Current Continuity Equation,

Dielectric Materials, and

Electric Field Boundary Conditions.
Dr. Shady Elashhab
Lecture # 6
Current continuity equation defines the basic conservation of charge
relationship between current and charge. That is, a net current in or out of
a gien olu!e !ust equal the net increase or decrease in the total charge
in the olu!e. "f we define a surface S enclosing a olu!e V, the net
current out of the olu!e #I
out
$ is defined by
Current Continuity Equation
where ds % ds a
n
and a
n
is the outward pointing nor!al unit ector.
"f the current I is a DC current, then the net current out of the
olu!e is &ero #as !uch current flows out as flows in$.
For a ti!e'arying current,
the net current out of the olu!e !ay be non'&ero and can be e(pressed in
ter!s of the change in the total charge within the olu!e #Q$.
The preious equation is the integral for! of the continuity equation. The
differential for! of the continuity equation can be found by applying the
divergence theorem to the surface integral and e(pressing the total charge
in ter!s of the charge density.
Thus,
Since the preious equation is alid for any olu!e V, we equate the integrands
Continuity Equation (differential form)
For DC currents, the charge density does not change with ti!e so that
the diergence of the current density is always &ero.
The continuity equation is the basis for Kirchhoffs current law.
)ien a circuit node connecting a syste! of N wires #assu!ing DC currents$
enclosed by a spherical surface S, the integral for! of the continuity equation
gies
The integral for! of the continuity equation #and thus *irchhoff+s current
law$ also holds true for ti!e'arying #,C$ currents if we let the surface S
shrin- to &ero around the node.
Relaxation Time
. "f a finite nu!ber of indiidual charges #all positie or all negatie$ is placed
inside a olu!e of conducting !aterial, an electric field will be generated and
the Coulo!b forces on the indiidual charges would cause the! to !igrate
away fro! each other.
. The result is a charge accu!ulation on the outer surface of the conductor
while the inside of the conductor re!ains charge'neutral.
. The ti!e required for the conductor to reach this inside'charge'neutral
state is -nown as the relaxation time.
Fro! the continuity equation and
/e get
/hat is the diergence of E 0
The relaxation time is a time
constant that describes the
rate of decay of the charge
inside the conductor.
Conductors in tatic Electric !ield

,ssu!e so!e charges are introduced

inside a conductor. These charges will
produce electric field which will apply
a force on each of the!, therefore the
charges will be accelerated away fro!
each other.

This !oe!ent will continue until all

charges reach the conductor surface.

"n this case the charge and electric

field inside conductor anish
Polarization in Dielectrics

/ith no electric field applied to dielectric !aterials, the centroid of the

#negatie$ electron charge is coincident with the centroid of the #positie$
nucleus charge such that the ato! is electrically neutral.

/hen an electric field is applied to the ato!, the positiely charged nucleus is
displaced in the direction of the electric field while the centroid of the negatie
electron charge is displaced in the direction opposite to the electric field.

The dielectric ato! is thus polari&ed and can be !odeled as an equialent

electric dipole.

1ote that the electric susceptibility

e
and the relatie
per!ittiity 2
r
are both !easures of the polari&ation
within a gien !aterial.

The larger the alue of

e
or 2
r
for the !aterial, the
!ore polari&ation within the !aterial.

For free space #acuu!$, there is no polari&ation such

that P % 3 ,
e
% 3 or 2
r
% 4

The a!ount of polari&ation found in air is e(tre!ely

s!all, so that we typically !odel our at!osphere with
the free space per!ittiity.
"ielectric trength
#egion $
#egion %
Tangential Electric !ield& E
t
5et us ta-e the li!it of the line integral as 6y tends to &ero
,ssu!ing a constant electric field oer the paths of length 6x
Tangential Electric !ield& E
t
(region % is a conductor)
Thus,
,ssu!ing unifor! surface charge density
( )
74 4 7
. ,
s
= a " "
To !a-e sure we always get the sign correctly, the following general
e(pression should be used
E(a!ple8
Consider the field E
1
% 9a
x
: ;a
y
: <a
z
that e(ists in one
of a pair of dielectrics as illustrated below. /e wish to find the
electric field in the other side of the dielectric pair as well as the
angle that each electric field !a-es with the nor!al direction to
the surface. ,ssu!e charge free interface.
#,ssu!e =
s
% 3$
>o!ewor- ;
?roble! 4
For y @ 3,
r!
% ; and E
4
% 9a
(
: ABa
y
: ;a
&
CD!. ,t y % 3, =
s
% 3.7< nCD!7. "f
r"
% <.3
for y E 3, find E
7
.
?roble! 7
The surface ( % 3 separates two perfect dielectrics. For ( E 3 let F
r4
% 9, while F
r7
% <
where ( @ 3.
"f E
$
% G3a
x
' A3a
y
' 93a
'
CD!, find8
a$ E
n4
, E
t4 &
E
t%
, E
%
, and the angle #
4
between E
$
and a nor!al to the surface.
b$ D
n7
, D
t7
, "
%
, and the angle #
7
?roble! 9
)ien the current density ( % $43
;
Hsin#7x$e
$7y
a
x
: cos#7x$e
$7y
a
y
I !,%!78
a$ Find the total current crossing the plane y % 4 in the ay direction in the region 3 & x & 4,
3 & ' & 7.
b$ Find the total current leaing the region 3 & x&4 ( 3 &y & 4, 7 & ' & 9 by integrating
(.d oer the surface of the cube.
c$ Jepeat part ) using the diergence theore!