Semester II, 2015-16

Department of Physics, IIT Kanpur

PHY103A: Lecture # 12
(Text Book: Intro to Electrodynamics by Griffiths, 3rd Ed.)

Anand Kumar Jha

Notes
Second Problem Solving Session today @ 5-6
pm: TB-205, TB-206, TB-207
No Tutorial on Tuesday (26-Jan-2016)
Quiz Next Tuesday (02-Feb-2016)

Summary of Lecture # 11:

What is the potential due to a localized charge distribution
at large ?
1

V() =

40 r

V() =

1
( )
=

r
40

1 1
1
1
+ 2 (cos) + 3
40

Monopole potential
( 1/ dependence)

Dipole potential
( 1/ 2 dependence)

Total Charge

Dipole moment

The electric field of

pure dipole ( = )

dip =

3
1
cos2
+
2
2

Quadrupole potential
( 1/ 3 dependence)
???

Quadrupole moment

(2cos + sin )
3
40

Questions 1:
=

1
1
Vmono =

40 40 r
1
Vdip =
40 2

Q: Why not calculate the potential directly ??

Ans: Yes, that is what should be done. For a point charge, we dont need a multipole
expansion to find the potential. This is only for illustrating the connection.
Questions 2:
Q: In this following configuration, is the large limit
valid, since the source dimensions are much smaller than ?

Ans: No. The large limit essentially mean ||.

In majority of the situations, the charge distribution is
centered at the origin and therefore the large limit is
the same as source dimension being smaller than .

The electric field of pure dipole ( = )

Pure dipole = 0
Vdip =

1
40 2

= V

Assume

1 cos
1
=
40 2
40 2

dip

=
(2cos + sin )
3
40

Quick Summary:
We have studied electrostatics in vacuum as well as in conductors
Calculating Electric field given a charge is one of main aims of electrostatics

Electric field can be calculated using Coulombs law but usually it is very difficult
The easier way is to first calculate the electric potential and then = V
Electric potential can be calculated in two different ways

0
Uniqueness theorems guarantee that a solution is unique if it is found
We studied method of images to be able to guess a solution in some cases
Poissons equation can sometimes be analytically solved

Using the differential (Poissons) equation 2 V =

Using the integral equation V() =

40 r

Multipole expansion method is based on using this form.

Using multipole expansion, approximate potential at large are calculated
6

Electrostatics in Matter (Electric Fields in Matter)

Polarization (Induced Dipoles)
A neutral atom
Total charge Q = 0; Dipole moment = 0;

Atom in an electric field

Total charge Q = 0; Dipole moment 0;
Atom has become polarized
=

is called the atomic polarizability

depends on the detailed structure of the atom

is determined experimentally

Polarization (Induced Dipoles)

Ex. 4.1 (Griffiths, 3rd Ed. ): An atom can be considered as a point nucleus of charge
+ surrounded by a uniformly charged spherical electron cloud of charge and
radius ? Find the atomic polarizability.
Here, we are assuming that the electron
cloud remains spherical in shape even in
the presence of the external electric field.

In equilibrium, the field at the nucleus due

to the electron cloud is
elec

1
=
=
40 3

So the atomic polarizability

40 3
=

40 3
= =
=
= 40 3

Polarization (Induced Dipoles)

Ex. 4.4 (Griffiths, 3rd Ed. ): A point charge is situated a large distance from a
neutral atom of polarizability . Find the force of attraction between them.

The field due to charge is

1

40 2

The induced dipole moment is

= =

40 2

The field due to this dipole at the location ( = ) of the charge is

dip

=
(2cos + sin ) =
(2 )
40 3
40 3 40 2

Therefore, the force is

= dip

= 2
40

Polarization (Induced Dipoles)

Polarizability Tensor
In the simplest of the situations the induced dipole moment is proportional
to the applied electric field and the constant of proportionality is .
=

However, in general is a tensor. This means that, in general, all the three
components of the field can induce dipole moment in any of the three directions.

Polarizability Tensor
But, one can always diagonalize the tensor and find a coordinate axes ( , , )
such that induced dipole moment in a given direction is proportional to the electric
field in the same direction.

0 0
= 0 0

0 0

10

Polarization (Permanent Dipoles)

A neutral atom has no dipole moment to begin with but some molecules (polar
molecules) have permanent dipole moment, even without the external electric field.
Polar molecules
Total charge Q = 0;
Net dipole moment = 0;
Polar molecules in an electric field
Total charge Q = 0;

Net dipole moment 0;

Molecules already had dipole moments
The dipole moments have now become aligned
11

Polarization (Permanent Dipoles)

Alignment of polar molecules
Uniform electric field

+ = . The net force on a molecule is zero

= 0
And, the net torque on a molecule is

=
In a non-Uniform electric field
= + + = + + = ()
= + +

(, , ) = (, , )

(Using d(, , ) = (, , ) )

= = + +

= + + = + + ( )

12

Polarization (Permanent Dipoles)

Alignment of polar molecules
Uniform electric field

+ = . The net force on a molecule is zero

= 0
And, the net torque on a molecule is

=
In a non-Uniform electric field

= + + ( )

= + + + + +

+ + +

=
+ + +
+ + +
+ +

= + + =
+
+
=
13

Polarization (Permanent Dipoles)

Alignment of polar molecules
Uniform electric field

+ = . The net force on a molecule is zero.

= 0
And, the net torque on a molecule is

=
In a non-Uniform electric field
=
=

And, the net torque on a molecule is

= +
14

Polarization in a medium
Two mechanism for polarization in a medium
Induced Dipoles

Alignment of permanent dipoles

The two mechanisms need not be independent.

A permanent dipole may also get some dipole moment induced.
Total dipole moment of per unit volume is called the polarization .
dipole moment per unit volume

15