Electrostatics - Stored Energy and salient points

Mainak Sengupta

EE, IIEST Shibpur,

Howrah, WB, India

30 September 2021

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 Discussion Outline

Discussion Outline

• Introduction - Stored energy.

• Work done in moving a charge.
• The energy stored in discrete & continuous static charge distributions.
• An interesting case study.
• Laplace’s and Poisson’s equations.
• Salient points.
• Conclusions
• Exercises
• Acknowledgements
• References
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 Introduction

Introduction

• External agent - has to do work against the field - to bring charges

from zero potential point (at ∞) to the field point P.

• This gets stored in the system cumulatively.

• Remains stored undiminished in the static configuration, if kept

undisturbed.

• Can be utilised later on.

• Intuitively, no work is required to be done to bring the first charge!

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 Energy for Charge distributions

Work done in moving a charge

• We learnt that work done

by an external agent in mov-
ing unit charge, against an electric
field ~Efrom a reference point o to
the field point P is given by,
Z P
(−) ~E.d~l = V (P) (1)
o

• Similarly, to move a charge Q

the work done,

Figure: Figure explaining work done to W = Q V (P) (2)

move a charge.

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 Energy for Charge distributions

Energy stored in discrete charge distributions I

• To bring in the first charge work

done is,
W1 = 0 (3)
• To bring in the second charge, work
done is q2 V1 (P2 ) or ,

1 q1
W2 = q2 (4)
4π0 r12
• To bring in the second charge, extra
work done is q3 V1,2 (P3 ) or ,
 
1 q1 q2
Figure: Figure explaining W3 = q3 + (5)
cumulative stored energy in 4π0 r13 r23
E-field.
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 Energy for Charge distributions

Energy stored in discrete charge distributions II

• The cumulative work done after 4-

charges are assembled is thus,

W4−net = (W1 + W2 + W3 + W4 )
  
1 q1
= q2
4π0 r12
 
q1 q2
+ q3 +
r13 r23
 
q1 q2 q3
+ q4 + +
r14 r24 r34
Figure: Figure explaining cumulative
stored energy in E-field

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 Energy for Charge distributions

Energy stored in discrete charge distributions III

• In general the cumulative work done after n-charges are assembled is,

n n−1
1 XX qj qi
Wn−net = (6)
4π0 rij
j=1 i=1

where j > i.

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 Energy for Charge distributions

Energy stored in discrete charge distributions IV

• The condition j > i can be incorporated more compactly by writing,
n n
1 1 XX qi qj
Wn−net = (7)
2 4π0 rij
j=1 i=1

where j6=i. This is to be carefully noted.

• Rearranging,
n  n 
1X 1 X qi
Wn−net = qj (8)
2 4π0 rij
j=1 i=1
n
1 X
= qj V1,,,i (Pj ) (9)
2
j=1

when the jth charge has been brought to the field point P.
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 Energy for Charge distributions

Energy stored in continuous charge distributions I

• For a volume charge distribution (9) above becomes,

Z
1
W = ρ V dτ (10)
2 vol

• Substituting from divergence relation we get,

Z
0
∇.~E V dτ


W = (11)
2 vol

• We recall the identity,

∇.(f ~F) = (∇f ).~F + f (∇.~F) (12)

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 Energy for Charge distributions

Energy stored in continuous charge distributions II

• Substituting appropriately,
Z
0
(−)(∇V ).~E + ∇.(EV)
~ dτ
 
W, =
2 vol
Z
0  2
~ dτ

= E + ∇.(EV)
2 vol

since ~E = −∇V
~ .

• Using Gauss Theorem for the second term above we get,

Z Z
0  2 ~

W = E dτ + (EV).da (13)
2 vol surf

• Finally, after ensuring that all charges over all space are included,
Z
0
W = E2 dτ (14)
2 vol

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 Examples

An interesting case study

• Let us consider Exercises 1 and 2 below.

• Hence, from energy considerations, decide what configuration should

charges assume in the steady state in a metallic solid charged sphere?

• Further justifications to follow below.

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 Salient remarks

Laplace’s and Poisson’s equations

• Substituting, ~E = −∇V
~ in divergence relation we get,

~

ρ
∇. −∇V =

ρ
or, ∇2 V = (−) (15)

• This is a very significant relation: Poisson’s equation - many applications
in engineering.

• For ρ = 0: Laplace’s equation.

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 Salient remarks

Salient points [1]

• Inside a conductor, ~E = 0.

• Also, inside a conductor, ρ = 0.

• Any net charge resides on the surface.

• V is constant throughout a conductor.

• ~E is normal to the surface just outside the conductor.

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 Conclusions

Conclusions

• Expression for Stored energy of an electrostatic field derived.

• More meaningful to deal with energy density.

• Examples of solid and hollow charged metallic spheres lead to deep

implications and engineering applications.

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 Exercises

Exercises I

1 Evaluate the stored energy associated with the hollow charged sphere
of earlier modules.
2 Evaluate the stored energy associated with the solid charged sphere of
earlier modules..
3 A square ABCD has 3 charges at 3 of its corners with +q charge at A
and −q charge each at B and D.
What is the stored energy of the present configuration of charges?
How much work is required to bring in another with +q charge at C
from zero reference?
What is the stored energy of the new configuration of charges?

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 Regards

Acknowledgements

• Late Prof. K. V. Ratnam- my M.Tech and Ph. D Supervisor and my

GURU.
• Griffiths - for his exquisite book.
• Late Prof. D. RaiChaudhuri - for encouraging me to read the above
book.
• My teachers at all levels.
• All students, particularly at the my PG & R level and colleagues at
IIEST, Shibpur.
• My parents and the entire family for the continued support all
throughout my life!
• Prof. G. P Sastry for sustaining & furthering my interest in Physics!
• Most importantly - all of you, in this course.

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 References

References I

David J. Griffiths, Introduction to Electrodynamics, 4th ed.,2017,

Cambridge University Press, New Delhi, India, ISBN-13:
978-1108420419 & ISBN-10: 1108420419.
John C. Slater and Nathaniel H. Frank, Electromagnetism, 2015,
Dover Publications USA, ISBN-10: 0486622630 & ISBN-13:
978-0486622637.
John David Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, 3rd Ed., 2007, Wiley,
ISBN-10: 9788126510948 & ISBN-13: 978-8126510948.
George Arfken, Mathematical Methods for Physicists, 1st ed.,1966,
Academic Press, Library of Congress Catalog No. 65-27740.
Erwin Kreyszig, Advanced Engg. mathematics, 5th ed.,1996, John
Wiley & sons, 1983, New Age(India) Pvt. Ltd. reprint 1996,
ISBN-81-224-0016-7.

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 QA

Questions please?

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