Divergence and Curl of

Electrostatic Fields
1 q
Field of a point charge E(r ) r
40 r 2

arrows field lines: direction of E

number of lines/area E
Bits of thread in oil align
with the field lines.
 a x a x y y 2
E 2 2 x 2 2 y rA (a x ) y rB2 ( a x )2 y 2
2 2

2o rA rB rA rB
Construction principle:
Field lines start at +q and end at q.
The number of lines is proportional to q.
If the total charge is different from 0, there will be lines
going to or coming from infinity.
Field lines never cross.
The field lines point in radial direction near point charges.
 Divergence of E (Gausss Law)

q
point charge : E da
S o
, S encloses the charge.

Qenc
integral form : E da
S
o
, Qenc d
V

differenti al form : E
o
 Application of Gausss law (integral form):
The direction of the field is known, and it is constant
on the Gaussian surface

1. Spherical symmetry:

2. Cylindrical symmetry:

3. Plane symmetry:
 Example 2.2
What is the field outside the uniformly charged sphere?
 Example 2.3
Field inside a long cylinder with charge density ks
 Example 2.4
Infinite plate with uniform surface charge density
Example 2.5
 Field Lines and Flux
Flux through a surface:

E E da number of field lines penetratin g S.

S
 Hydrodynam ic analogon :
Stationary flow of an incompress ible fluid v 0.

Streamlines of a fluid flowing around a cylinder.

Conservation of flux:

E 0 E da 0

Flux tube:

The flux (number of field/stream lines) through the different

cross sections of the flux tube is constant.
 Curl of E
q
1
point charge : E r
40 r 2

E 0 E da 0 General properties

remain true for E Ei

i
 Laws of electrostatics

differenti al form : E
o
E 0

Qenc
integral form : E da
S
o
, Qenc d
V

E da 0