Lecture 5:

Gauss Law
Capacitors & Dielectrics

Electric flux
Gauss law
Parallel plate capacitor
Energy storage in a capacitor
Capacitance
Dielectric
Dielectric strength
Polarisation density
Electric field energy density
 Electric flux density ( D )
Q 1
E
1C 4 0 a 2
x
Q a

The surface area of the sphere S is 4a2, so

Q 1 Q
E oE D
0S S

where D is electric flux density.

 Electric flux ( )
D 0E

Q a

Q
D oE
S

The total flux is density times area:

DS Q
 Gausss Theorem 1
Consider the flux through a closed surface due
to a point charge Q. D
n

Q
 Exploded view
Dn

D

1
r S
Q
S0 Sn
Dn S n
cos
D S
 Gausss Theorem 2
In summary:

d Dn dS Q
s s

This is true for any point charge. Hence the same

relationship holds for any charge distribution within
any closed surface.
To put Gausss Theorem in words:
The electric flux emanating from a closed
surface is equal to the charge within.
 Coulomb law from Gauss law
Assume for Gaussian surface a sphere
at the centre of which lies the charge. Due to
Symmetry we can write

q o E 4r E
2 q
4 o r 2

And therefore the force experienced by a charge Q due to q

q Q
F
4 o r 2

Coulombs law can be derived by Gausss law

 Electrical energy storage -
capacitance
Advantages
efficient
low inertia, therefore high speed

Disadvantages
low energy density limited by flashover at e.g. 3
MV/m for air
 Example uniform E-field

-d/2 d/2

Electric field between two oppositely charged plates

(assuming large surface and short separation) is
uniform; therefore potential varies linearly
 Simple capacitor
Suppose that a potential difference V is applied
across two parallel plates separated by air.

+Q

V E

-Q
E V /d
D 0E
V
 E V
D 0E
V

But, from Gausss Theorem,

Q
Q V
Q CV

where C, the constant of proportionality, is the

capacitance. Hence capacitance is

C Q V ( farads or F )
Energy stored in a capacitor

A charge of one coulomb ( 1 C ) receives or

delivers an energy of one joule ( 1 J ) when it
moves through a voltage of one volt ( 1 V ).

w qv
 Q
q Cv
q

0 v V

w qv vq
dw vdq
 Q
q Cv
dq
q

0 v V

w qv vq 1 Q2
W
dw vdq 2 C
 Stored energy
1 Q2
W
2 C

Q CV
1 Q2 1 2 QV
W CV
2 C 2 2
 Determination of capacitance
Start with arbitrary charges of Q and Q on the
electrodes
Use Gausss Theorem to obtain the electric flux
Obtain the electric flux density D
Obtain the electric field strength from D = 0E
Obtain the voltage between the electrodes from
B
V AB Edx
A

Obtain the capacitance from Q

C
V
 Parallel plates
+Q

V
d r

-Q
area = S
B
D S o E S Q V AB Edx E d
A

0S
C
d
 Capacitors in parallel

C1 Q1 C2 Q2
V

C Q = Q1 + Q2 +
V

C C1 C 2 ...
 Capacitors in series
C1 -Q C2 -Q

Q Q
V
V1 V2

C -Q
Q
V

1 C 1 C1 1 C 2 ...
Capacitors and Dielectrics
A block of insulating material becomes polarized
as follows:

Etotal = E0 - EP
Capacitor with dielectric:
+Q
-q V
d E
+q r
++++++++++++++++++++++
-Q
area = S
Since V=Ed, a fixed charge Q will produce a lower voltage
(since E is now reduced)
The capacitance is increased. Express this by a factor r

r 0S
C
d
r is relative permittivity
Q
r ( 1.0 for air ).
Qq
 Polarisation density
Polarisation density is a vector field that expresses
the density electric dipole moments in a dielectric
material

The polarization density, P, defines the electric flux

density according to
D= + P
(remember that so far we were using D= r )
Energy stored in a capacitor
1 2 1 r 0S
W CV ( Ed ) 2
2 2 d
1
r 0 E 2 volume
2

For example, r for mica is 5 and Emax = 600 kV/cm.

Wmax 80,000 J / m 3
 Electric field energy density
Note that the electric field energy, W, in this case of
a uniform field is given by

The quantity, u, defines the electric field energy density

 Conductor at Equilibrium
For a conductor at equilibrium:
1. The net electric charge of a conductor resides entirely
on its surface.
2. The electric field inside the conductor is zero.
3. The external electric field at the surface of the
conductor is perpendicular to that surface.
 Conductors and electric field
1. Charges only at surface: The mutual repulsion of like
charges from Coulomb's Law demands that the charges
be as far apart as possible, hence on the surface of the
conductor.
2. Electric field is zero inside: Any net electric field in the
conductor would cause charge to move since it is
abundant and mobile (Also through Gauss law)
3. Electric fields always normal to conductor surfaces:
otherwise it would exert a force parallel to the surface and
produce charge motion