartesian:
Cylindrical:
Spherical:

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 Problem
Check whether the given potential field satisfied Laplace’s equation

Solution: We know that

,
,
,

Hence the given potential field satisfies Laplace’s equation

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Solution of Laplace’s equation

Consider Laplace’s equation, 𝑧

Cartesian coordinate system,

Potential is not a function of

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 Solution of Laplace’s equation contd…
Defining boundaries, 𝑧
Consider eq 1 𝑉 =𝑉 𝑜

For
For

𝑉 =0
3

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields

 Solution of Laplace’s equation contd…
𝑧
𝑉 =𝑉 𝑜

Conductor-dielectric boundary conditions

4

𝑉 =0

|𝑄| 𝜖𝑆
∴ 𝐶= =
𝑉𝑜 𝑑

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 Text Book(s):

1. A.Pramanik, Electromagnetism-Theory and Applications, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd, 2009.

2. A. Pramanik, Electromagnetism-Problems with Solution, Prentice Hall India, 2012.

Reference Book(s):
1. M. N. O. Sadiku, Elements of Electromagnetics, Oxford University Publication, 2014.
2. W. Hayt, Engineering Electromagnetics, McGraw Hill Education, 2012.
3. Joseph Edminister , Vishnu Priye, Electromagnetics, Schaum's Outline Series, 2017.

14/02/2024 Department of EECE EECE2061:Electromagnetic Fields