Electricity & Magnetism PHYE03P03

Lecture 2

Electric Field
Electric Field Ch. 22

Prof. Dr. Amer El-Korashy

Dr. Bahy Saad

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 1

Review - Coulombs Law
The electric force F qq
between two charges, 1 2
2
Fk
q1 and q2, separated by r
a distance r is given by
Coulombs Law: Opposite charges: F is attractive (-)
Like charges: F is repulsive (+)
1/r 2 dependence:
The constant k is called
Coulombs constant and
is given by:
2 2
Nm 1 C
k 8.99 10 9 2 ork where 0 8.85 10 12
C 4 0 Nm 2
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 2

The Electric Field (1)

So far we have thought of the electric Force

between two stationary charges
concept of a Field:
A field is a physical entity that extends throughout a
volume of space and exerts forces
Electric field = E (x, t)
Magnetic field = B (x, t)

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 3

The Electric Field (2)

A charge creates an
Electric field at a given
electric field around itself point in space: place a
and the other charge positive test charge q at
feels that field. the point and measure the
electrostatic force that
acts on the test charge;
then
+ + r
Test charge q
r F
E
q
Test charge: point object with a
very small positive charge so that it
does not modify the original field

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 4

The Electric Field (3)

A field is not just an abstract concept that we

use to describe forces. The field is real.
The electric field extends throughout space and
exerts forces on charged particles.
If we place a positive point charge in an electric
field, there will be a vector force on that charge
in the direction of the electric field
The magnitude of the force depends on the strength of
the electric field

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 5

Precise Definition of Electric Field

We define the electric field in terms of r

the force it exerts on a positive point r F
charge: E
q
Unit of the electric field:
N/C (Newtons per Coulomb)
r r r
We can then write: F qE ( x )

Note that the electric force is parallel to

the electric field and is proportional to
the charge
The force on a negative charge will be in the
opposite direction
February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 6
Example: Field of a Point Charge

Question: What is the field created by a point charge q?

Answer: Consider a test charge q0 at point x.

Force on q0:
r qq0
F k 2 r
r
Electric field at x
r
r r F q
E(x) k 2 r
q0 r

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 7

Superposition of Electric Fields

Suppose we have many charges

The electric field at any point in space will have

contributions from all the charges.
The electric field at any point in space is the
superposition of the electric field from n charges is
r r r r r
E E1 E2 E3 ... En

Note that the superposition applies to each

component of the field (x, y, z)

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 8

 Properties of Field Lines
The strength of the electric field is represented by the
density of electric field lines
Weak

Strong

The direction of the electric field is tangent to the electric

field lines

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 9

Field Lines from a Point Charge

The electric field lines

from a point charge extend 3D
out radially
For a positive point charge,
the field lines point
outward
Terminate at infinity
For a negative charge, the
field lines point inward 2D
Originate at infinity

r r kq r
E(x) 2 r
r
February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 10
Electric Field Lines for Two Point Charges

We can use the superposition principle to calculate the

electric field from two point charges.
The field lines will originate from the positive charge and
terminate on the negative charge.

3d 2d

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 11

Electric Field Lines (2)

- +

What is the direction of the E field at points halfway

between two identical charges?
Use superposition principle:

r r r
Enet E E

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 12

 Electric Field Lines
from Two Identical Point Charges

r r r
Enet E E
February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 13
General Observations about Field Lines

If the field lines connect, we have

an attractive force
Imagine the charges pulling on each
other
If the field lines seem to spread
out, we have a repulsive force
Imagine the charges pushing each other
apart

Field lines always originate on

positive charge and terminate on
negative charge
Field lines never cross

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 14

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (1)

Question:
Four charges q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC, q3 = 20 nC

and q4 = -10 nC form a square of edge length

5 cm. What electric field do the particles

produce at the square center?

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 15

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (2)

Question: Four charges q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC, q3 = 20 nC and q4

= -10 nC form a square of edge length 5 cm. What electric
field do the particles produce at the square center?
Answer:
THINK

Each of the four charges produces an electric field

at the center of the square
We can use the principle of superposition to
calculate the electric field at the center of the
square

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 16

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (3)

SKETCH
We can draw a sketch of the four charges
placed on the corner of a square
We define an x-y coordinate system
as shown
We place q2 and q3 on the x axis

We place q1 and q4 on the y axis

The center of the square is at x = y = 0

We define the side of the square

a = 5 cm

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 17

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (4)
RESEARCH
q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
The electric field at the center of the
q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
square is given by the principle of
superposition
r r r r r
Ecenter E1 E2 E3 E4

Which implies
Ecenter,x E1,x E2,x E3,x E4,x
Ecenter,y E1,y E2,y E3,y E4,y

All four charges are the same distance

r from the center of the square
2a a
r
2 2

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 18

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (5)

The electric field component from q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC

each charge at the center of the q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
square is given by
qi
Ei k 2
r
SIMPLIFY
Start with the x-components of the
electric field at the center of the
square
Ecenter,x E1, x E2, x E3, x E4, x
r q2 q3
Ecenter,x k 2 x k 2 x

r r
k
Ecenter,x 2 q3 q2
r
February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 19
Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (6)

Now the y-components of the electric q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC

field at the center of the square q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
Ecenter,y E1, y E2, y E3, y E4, y
r q1 q4
Ecenter,y k 2 y k 2 y

r r
k
Ecenter,y 2 q4 q1
r

The magnitude of the electric field at

the center of the square is then
Ecenter Ecenter,x Ecenter,y
2 2

k 2k
Ecenter 2
r
q3 q2 q4 q1
2 2
2
a
q3 q2 q4 q1
2 2

a a2
rememberingthatr 2 andr 2
2

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 20

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (7)

q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC
The angle of the electric field at the
center of the square is q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC

Ecenter,y
tan 1

Ecenter,x
k
1 r
2 q 4 q1
tan
k
2 q3 q2
r
1 q4 q1
tan
q3 q2

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 21

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (8)

CALCULATE q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC

q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
Putting in our numerical values we get
2k
Ecenter 2 q3 q2 q4 q1
2 2

a
q3 q2 20nC 20nC 40nC 40 10 9 C
q4 q1 10nC 10nC 20nC 20 10 9 C
Nm 2

2 8.99 10 2
9

C
40 10
9 2 9 2
Ecenter C 20 10 C
0.050m 2

Ecenter 321636.0179N/C

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 22

Example: Electric Field from 4 Point Charges (9)

For the direction of the field we get q1 = 10 nC, q2 = -20 nC

q4 q1 q3 = 20 nC, q4 = -10 nC
tan 1

q3 q2
10 10
tan 1
tan 1
0.5
20 20
26.56505118

ROUND
Ecenter 3.2 10 N/C 5
We report our results to two
significant figures 27

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 23

Example: Electric Field from Three Point Charges
(1)
Consider three charges
q1 1.5 C q2 2.5 C q3 3.5 C

The three charges are

placed at
q1 : (0, a )
q2 : (0, 0) q3 : (b, 0)

Question: What is the electric

field at point P ?
P: (b,a)
a = 8.0 m ; b =
6.0 m
February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 24
Example: Electric Field from Three Point Charges
(2)
Answer:
The electric field at P due
to q1 is r q1 q
E1 k 2 x E1 k 12 x
b
b

The electric field at P due

to q3 is r q
E3 k 32 y
a
The electric field at P due
to q2 is
r kq2 cos kq2 sin
E2 2

x 2
y Note: tan = a/b
a b a b
2 2

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 25

Example: Electric Field from Three Point Charges
(3)
Now we add the components, to obtain

Ex 509 N/C Ex 509 N/C

E y 311 N/C Ey 311 N/C

Magnitude of E

E Ex2 E y2 597 N/C

Direction of E

angle with x axis arctan(E y / Ex ) 31.5

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 26

 THANK You

February 27, 2017 University Physics, Chapter 22 27