1.

Electrical Dipole
2. Dielectrics in Static Electric
Field
3. Electric Flux Density and
Dielectric Constant
4. Boundary Conditions for
Electrostatic Fields
1. A Dipole
A combination of two electric charges with equal magnitude and
opposite sign is called a dipole.
+
-
+q -q
d
The charge on this dipole is q (not zero, not +q, not q, not
2q). The distance between the charges is d. Dipoles are
everywhere in nature.
This is an electric dipole. Later in the course well study magnetic dipoles.
Dipole
i
2
i
i
q

E=k r
r

Example: calculate the electric field at point P, which lies on the

perpendicular bisector a distance L from a dipole of charge q.
+
-
+q -q
d
P
L
to be worked at the blackboard
3
o
qd
E
4 r
=
tc
+
-
+q -q
d
P
L
3
o
qd
E
4 r
=
tc
Caution! The above
equation for E applies
only to points along
the perpendicular
bisector of the dipole.
It is not a starting
equation.
Electric Dipole in an
External Electric Field
An electric dipole consists of two charges +q and -q, equal in
magnitude but opposite in sign, separated by a fixed distance d.
q is the charge on the dipole.
Earlier, I calculated the electric field along the perpendicular
bisector of a dipole (this equation gives the magnitude only).
3
o
qd
E .
4 r
=
tc
The electric field depends on the product qd.
Caution! This is not the general expression
for the electric field of a dipole!
q and d are parameters that specify the dipole; we define the
"dipole moment" of a dipole to be the vector
p qd, =
where the direction of p is from negative to positive (NOT away
from +).
+q -q
p
caution: this p is not momentum!
To help you remember the direction of p, this is on the equation
sheet:
p q d, from to plus =
E
A dipole in a uniform electric field experiences no net force, but
probably experiences a torque
+q
-q
p
F
+
F
-
u
F F F qE qE 0.
+
= + = + =

There is no net force on the dipole:

E
+q
-q
p
F
+
F
-
u
d sinu
If we choose the midpoint of the dipole as the origin for
calculating the torque, we find
dsin dsin
qE qE qdEsin ,
2 2
+
u u
t = t + t = + = u

and in this case the direction is into the plane of the figure.
Expressed as a vector,
p E. t =
d sinu
Recall that the unit of torque is
Nm, which is not a joule!
E
+q
-q
p
F
+
F
-
u
d sinu
d sinu
The torques magnitude is p E sinu and the direction is given by
the right-hand rule.
What is the maximum torque?
Energy of an Electric Dipole in an
External Electric Field
If the dipole is free to rotate, the electric field does work* to
rotate the dipole.
E
+q
-q
p
F
+
F
-
u
initial final
W pE(cos cos ). = u u
The work depends only on the initial and final coordinates, and
not on how you go from initial to final.
*Calculated using , which you learned in Physics 23.
z
W d = t u
}
If a force is conservative, you can define a potential energy
associated with it.
Because the electric force is conservative, we can define a
potential energy for a dipole. The equation for work
initial final
W pE(cos cos ) = u u
suggests we should define
dipole
U pEcos . = u
E
+q
-q
p
F
+
F
-
u
dipole
U pEcos = u
With the definition on the previous slide, U is zero when u=t/2.
U is maximum when cosu=-1, or u=t (a point of unstable
equilibrium).
U is minimum when cosu=+1, or u=0 (stable equilibrium).
It is better to express the dipole potential energy as
dipole
U p E. =
Recall that the unit of energy is the
joule, which is a Nm, but is not the
same as the Nm of torque!
dipole moment ( - + )
Potential energy
Torque felt
E p


= t
E p V

=
In discussing dielectric materials
P

P N

Definition
d q p

=
+
-
E

E q

E q

+
-
q + q
d
Polarization = # of dipole moment / unit volume
=
In dielectrics, there are no free charges, but bound charges,
i.e. electric dipoles are present.
Dielectrics
L
V
E
0
0
=

Electric field inside the parallel plate :

Now, insert a slab of dielectric modify the field to a new value E

2. Dielectrics in Static Electric Field

3. Electric Flux Density and Dielectric
Constant
|
.
|

\
|
= - V
3
m
C
D
0 = V E
) ( C Q ds D dv Ddv
v v s
= - = - V
} } }

Gausss Law: The total outward flux of the

dielectric displacement (or simply the outward
flux) over any closed surface is equal to the
total free charge enclosed in the surface
|
.
|

\
|
= = + =
= + = + =
2
0 0
0 0 0
m
C
E ) 1 ( E E
E E P E D
r e
e
c c c _ c
_ c c c
Where- is the absolute permittivity (F/m)
-
r
is the relative permittivity or the dielectric constant
of the medium
-
0
is the permittivity of free space
-
e
is the electric susceptibility (dimensionless)
(
(
(

(
(
(

=
(
(
(

z
y
x
z
y
x
E
E
E
D
D
D
33 32 31
23 22 21
13 12 11
c c c
c c c
c c c
Homogeneous
-
r
independent of position

Anisotropic

r
is different for different of the electric field


Biaxial, Uniaxial and Isotropic
Medium
(
(
(

(
(
(

=
(
(
(

z
y
x
z
y
x
E
E
E
D
D
D
3
2
1
0 0
0 0
0 0
c
c
c
2 1
c c =
-biaxial
-uniaxial
-isotropic
3 2 1
c c c = =

Vacuum 1
Glass 5-10
Mica 3-6
Mylar 3.1
Neoprene 6.70
Plexiglas 3.40
Polyethylene 2.25
Polyvinyl chloride 3.18
Teflon 2.1
Germanium 16
Strontiun titanate 310
Titanium dioxide (rutile) 173 perp
86 para
Water 80.4
Glycerin 42.5
Liquid ammonia(-78C 25
Benzene 2.284
Air(1 atm) 1.00059
Air(100 atm) 1.0548
Material Dielectric Constants
The maximum electric field intensity that a dielectric
material can stand without breakdown
Material Dielectric Strength (V/m)
Air 3e6
Bakelite 24e6
Neoprene rubber 12e6
Nylon 14e6
Paper 16e6
Polystyrene 24e6
Pyrex glass 14e6
Quartz 8e6
Silicone oil 15e6
Strontium titanate 8e6
Teflon 60e6


Dielectric Strength
4. Boundary Conditions for Electrostatic
Fields
}
= -
abcda
l d E 0 CONDITION I (tangential components)
Tangential Components of the Electric
Field
0 = - + - + - + -
} } } }
a
d
d
c
c
b
b
a
l d E l d E l d E l d E
0
2 /
0
0
2 /
0 2 /
0
0
2 / 0
= - + - +
+ - + - + - + -
} }
} } } }
A
A
A
A
A
A
h
h
w
h
h
w
l d E l d E
l d E l d E l d E l d E
0
2 /
0
0
2 /
0
2 /
0
0
2 / 0
2 1 2
2 1 1
= + + +
+ +
} } }
} } }
A
A A
A
A
A
h
n n N
h
n n N
w
T T T
h
n n N
h
n n N
w
T T T
a dl a E a dl a E a dl a E
a dl a E a dl a E a dl a E
0
2 2

2 2
2 1
2 2 1 1
=
A
+
A
+
A
A

A
A
h
E
h
E
w E
h
E
h
E w E
N N
T N N T
Condition I (tangential components)
2 1
2 1
1 1
c c
T T
T T
D D
E E
=
=
CONDITION II (normal components)
Q s d D = -
}
Perpendicular Components of the
Displacement Vector
} } } }
- + - + - = -
bottom side s top
s d D s d D s d D s d D
s D s D
a ds a D a ds a D s d D
N N
bottom
n n N
s top
n n N
A A =
= + = -
} } }
2 1
1 1

) (
}
A = =
s
s s encl
s ds Q
Condition II (normal components)
|
.
|

\
|
=
2
21
m
C
) (
2 1
s N N
D D a
The normal component of D field is discontinuous across
an interface where a surface charge exists, the amount of
discontinuity being equal to the surface charge density
Example: Two dielectric media with permittivity
1
and
respectively
2
, are separated by a charge free boundary. The
electric field intensity in medium 1 at point P
1
has a magnitude
E
1
and makes an angle
1
. Determine the magnitude and
direction of the electric field intensity at point P
2
in medium 2.

2

P
1

P
2

0 ) ( since


2 1
2 1
1 1
12
= =
=
=
s N N
N N
T T
D D a
D D
E E

2 2 2 1 1 1
2 2 1 1
cos cos
sin sin
o c o c
o o
E E
E E
=
=
2
1
2
1
2
2
1
1
tan
tan
tan tan
c
c
o
o
c
o
c
o
=
=
( ) ( )
( )
( )
2
1 1
2
1
2
1 1 2
2
1 1
2
1
2
1 1
2
2 2
2
2 2
2 2
2
cos sin
cos sin
cos sin
2 1
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
= + = + =
o
c
c
o
o
c
c
o
o o
E E E
E E
E E E E E
N T
The magnitude of E
2
:
Boundary conditions at a
Dielectric/Conductor Interface
-inside a good conductor
E=0 E
T
=0


D=0 D
n
=
s

( ) ( )
2 2
12 12
12 24
x y x y
xy xy
V
V y xy
x y m
c c
= V = =
c c
2
E a a a a
2
2
-1.1 2.2
r o x y
nC
y xy
m
c c = = D E a a
The potential field in a material with
r
= 10.2
is V = 12 xy
2
(V). Find E, P and D.
1 9.2
e r
_ c = =
( )
( )
12 2
2
9.2 8.854 10 -9.8 2.00
e o x y
nC
x y xy
m
_ c

= = P E E = a a
Practical Problems: Electric Potential
For z 0, c
r1
= 9.0 and for z > 0, c
r2
= 4.0. If E
1
makes
a 30 angle with a normal to the surface, what angle
does E
2
make with a normal to the surface?

1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2
sin , sin , and
T T T T
E E E E E E u u = = =
More Practical Problems:
Boundary Conditions
( )
1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2
1 2
cos , cos ,
and since 0
N r o N r o
N N s
D E D E
D D
c c u c c u

= =
= =
1 2
1 2
,
T T
N N
E E
D D
=
Therefore

and after routine math we find
1
2
2 1
1
tan tan
r
r
c
u u
c

| |
=
|
\ .
Using this formula we obtain for this problem u
2
= 14.
also