MAMS ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

ES5
Date: April 5, 2012

PHYSICS NOTES: Field Lines, Flux, Gauss Theorem and application

Electric Field Lines: The field lines are imaginary lines drawn to represent region of electric field. As in case of weather patterns we draw wind current lines. But we cannot draw field lines according to our wish. There is a rule to follow. You draw the lines such that if you take any point on the line and you draw tangent at that point. The direction to which that tangent is pointing to is nothing but the direction of the electric field at that point. So these are defined as imaginary curves or lines such that tangent at any point gives direction of electric field at that point. Field lines due to point charge:

You can see the field due to positive and negative isolated point charges. They start at positive point charge and terminate at negative charge. For isolated point charge they are straight lines. But they are not always straight lines. They may be curved. For example if two positive charges are placed in isolation separated by some distance then field lines due to them will be curved as shown. Important properties of field lines: 1. They emerge from positive charge and end at negative charge. 2. They are continuous. Means if any line start from positve charge they must not break and continue to go till it ends at negative charge. If there is no negative point charge then it will go to infinity. The reason is if there is a break then it means field is zero there which is not possiible. 3. Two field lines cannot cross each other. 4. Number of lines proportional to the magnitude of the electric field. The more the number of lines in a particular region more is the strength of electric field. Also number of line going in or coming out from the point charge is proportional to the magnitude of the point charge.

Othet important properties 5. Inside the conducting medium no field lines exists. As there is no electric field inside the conductor. 6. It always enters or comes out from conducting (metal, allow, foil) surface perpendicularly. Reason is if they dont come out or go in normally then there will be component of field acting along parallel to the surface of the conductor. Hence the charges present at the surface would feel force along the surface

because of field, so they will move with acceleration there by voilating the electrostatic condition of charges. 7. Uniform electric field region is is represented by equally spaced parallel straight lines pointing along the field.

8. The number of field lines crossing a particular surface is given by scalar physical quantity known as electric flux discussed below. Electric Flux: Like quantity of matter contained in a body is given by mass, so number of lines passing throught any surface given by electric flux. But we do not actually define it as a number. It is defined as the Surface integral of electric field over any surface. It is denoted by . Formula is = EA cos or = E. A (dot product) for surface whose, area is inside uniform electric field and = EdA cos for area in non uniform electric field. Here, E is field vector and A is area vector. For closed surface like sphere, cube etc it always points normally outwards. For open plane surface no special rule Consider uniform electric field exist in a region along rightward direction. A circular ring of are area A is placed in different orientation. The flux is determined as shown.

Consider a cube of side a placed in uniform field along rightwards. The fluxes through its six faces are calculated as shown. Note: The flux is maximum when is 0o, Minimum when =180o. It can be negative, positive or Zero.

Gausss Theorem: It states that the net Electric Flux coming out from any closed surface is equal to enclosed by that closed surface. total =
qenclosed 1

times the Total charge

. o Note: If 1 is total inward flux and 2 is total outward flux through closed surface. Then Total flux will be Total = (1 ) + (+2 ) = 1 + 2 . Inward flux is taken as negative and outward flux is taken as positive. Also, In the cube problem, total flux was zero so total charge enclosed in cube is also zero. Field and Potential due to charged Hollow Conducting Sphere (SHELL) at a point:

Inside Point: If you place any quantity of charge on hollow conducting sphere of radius R, All the charges will appear uniformly on the surface because of electrostatic repulsion between them and since conductors gives free path to electrons hence they can move freely inside it. They want to get away from each other as much as they can, so limit for them is the outer most surface. There is no charge inside the conductor. Hence if you consider Gaussian surface just below the outermost surface of the conductor, the enclosed q charge in it is zero. qenclosed = 0 , Total flux enclosed = = 0 . So no field lines

o exist inside the surface So. Field inside the conductor is zero at all the

dV = E we have dV = Edr since E=0 therefore dr dV=0 hence Potential difference between any two points inside the conductor is zero OR Potential at all the points inside the conductor is constant.

points. Also by relation

Point On the surface: If you consider point on the surface of the conducting shell. You consider Gaussian surface as the outer surface of the shell. The charge enclosed is equal to the total charge on the shell. SO, qenclosed = q and Applying gausss q q theorem = EA cos = enclosed = . Here cos =1 as =0o Also

A = 4 R 2 surface area of sphere. So, Esurface =

q = 2 4 o R o 1

Now, Potential at the center of the shell is 1 q = K 4 R . So since potential at all points inside Vcentre = 4 o R 1 q and on the surface should also be . This is also the 4 o R potential at any other point inside the shell. At a distance r from centre r>R: If you consider point outside the shell at a distance r such that r>R. You have to take closed spherical Gaussian surface of radius r. the charge enclosed is q. q q and A = 4 r 2 , cos =1. = EA cos = enclosed = o o

Eoutside =

q R2 1 q = and Voutside = , these are also the result for the point charge. 2 2 or 4 o r 4 o r 1

Field and Potential due to charged Solid Conducting Sphere at a point: In conducting solid sphere also electrons are free to move so if you place any charge on it, all charge will appear uniformly on the outer surface of the conductor. Inside Point: There is no charge inside the conductor. Hence if you consider Gaussian surface inside the outermost surface of the conductor, the enclosed charge inside that surface is zero. qenclosed = 0 , Total flux qenclosed = = 0 . So, no field lines exist inside the surface. Field at all the o dV points inside the solid conductor is zero. Also by relation = E we have dr dV = Edr since E=0 therefore dV=0 hence Potential difference between any two points inside the conductor is zero OR Potential at all the points inside the conductor is constant. Point On the surface: If you consider point on the surface of the conducting shell. You consider Gaussian surface as the outer surface of the shell. The charge enclosed is equal to the total charge on the shell. So, q q qenclosed = q and Applying gausss theorem = EA cos = enclosed = . Here cos =1 as =0o Also o o 1 q A = 4 R 2 surface area of sphere So, Esurface = 4 o R 2 1 q . So Now, Potential at the center of the shell is Vcentre = 4 o R since potential at all points inside and on the surface should 1 q . also be 4 o R At a distance r from centre r>R: If you consider point outside the shell at a distance r such that r>R. You have to take closed spherical Gaussian surface of radius r. the charge enclosed is q. Applying gausss theorem q q and A = 4 r 2 , cos =1. = EA cos = enclosed = o o 1 q 1 q and Voutside = , these are also the Eoutside = 2 4 o r 4 o r result for the point charge.

GRAPHS

Field and Potential due to uniformly charged Hollow Non-Conducting Sphere at a point: Inside Point: All the charges are already uniformly distributed on the surface. There is no charge inside the shell. Hence if you consider Gaussian surface inside the shell the enclosed charge in it is zero. qenclosed = 0 , q Total flux enclosed = = 0 . So no field lines exist inside the surface So. Field inside the non conducting shell is o dV zero at all the points. Also by relation = E we have dV = Edr since E=0 therefore dV=0 hence dr Potential difference between any two points inside the shell is zero OR Potential at all the points inside the shell is constant. Point On the surface: If you consider point on the surface of the non-conducting shell. You consider Gaussian surface as the outer surface of the shell. The charge enclosed is equal to the total charge on the q q shell. SO, qenclosed = q and Applying gausss theorem = EA cos = enclosed = . Here cos =1 as =0o o o 1 q Also A = 4 R 2 surface area of sphere. So, Esurface = 4 o R 2 1 q . So since potential at all points inside and on the Now, Potential at the center of the shell is Vcentre = 4 o R 1 q surface should also be . 4 o R At a distance r from centre r>R: If you consider point outside the shell at a distance r such that r>R. You have to take closed spherical Gaussian surface of radius r. the charge enclosed is q. Applying gausss q 1 q 1 q q theorem = EA cos = enclosed = and A = 4 r 2 , cos =1. Eoutside = and Voutside = , these are 2 o o 4 o r 4 o r also the result for the point charge. Note: The graphs will be same as that for conducting shell.

Field and Potential due to uniformly charged Solid NonConducting Sphere at a point: Inside Point: Consider a point inside the sphere at a distance r such that r<R. To find field at that point you imagine spherical Gaussian surface of radius r. Since charge is uniformly distributed throughout the volume hence, the charge enclosed in this Gaussian 4 surface is qenclosed = r 3 . 3 Where, is the volume charge density. Applying gausss theorem we have 4 r3 q 3 = EA cos = enclosed = and A = 4 r 2 , cos =1 so

4 r 3 E= or Einside = here is constant hence E r . 2 4 r o 3 o 3 o dV For potential we use relation = E or dV = Edr . dr

r3

R2 3 o

dV = Edr =
r

r dr or 3 o r
R2 r 2 R2 V = or or 3 o 6 o 6 o

[V ]V

R 3 o

r2 = 6 o r

R2 R2 r 2 + V= 3 o 6 o 6 o

Vinside =

2 r2 R 2 o 3

Point On the surface: Considering the outer surface as the Gaussian surface, charge enclosed is R2 4 R Kq R 1 q 3 or Esurface = 2 or Esurface = and Vsurface = or Vsurface = where q is the qenclosed = R so E = 3 o 3 o R 3 o 3 4 o R total charge on the solid sphere. At a distance r from centre r>R: It will be Eoutside =
q 1 q and Voutside = as discussed before 2 4 o r 4 o r

GRAPHS