Semester II, 2015-16

Department of Physics, IIT Kanpur

PHY103A: Lecture # 5
(Text Book: Intro to Electrodynamics by Griffiths, 3rd Ed.)

Anand Kumar Jha

Summary of Lecture # 4:
Scalar Potential : if = 0 everywhere, = V

Vector Potential : if = 0 everywhere, =

Coulombs Law:

Electric Flux

() =
2 r
40 r

Gausss Law

=
0

Gausss Law from Coulombs Law:

If Coulombs and Gausss law have same information
content, can we derived Gausss law from Coulombs law?
Coulombs law gives the electric field due a volume charge
1
r
() =
2
40 r

Take the divergence of both sides of the equation

1
r
() =
2
r
40

We have:

Therefore,

r
= 4 (r) = 4 ( )
r2

1
()

=
4 =
40
0

=
0

The divergence of electric field is equal to the charge density

divided by 0

Applications of Gausss Law:

Q: (Griffiths: Ex 2.10): What is the flux through the shaded face of the cube due to the
charge at the corner

Ans:

1
=
24 0

Curl of the Electric Field:

Lets take the simplest electric field:
Electric field due to a single point charge is:

1
() =
r
40 r2

We need to find the curl of it

2 r
r
40

Take the area integral

Use Stokess theorem

2 r
r
40

1
1

=
2 r =
2 r
r
r
40
40

1
2 =
=0
40 r
40

Curl of the Electric Field (Digression):

=

Curl of an electric field is zero. We have shown this for the simplest field, which is the field of
a point charge. But it can be shown to be true for any electric field, as long as the field is static.
What if the field is dynamic, that is, what if the field changes as a function of time?

Faradays Law in differential form.

Integrate over a surface

Apply Stokes theorem

EMF

E=

Magnetic flux

Faradays Law in integral form form.

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Maxwells Equations (Digression 2):

=
0

= 0

= 0 0 0

enc
=
0

Gausss Law

Faradays Law
No name; Magnetic
Monopole does not exist
Amperess Law with
Maxwells correction

When the fields do not vary as a function of time, it is called Electrostatics / Magnetostatics.
(before mid-sem)
When fields do vary as a function of time, then the two fields have to be studied together
as electromagnetism (Or electrodynamics) and one consequence of a changing electric
and magnetic field is the electromagnetic radiation. (after mid-sem)
When the energy of the field is quantized (photons) then it is called quantum electrodynamics.
(Not for this course). Applications: Quantum computers, Quantum cryptography, Quantum
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teleportation

Electric Potential:
Recall: If the curl of a vector field is zero, that is, if = 0 everywhere, then:
b

(1) a d is independent of path.

(2) = 0 for any closed loop.

This is because of Stokes theorem

(3) is the gradient of a scalar function: = V

This is because Curl of a gradient is zero V =

The curl of Electric field is zero, that is, if = 0 everywhere. Therefore:

b

(1) a d is independent of path.

(2) = 0 for any closed loop.

(3) is the gradient of a scalar function:

This is because of Stokes theorem

= V

V is called the electric potential. It is a scalar quantity,

the gradient of which is equal to the electric field

Electric Potential:
Since = 0 everywhere, = V

How to write electric potential in terms of the electric field?

V =

Take the line integral of the above equation over a path

V =

Use the fundamental Theorem for Gradient:

V V() =

= ()

Absolute potential cannot be defined.

Only potential differences can be defined.

Electric Potential:
(1) Electric potential is different from electric potential energy. Unit of electric potential
Nm
is Newton-meter per Coulomb (
) or Volt.
C

(2) The potential obeys the principle of superposition, that is, the potential to a set of
charges is equal to the sum of the potentials due to individual charges: V = V1 + V2 +

(3) Whatever can be calculated using electric fields can also be calculated using electric
potential. However, electric field is a vector quantity whereas electric potential is a
scalar quantity. So, doing calculations with potential is relatively easier. Although
electric potential is a scalar quantity, one can get all the information about the electric
field (a vector quantity) because = 0, that is
Ex

Ey

Ez

Ey

Ex

Ez
;

(4) V V() = . Absolute potential cannot be defined. In electrostatics,

usually one takes the reference point to infinity and set the potential at infinity to zero,
that is, take V = V = 0. Also if V = V(),

V =

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Electric Potential due to a point charge at origin:

Electric field ( ) at due to a single point charge at origin:
( ) =

40 12

Electric potential V at due to a single point charge at origin:

V = = ( )

+ 1 sin1 1
The line element is: = 1 r + 1 1

V =

1
1

=
40 12 1
40 12 1 40

1
V =
40

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Electric Potential due to a localized charge distribution:

Potential due to a point charge at origin

V =

1
40

Potential due to a point charge at

1
V =
40 r

Potential due to a collection of point charges

V =

ri
40
=1

Potential due to a a continuous charge distribution is

V() =

40 r

For a line charge =

For a surface charge =
For a volume charge =

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Ease of calculating the Electric Field

The easiest is to calculate the electric field using Gausss law. But this is
possible only when there is some kind of symmetry in the problem.

The next best thing is if the electric potential is known then one can calculate
the electric field by just taking the gradient of the potential = V .
Sometimes, it is even beneficial to calculate the electric potential first as an
intermediate step and then calculate the field from there.

If the above two is not applicable, one has to go back to the Coulombs law and
then calculate the electric field.

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