EECS 117

Lecture 10: Laplaces Eq, Curl, and Capacitance

Prof. Niknejad University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 1/2

Laplaces Equation
2

=0

If satises Laplaces eq., then the average value of over a sphere is equal to the value of at the center of the sphere.
q S R q

Proof: Well use a physical argument to arrive at this result. Consider a point charge q and a spherical surface with uniform charge q distributed on the surface at a distance R from the point charge. If q is brought in qq from innity, the work done is simply W = 4 R
University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 2/2

Average Value Property

On the other hand, if we bring in the sphere from innity the work required is certainly the same. This work is the average value of the potential due to q computed over qq the surface S . This work is also W = 4 R and thus = 4q R . But thats the potential at the center of the sphere due to q . This has several interesting consequences. One is that there is no stable electrostatic conguration in empty space. To see this observe that the potential of such a point must be local minima or maxima and a function that has the average value property cannot have a maxima/minima.

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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 3/2

Instability of Static Field in Vacuum

D dS = 0

Another argument from Guass law also conrms this fact. For such a stable point to exists all the eld lines would have to either point into (out of) this region. But Gauss law says that such a region must have charge and so its not empty space.

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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 4/2

Uniqueness Argument
The solution of Laplaces equation is unique. The proof is simple using the average value property. Assume that there is more than one solution to Laplaces equation. Call two such solutions (r) and (r) and form the difference solution W (r) = (r) (r). Due to linearity, W also satises the Laplacian equation but with different boundary conditions.

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 5/2

Uniqueness Argument (cont)

W (S) = 0 W (r)

In particular, W (r) is the solution to the problem with zero boundary conditions. But if W is zero on the boundary and non-zero in the interior of the problem space, then clearly W must have maximum or minimum point. But such a function cannot be a solution to Laplaces equation.

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 6/2

Faraday Cage
Consider the solution of Laplaces equation for a Faraday cage. This is a closed region bounded by a conducting walls. Its easy to now show that E 0 inside this region. To see this notice that the solution of Laplaces equation in this region must satisfy = constant E=0 on the boundary. But the function E=0 (r) = constant does in fact satisfy Laplaces equation and the boundary conditions. Since the solution is E=0 unique, this is indeed the solution we seek. Thus the electric eld is zero since E = .
+ + + + + ++

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 7/2

Divergence Theorem Mini-Proof

S S2 n1

n2

S1

S = S1 S2

When calculating the ux of an arbitrary function about a surface S , we can always break the sum into a subset of surfaces that make up S
D dS =
S i Si

D dS

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 8/2

Denition of Curl
If we simply now divide and multiply the integrand by the volume V of the closed surface Si and take limits, we have the divergence theorem
D dS =
S i Si

D dS Vi

Vi
V

DdV

We can use a similar argument to arrive at an appropriate denition of curl. Consider the path integral of an arbitrary vector function about a closed loop C . We can always compute this by taking sub-paths Ci since the internal contribution of the integral will cancel out in the integral.

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 9/2

Curl (cont)
C C2 C1

Ed =
C i Ci

Ed

Since C = C1 + C2 + . . .. Notice that the surfaces of each sub curve Si can have any shape. Lets now divide and multiply by this surface area Si
Ed =
C i Ci

Ed

Si

Si

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 10/2

Curl as Vector
This is almost a surface integral! We just need to specify the direction for Si to make sure that in the limit its coincident with the normal vector n for surface S. In fact, we can dene the curl to be this particular integral evaluated about a surface in a particular plane dened by its normal n
n curl(E) = lim
C

S0

Ed S

We write this as

E and treat it as a vector.

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 11/2

Curl Vector Components

To be a true vector, then it must obey vector laws. In particular if we compute
x y z E = Cx E = Cy E = Cz

And now desire to compute the curl about a new direction dened by normal vector = 1 x + 2 y + 3, a z then we must have
a E = 1 Cx + 2 Cy + 3 Cz

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 12/2

Stokes Theorem
Returning to our original equation, if we take limits we have
Ed =
C S

E dS

For a static eld we found that for any closed path

Ed 0
C

That implies that

E 0 for a static eld.

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 13/2

Capacitance
Capacitance of a conductor is dened as
C q

where a larger C means that an object can store more charge at a xed potential. Hence its a measure of capacity to store charge. As an example consider an isolated spherical conductor of radius a. By Gauss law we know the radial eld is given by (r a) q Dr = 4a2

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 14/2

Capacitance of a Sphere
If we integrate this eld to arrive at the potential, we have
q = Er dr = 4
a a

q dr = 2 r 4

1 r

q = 4 a

The capacitance is therefore

C = 4 a a

The larger sphere can hold more charge at a xed potential. Equivalently, dumping a given charge onto a larger sphere will increase its potential less than a smaller sphere.

University of California, Berkeley

EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 15/2

Capacitance Between Objects

We can also dene the capacitance between two objects as q1 C12 = 12 Where we x the potential between the two objects at 12 and measure the amount of charge transfer between the objects. In the above equation a charge of q1 has been transfered from object 2 to 1 and therefore a charge of q2 = q1 will reside on object 2. We can re-interpret the capacitance of a single object as the capacitance relative to a reference at innity.

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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 16/2

Capacitance of a Coaxial Cylinder

V1 b a

Lets practice and use Poissons equation to nd the potential in the region between the conductors
2

=0

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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 17/2

Coaxial Cylinder (II)

By symmetry is only a function of r and not a function of or z 1 = r =0 r r r
r = C1 r C1 = r r The general solution is therefore (r) = C1 ln r + C2 .

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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 18/2

Coaxial Cylinder (III)

This solution must satisfy the boundary conditions that (a) = V1 and (b) = 0.
(r = a) = V1 = C1 ln a + C2 (r = b) = 0 = C1 ln b + C2

Solving these equations we have

V1 ln r/b (r) = ln a/b

The eld is given by E = Er = r r r

V1 r E= r ln b/a
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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 19/2

Charge Density
Recall that D n = s on the surface of conductors. Therefore for a length of of the coaxial conductors
V1 q = a ln(b/a) 2a

Solve for the charge to nd the capacitance

2 V1 q= b ln a

The capacitance per unit length is therefore

C = C 2 = b ln a

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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 20/2

References
Electricity and Magnetism, by Edward Purcell (second edition) published by McGraw-Hill Book Company (1985).

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EECS 117 Lecture 10 p. 21/2