Applications of Analytic Geometry to

Electrostatic and Electricity Theory1

ALEJANDRO DOMNGUEZ
COLEGIO NACIONAL DE EDUCACIN PROFESIONAL TCNICA (CONALEP), PLANTEL EL SOL
NEZAHUALCYOTL, ESTADO DE MXICO, MXICO
FEBRERO DE 1986

Introduction (in spanish)

Los presentes apuntes son un apoyo didctico del curso de Matemticas II que se ofrece a los
estudiantes de la carrera de Tcnico Profesional en Electrnica Industrial, ofrecida por el Colegio
Nacional de Educacin Profesional Tcnica (CONALEP), y tienen un triple propsito. El primero es
presentar las ecuaciones de los lugares geomtricos estudiados en geometra analtica (recta,
circunferencia, parbola, elipse e hiprbola). El segundo es presentar ejemplos de aplicaciones de la
geometra analtica a la electrosttica y a la electricidad. El tercero es que los alumnos aprendan a leer
en ingls artculos tcnicos.
La estructura de los apuntes es la siguiente: en cada seccin se hace una introduccin a un lugar
geomtrico y a continuacin se muestran algunos ejemplos de aplicacin de las ecuaciones de
electrosttica y/o electricidad, cuya expresin algebraica describe el lugar geomtrico descrito.
Es importante aclarar que en estos apuntes no aparecen las interpretaciones geomtrico-analticas de
todas las ecuaciones de la electrosttica y/o de la electricidad; slo se muestran las ecuaciones
fundamentales cuyo estudio e interpretacin geomtrica son inmediatos en el contexto de la geometra
analtica.

The straight line

The main equation describing a straight line is given by the so-called point-slope equation:

y y1 m x x1 .
Here

is the slope of the straight line and defined as:

This document is an improved and edited version of the hand written (original) one.

(1)

) and (
) the coordinates of two points on the line
being (
(see Figure 1). Notice that is also the value of the tangent function
of angle , being this angle measured with respect to -axis in
counterclockwise.
If equation (1) is expanded and rearranged, then it may be expressed
as:

y mx b ;
where b y1 mx1 . Since for

(2)
Figure 1. A straight line.

the value of ordinate is

, it follows that number is interpreted as the point at

which the straight line intersect -axis. Equation (2) is known as slope-ordinate at origin equation.

Example 1. Ohms Law

George Simon Ohm (1789-1854) formulated a law that relates three main quantities in an electric direct
current (DC) circuit: voltage ( ), electric current ( ) and resistance ( ). In algebraic form, Ohms Law is
expressed by

V RI .

(3)

This means that voltage is proportional to , being resistance

constant of proportionality.

the

Equation (3) is the equation of a straight line where slope is

and its ordinate at origin is the origin of Cartesian plane
Figure 1. Geometric representation of Ohms
Law.

(see Figure 2).

Example 2. Variation of a resistance with respect to temperature

For temperatures not too large, variation of a resistance with temperature is given by the following
equation:

R R0 R0T ;

(4)

where
is the value of the resistance at
, is the actual
temperature measured in , and is the variation coefficient
measured in ( )
Equation (4) indicates that a resistance has a linear variation with
respect to temperature. In that sense that equation may be
interpreted as the equation of a straight line with slope
and ordinate at origin
(see Figure 3).
Figure 2. Variation of a resistance with respect
to temperature.

The Circle
The equation of a circle having center at point (
given by (see Figure 4):

x h y k
2

) and radius

r2 .

If the center is at origin; i.e., (

becomes

is

(5)
)

) then equation (5)

Figure 3. The circle.

Example 3. Equipotential curves generated by a free-point charge

In two dimensions, a positive free-point charge generates an electrostatic field that is represented in
Figure 5.
The electrostatic potential at a point is the work done to carry a unit positive charge from infinitum to
that point against the electrostatic force generated by the electric field. The electrostatic potential is a
scalar magnitude measured in Volts (Joules by unit of charge) and is
represented by the following equation:

Here
is the electrostatic permittivity of the free space,
is the
magnitude of the charge, and is the distance between the charge and a
specific point.
Under these assumptions, if potential is constant, say , what is the
equation of the curve representing its distribution? In other words,
what is the equation of the equipotential curve? To answer this
) be any point at which the curve is
question, let the charge be at origin of a Cartesian plane and (
such that the potential is constant, and then is given by the distance from origin to that point which is
expressed by equation
Figure 4. Electrostatic field for a freepoint charge.

In this way:

This last expression is the equation of a circle whose center is at origin of the Cartesian plane and whose
(
). Hence, for each value , the corresponding equipotential curves are circles.
radius is

The parabola
The equation of a parabola whose vertex is at point (
directrix is parallel to -axis in a Cartesian plane is given by:

x h

4 p y k .

(6)

This parabola also has focus at point (

). See Figure 6.

On the other hand, if its directrix is parallel to

equation is:

y k

-axis then the

Figure 5. The parbola.

4 p x h .

In this case, focus is at point (

) and

(7)
).

Example 4. Electric power

Electric power

depends on voltage

and electric current as is shown in the next equation:

If the conductor has a resistance , electric power may be expressed as a function of

Ohms Law, so:
(

and

by using

Comparing this last equation with equation (6), it follows that electric power behaves as a parabola
whose directrix is parallel -axis, vertex at point ( ) and focus at ( ).

Example 5. Path of an electron under a electric field

Let be the magnitude of a positive electrostatic field parallel to -axis. Suppose that an electron is
launched over -axis with initial velocity . What is the path of electron after field is applied?
Since
, by Coulombs Law the electron feels an electrostatic negative force given by
,
being the charge of electron. Acceleration of electron in -direction diminishes due to
is constant,
while acceleration in -direction may be calculated by applying the Second Newtons Law:

In this last equation

is the mass of electron. Therefore, at time , the
electron will be at point:
(

That means:
Figure 6. Path of electron under an
electric field.

From the first equation it follows that

gives:

, then substitution of this value in the second equation

This is the equation of a parabola having vertex at origin and focus at point (

).

The ellipse
), vertices at points
The equation of an ellipse having major axis parallel to -axis, center at point (
(
), and maximum and minimum points at (
) is given by (see Figure 8):

x h

a2

y k

b2

(8)

If the ellipse has its major axis parallel to -axis, the equation
is given by:

x h
b2
Figure 7. The ellipse.

y k

a2

(9)

In any case, the standard equation of an ellipse may be

written as:

x h
a12
for any
and
to -axis if

y k

a2 2

1;

(10)

positive real numbers, Equation (10) represents an ellipse whose major axis is parallel
, and an ellipse whose major axis is parallel to -axis if
.

Example 6. Electric power generated by a parallel electric circuit

Let
and
be the value of two resistances. In a similar way, let be a given constant-valued electric
current circulating around the electric circuit shown in Figure 8.
The problem consist of finding the values of electric currents and
such that the total electric power generated by the current is constant,
say .

Figure 8. Electric circuit.

On one hand the total electric power is given by equation

be computed by equation
. Therefore:

; while on the other hand, it can also

(
In this way, the values of

and

such that

is constant should be on an ellipse.

That ellipse has its major axis parallel to -axis if:

Similarly, the ellipse has its major axis parallel to

-axis if:

The hyperbola
The equation of a hyperbola whose center is at point (
Figure 9):

) and focuses at (

)(

) is given by (see

x2 y 2

1.
a 2 b2
Here

. If

(11)

, then equation (11) becomes:

x2 y 2 a2.
Let rotate this equation

(12)

radians (-45) and let (

) be the coordinates of point in the
rotated coordinated system. Therefore, according rotation
equations:
(
( )

( )

( )
(

Figure 9. The hyperbola.

( )

In this way, equation (12) becomes:

(

Renaming

as

a2
y .
2x

and

as , the last expression becomes:

(13)

Equation (13) has a geometric representation given in Figure 10.

Figure 10. Hyperbola after rotation.

Example 7. Variation of potential with distance

In Example 3 was given the equation for electrostatic potential generated by a point-charge
distance :

at a

Comparison of this last equation with equation (13), it follows that equation of electrostatic potential
(
) and
represents a hyperbola in the
-plane, having center at point ( ) and with
(
).

References
Beiser, Arthur (1982). Matemticas bsicas para electricidad y electrnica. McGraw-Hill (Serie Schaum).
Kindle, Joseph (1981). Geometra analtica. McGraw-Hill (Serie Schaum).
Sears, Francis W. & Zemansky, Mark W. (1979). Fsica general. Aguilar.
van der Merwe, Carel (1981). Fsica general. McGraw-Hill (Serie Schaum).