Electric Fields

17. Electric Fields Content 17.1 Concept of an electric field 17.2 Uniform electric fields 17.3 Force between point charges 17.4 Electric field of a point charge 17.5 Electric potential Learning Outcomes
(a) show an understanding of the concept of an electric field as an example of a field of force and define electric field strength as force per unit positive charge. (b) represent an electric field by means of field lines. (c) recall and use E = V/d to calculate the field strength of the uniform field between charged parallel plates in terms of potential difference and separation. (d) calculate the forces on charges in uniform electric fields. (e) describe the effect of a uniform electric field on the motion of charged particles.
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* (f) recall and use Coulomb's law in the form F = Q1Q2/4or2 for the force between two point charges in free space or air. * (g) recall and use E = Q/4or2 for the field strength of a point charge in free space or air. (h) define potential at a point in terms of the work done in bringing unit positive charge from infinity to the point. (i) state that the field strength of the field at a point is numerically equal to the potential gradient at that point. * (j) use the equation V = Q/4or for the potential in the field of a point charge. (k) recognise the analogy between certain qualitative and quantitative aspects of electric field and gravitational fields.

Forces between charges, Coulombs Law

French scientist Charles Coulomb on investigating the force between charges discovered that : The force is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them i.e F = kQ1Q2/r2 where k is a constant of proportionality, the value of which depends on the medium around the charges Since the variation of the force is proportional to 1/r2, it is often referred to as an inverse square law Strictly speaking this law applies to point charges but can be used for charged spheres provided their radii are small compared to their separation k = 0 where 0 is called the permittivity of free space (i.e charges are in a vacuum) given by 8.85 x 10-12 C2 N-1 m-2 (or F m-1) k = 8.99 x 109 C2 N-1 m-2 (or F m-1) Permittivity in air is 1.00050 i.e. close to a vacuum

Example
A charge of 2.0 x 10-8 C is at a distance of 5 cm from another charge of - 5.0 x 10-8 C. Calculate the magnitude of the force between the charges and state its nature. (o = 8.85 x 10-12 Fm-1) Solution F = kQ1Q2/r2 = - 3.6 x 10-3 N (attractive since minus sign)

Concept of Electric Fields

Electric charges exert forces on each other when they are a distance apart The idea of an electric field, which is a region in space where a stationary charge experiences a force, is used to explain this action at a distance Each charge somehow modifies the properties of the space around itself, creating an electric field The direction of an electric field is defined as the direction in which a positive charge would move if it were free to do so

Electric fields

An electric field can be caused either by a point charged particle or through the maintenance of a potential difference between two parallel plates. The former is a radial field while the latter a uniform field. For any electric field the lines of force start on a positive charge and end on a negative charge The lines of force are smooth curves which never touch or cross The strength of the field is indicated by the closeness of the lines: the closer the lines, the stronger the field For point charges the field lines appear to come from or go into the centre For a radial field the lines of force radiate outwardly from a positive point source but inwardly towards a negative source. In a uniform field the direction of the lines of force is from the positive plate towards the negative plate.
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Electric field strength, E

The electric field strength E, is defined as the force per unit charge acting on a small positive charge placed at that point, i.e. E = F/Q N C-1

The field lines of such fields are parallel to each other and are spaced at even distances from each other. Uniformity of the field is only at the centre between the plates and not at the edges.

Potential difference, V and uniform electric field

The potential difference VAB between two points A and B in an electric field is the work done W, in moving a unit positive charge from B of lower potential to A of higher potential against the direction of the line of action of the force on the unit charge. That is VAB = W/Q i.e. W = VQ SI unit of V is Volts But also, work done (which is energy) W = Fd, therefore Fd = VQ with units of V C Rearranging, F/Q = V/d, but F/Q is the force per unit charge which is the definition of electric field strength E. Hence for a uniform field, the field strength E = V/d V m-1 E has 2 equivalent SI units, V m-1 = N C-1

Example
Two metal plates 5.0 cm apart have a potential difference of 1000 V between them. Calculate: (a) The strength of the electric field between the plates (b) The force on a charge of 5.0 nC between the plates

Solution (a) E = V/d = 2.0 X 104 V m-1 (b) F = EQ = 1.0 x 10-4 N

Field strength due to an isolated point charge

The field pattern due to an isolated point charge is radial and, if it is not isolated, if any other object charged or otherwise is near it, the field will be distorted From Coulombs Law, the force on a test charge q, a distance r from the isolated point charge Q is given by, F = Qq/40r2 The electric field E at the location of the test charge q, is given by E = F/q Therefore the electric field due to the isolated point charge is E = Q/40r2 i.e. inverse square law because the force varies in proportion to 1/r2 or E = kQ/r2 where k = 1/40 = 8.99 x 109 C2 N-1 m-2 (or F m-1)

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Example
In a simplified model of the hydrogen atom, the electron is at a distance of 5.3 x 10-11 m from the proton. The proton charge is 1.6 x 10-19 C. Calculate the electric field strength of the proton at this distance. Solution Assuming that the field is radial, E = kQ/r2 = 8.99 x 109 x 1.6 x 10-19/(5.3 x 10-11)2 = 5.1 x 1011 N C-1

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Electric potential energy and electric potential

Energy is a conserved quantity and is thus a fundamental aspect of nature We can use the idea of energy in electricity also and define electric potential energy in the same way as other types of potential energies The change in electric potential energy when a charge Q is moved between 2 points A and B in an electric field is the work done by the electric force in moving the charge from B back to A Electric field has been defined as the force per unit charge Electric potential V, at a point in an electric field is defined as the work done or potential energy PE, in bringing unit positive charge from infinity to the point i.e V = PE/Q In dealing with gravitational potential energy we take the floor or the earths surface as zero in computing mgh. In electrical problems the earths potential is taken to be zero although the official definition of the potential is the potential of a point an infinite distance away
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Relationship between electric field at a point and electric potential at that point
The field strength is equal to the negative of the potential gradient at that point V = PE/Q = (F x r)/q = (Qq/(40r2) x r)/q = Q/40r = kQ/r where k = 1/40r

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Example
How much work must be done by an external force in moving a charge q of +2.0 C from infinity to a point A, 0.40 m from a charge Q of +30 C? Solution The work is simply the change in electric potential energy. The potential energy at infinity is zero, so W = qV = qkQ/r = 1.4 J

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