PH108

Lecture 05
Electrostatic field and potential

Pradeep Sarin
Department of Physics
Supplementary reading:
Div, Grad, Curl pages 82-86 for polar and cylindrical coordinates

Tutorial 1 was ?

B
C

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

Given , Determine

=
0
is ONE differential equation in THREE unknowns Ex Ey Ez
Need TWO more equations to solve for

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

Curl :
Our physical, visual definition:
1
= lim
0

Circulation around a boundary,

as the surface enclosed by the boundary shrinks to zero
How does this turn into the operational expression:

+ (

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

Calculate how circulates around a boundary

)
(

y
(

(,

, )
2

x,y,z

x
( +
PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

, , )
2

(, +

, )
2

, , )
2
5

Calculate how circulates around a boundary

z

)
(

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

Calculate how circulates around a boundary

z

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

Calculate how circulates around a boundary

z

Our definition of Curl :

1
= lim

0

+ (

Shape of the surface does not matter,

Since we are taking 0
PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

Circulation of is independent of path

P1

Consider a constant =
x

P1

P2

=
P2

Evaluate this as the sum over many Pis

take E constant over each Pi

1
In general: =
40 2

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

1 1
=
( )
40
9

Circulation of on a closed path is ZERO

= 0
From our definition of Curl:
1
= lim

0
Stokes theorem:
( ) =

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

=0

10

Question
Which of the following could be a static
E field in a small region?
I

II

A) Only I
B) Only II
C) Both
D) Neither
E) Cannot answer without further info
PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

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Electric Potential (not potential energy!)

B

implies:

Path independence of

, =

, = , + (, )
, = ()

Define electric potential at a point A: =

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

12

Question
Why is

= 0 in electrostatics?

A) Because = 0
B) Because potential between two points is independent
of the path between the points
C) Both the above
D) NONE of the above: its not true!

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

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Summary so far
IMPORTANT: we are working with static charges

Given static , Determine

Tools we have so far:

=
0
=0
= 0
any path

PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

14

Question
Could the following electrostatic field possibly exist in a
finite region of space that contains no charges?
(A, and c are constants with appropriate units)

2
= ( + )
2
A) Sure, why not?

B) No way
C) Not enough information to decide
PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

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Question
A cubical non-conducting shell has a uniform positive charge density
on its surface. (There are no other charges around)
What is the field inside the box?

A: E=0 everywhere inside

B: E0 everywhere inside
C: E=0 only at the very center, but non-zero elsewhere inside.
D: Not enough info given
PH108

Spring 2015 Pradeep Sarin

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