Electric field

The electric field is a vector field,

indicating a distribution of
vectors from electrostatic force
due to charges in the region
around a charged object

Electric Field: Electric Field Lines

Electric field lines
represent lines of force.
The direction of the lines
represents the direction of
the field.
The density of the lines
represents the magnitude
of the field.

Electric field lines

Electric field lines are a useful way to indicate what the
magnitude and direction of an electric field is in space.
Rules:
1. The direction of the E-field is tangent to the field lines at
every point in space.

2. The field is strong where there are many field lines and
weak where there are few lines.
3. The field lines start on + charges and end on charges.

4. Field lines do not cross.

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Pictorial representation of the rules on the previous slide:

Electric Field : A Point Charge

Electric field lines extend away from positive
charge (where they originate) and toward
negative charge (where they originate)

Electric dipole

Electric Field of Point Charge

For a point charge of charge Q, the
magnitude of the force per unit charge
at a distance r (the electric field) is:

Fe k Q
E
2
q
r

The electric field at a point in space is found by adding all

of the electric fields present.

E net Ei
i

Be careful! The electric

field is a vector!

Example
Example: Find the electric field at the point P.
P
x
q1 = +e

q2 = 2e

x=0m

x=1m

x=2m

E is a vector. What is its direction?

Place a positive test charge at the point of interest. The

direction of the electric field at the location of the test
charge is the same as the direction of the force on the
test charge.
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Example continued:

q1 = +e

q2 = 2e
Locate the
positive test
charge here.
P
x

q1 = +e

q2 = 2e

Direction of E due
to charge 2

Direction of E due
to charge 1
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Example continued:

The net electric field at point P is:

Enet E1 E2

The magnitude of the electric field is:

Enet E1 E2

Example continued:

E1

k q1

E2

k q2

r2

r2

9 10

9 10

Nm2 /C 2 (1.6 1019 C)

10

3
.
6

10
N/C
2
(2 m)

Nm2 /C 2 (2 *1.6 1019 C)

9

2
.
9

10
N/C
2
(1 m)

Enet E1 E2 2.5 109 N/C

The net E-field is
directed to the left.

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Complicated System: Electric Dipole

Electric field due to a dipole can be estimated as
E E E

1 q
1 q

4 0 r2 4 0 r2
1

2
2
4 0
d 4 0
d
z
z
2
2

q
d
d

....

....

2
4 0 z
2z
2z

2d
4 0 z 2 z

Electric Field : Electric Dipole

Electric field due to a dipole can
be estimated as
q 2d 1 qd
j
j

E
2
3

4 0 z z 2 0 z

If p qd is the electric
dipole moment

Electric Field Due to a Charged Ring

The magnitude of electric field at point P, at
the distance z from the plane of the ring along
its central axis

q
E
r
2
4 0 r
1

dE

ds

4 0 z R

cos

ds

4 0 z 2 R 2

E dE

R2

Motion of a Point Charge in a

Uniform E-Field

A region of space with a uniform

electric field containing a particle
of charge q (q > 0) and mass m.

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FBD for the

charge q

Fe
x

Apply Newtons 2nd Law and

solve for the acceleration.

Fe ma

Fe qE ma
q
a E
m

One could now use the kinematic equations to solve for

distance traveled in a time interval, the velocity at the end of
a time interval, etc.

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Example
What electric field strength is needed to keep an electron
suspended in the air?
y

FBD for the

electron:

Fe

w
To get an upward force on the electron, the electric field
must be directed toward the Earth.
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Example continued:

Apply Newtons 2nd Law:

Fe w 0

Fe w
qE eE mg
mg
E
5.6 10 11 N/C
e

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Example
A horizontal beam of electrons moving 4.0107 m/s is
deflected vertically by the vertical electric field between two
oppositely charged parallel plates. The magnitude of the field
is 2.00104 N/C.

(a) What is the direction of the field between the plates?

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Example
A horizontal beam of electrons moving 4.0107 m/s is
deflected vertically by the vertical electric field between two
oppositely charged parallel plates. The magnitude of the field
is 2.00104 N/C.

(a) What is the direction of the field between the plates?

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Example continued:

(b) What is the charge per unit area on the plates?

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Example continued:

(c) What is the vertical deflection d of the electrons as

they leave the plates?

Example continued:

What is the vertical position of the electron after it travels

a horizontal distance of 2.0 cm?
Time interval to
travel 2.00 cm
horizontally

Deflection of an
electron in the
beam
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Gausss Law

Enclose a point
charge +Q with an
imaginary sphere.

+Q

Here, E-field lines exit the sphere.

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Example
Find the electric flux through each side of a cube of edge
length a in a uniform electric field of magnitude E.

A cube has six sides: The field lines enter one face and
exit through another. What is the flux through each of
the other four faces?

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Example continued:

There is zero electric flux though the other four faces.

The electric field lines never enter/exit any of them.

The flux through the left face is EA.

The flux through the right face is +EA.

The net flux through the cube is zero.

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Since Eq, the flux through a surface can also be written as

Qinside

This is Gausss Law.

The flux through a surface depends on the amount of

charge inside the surface. Based on this, the cube in
the previous example contained no net charge.

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GaussLaw
Guasslaw relates the electric field lines on
a (closed) Gaussian surface to the charge
enclosed by that surface

qenc
E.dA

0 E.dA qenc
c

Meaning of GaussLaw

Guasslaw relates the electric field lines on a

(closed) Gaussian surface to the charge
enclosed by that surface
Total number of electric
field lines passing through
the Gaussian surface

qenc
E
.
d
A

Total number of electric

field lines created by the
charge object

How to use Gausss Law

1st step: Form Gaussian surface pass
through the target point. If proper surface is
chosen, calculation will be done easily
Consider how electric field lines distribute
Electric field line and surface must be either
perpendicular or parallel

2nd step: Apply Gauss law to calculate

electric field

Electric Field of a Point Charge

Using GaussianLaw
by forming Gaussian
surface around the
point charge (the
Gaussian surface has
a spherical shape).
in radial direction

Calculation

0 E.dA qenc
c

0 EdA q0
c

0 E dA q0
c

0 E 4r q0
2

Remarks:

Electric field is constant over surface

Electric filed is in direction of radius
Form Gaussian surface as a sphere

Electric Field of an Isolated Conductor

Using GaussianLaw by
forming Gaussian
surface around the
point charge (the
Gaussian surface has a
cylindrical shape).

Calculation

Calculation

0 E.dA qenc
c

0 E.dA E.dA E.dA q0
top

side
bottom

0 EdA q0
top

0 E dA q0
top

0 EA A

Remarks:
Electric field lines are in the parallel direction
(to the right)
Electric field is constant everywhere

There is no electric filed in the metal

Form Gaussian surface as a cylinder

Electric Field of a Wire

Using GaussianLaw by
forming Gaussian
surface around the
point charge (the
Gaussian surface has a
cylindrical shape).

Calculation

Calculation

0 E.dA qenc
c

0 E.dA E.dA E.dA q0
top

side
bottom

0 EdA q0
side

0 E dA q0
side

0 E 2rl l

Remarks:
Electric field lines are in the horizontal
plane
Electric field is constant on the side of
cylinder
Form Gaussian surface as a cylinder

Electric Field of Nonconducting Sheet

Using GaussianLaw by
forming Gaussian
surface around the
point charge (the
Gaussian surface has a
cylindrical shape).

E
2 0

Calculation

Calculation

0 E.dA qenc
c

0 E.dA E.dA E.dA q0
top

side
bottom

0 E.dA E.dA q0
top

bottom

2 0 E dA q0
top

2 0 EA A

E
2 0

Remarks:
Electric field lines are in the parallel
direction (to the left and right)
Electric field is constant everywhere
There is no electric filed in the metal
Form Gaussian surface as a cylinder

Summary
We have covered about electric field, including
definition, how to find electric field and the behaviors of
changes in electric field. Three topics have been
discussed.
The Electric Field
Motion of a Point Charge in an Electric Field
Gausss Law

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