Electric field

The problem:

Given a thin sphere, radius R, charge Q (divided evenly across the sphere), calculate the electric
field inside and outside of the sphere:
1. using direct integration (the Coulomb’s law).
2. using the Gauss’s law.
Using the result, calculate the electric field of a homogeneously charged solid sphere, radius R,
charge Q.

The solution:

1.According to the Coulomb’s law

~0
~ = kdq(~r − r )
dE (1)
|~r − r~0 |3
In our case:
dq Q Q
σ = = = (2)
da A 4πR2
2
da = R sin θdθdφ (3)
Q sin θ
dq = dθdφ (4)
4π
For simplicity let us choose
~r = (0, 0, z) (5)
(any other point can be reached by rotating the coordinates) and
r~0 = (R sin θ cos φ, R sin θ sin φ, R cos θ) (6)
then
|~r − r~0 | = (R2 + z 2 − 2Rz cos θ)1/2 (7)
Therefore,
Z π Z 2π
kQ 1
E= sin θdθ dφ (−R sin θ cos φ, −R sin θ sin φ, z − R cos θ) (8)
4π 0 0 (R2 + z 2 − 2Rz cos θ)3/2
Ex and Ey both equal 0 (since sin φ and cos φ are both periodic for 2π).
kq π sin θ(z − R cos θ)
Z
Ez = dθ (9)
2 0 (R2 + z 2 − 2Rz cos θ)3/2
substituting cos θ for t we get:
kQ 1 z − Rt
Z
Ez = dt (10)
2 −1 (R + z 2 − 2Rzt)3/2
2
Z 1
kQ ∂ dt
= · (−1) (11)
2 ∂z −1 (R2 + z 2 − 2Rzt)1/2
 
kQ ∂ 1 2 2 1/2 1
= (R + z − 2Rzt) |−1 (12)
2 ∂z Rz
 
kQ ∂ 1
= (|R − z| − |R + z|) (13)
2 ∂z Rz
(
kq/z 2 , |z| > R
Ez = (14)
0, |z| < R

1
2. According to the Gauss’s law:
Z
Φ= E ~ · d~a = 4πkq (15)

Let us find the electric field at the point r1 (spherical coordinates). We build a sphere with a
radius r1 . Due to the symmetry, the magnitude of the field on the sphere is the same, and in the r̂
direction. Then
~ ·A
Φ=E ~ = E · 4πr2 = 4πkq (16)
1

where Q being the charge inside the sphere r1 .

If r1 > R then all of charge is in the sphere, and we get :
kQ
E= (17)
r2
and if r1 < R, then no charge is inside the sphere r1 , and so:

E=0 (18)

which is, of course, the same result as we got before.

3. Let us think of the solid sphere as a collection of thin spheres. Each thin sphere at the radius
r0 < R and of thickness dr0 is charged with the charge
Q
dq = ρdV = dr0 (19)
4/3πR3

For r > R each thin sphere induces dEr = kdqr2

. Therefore, Er = kQ
r2
.
For r < R one has to consider only the thin spheres with the radii r0 < r (since the outer spheres
3
contribute zero). Therefore, the total contributing charge is q = Q Rr 3 , and the field is Er = kQ
R3
r.
Summarising,
(
kQ
R3
r, r < R
Er = kQ (20)
r2
, r>R