Module 2 – Lecture 5

Electric Fields

• Electric field of a continuous charge distribution

Serway and Jewett: Ch.23.1 (10th ed)

Ch.23.5 (9th ed)
 Example: Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
Determine the magnitude of the electric field at a point P, located
a distance x away from a very long line of uniformly distributed
charge.

O
x P

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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
 Example: Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
Determine the magnitude of the electric field at a point P, located
a distance x away from a very long line of uniformly distributed
charge.
dq
To find total Field, E, we
need to find the field, dE,
produced by the charge
element dq placed arbitrary
O
at any point along the rod. x P
dE
Then, we need to integrate
contributions from all dE:

McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5 3

 Example: Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
Determine the magnitude of the electric field at a point P, located a
distance x away from a very long line of uniformly distributed charge.
1. At an arbitrary point a distance y
from the origin, we choose an
dy dq
infinitesimal segment dy, as a
charge element, with charge dq.
dq =  dy y dE
2. The element dq produces a field dE
at Point P, in the direction shown.
O x P
3. Choose symmetrical charge
element at the bottom part of the dE
rod and find the corresponding dE .
4. Then, add all dE’s from different
elements together by integration.
McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5 4
 Example: Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
Your Solution:

5
McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
 Example: Non-Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
A thin plastic rod of length L and charge Q lies on the x-axis as
shown below. The rod has a non-uniform linear charge density
given by 𝜆 = 𝜆 (1 − 𝑥⁄𝐿). Find the constant 0 in terms of Q and
L.
y

x
𝑂

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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
 Example: Non-Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
Divide rod into infinitesimal segments of charge dq
Each segment will have length dx 𝑑𝑞 = 𝜆𝑑𝑥 = 𝜆 1 − 𝑥⁄𝐿 𝑑𝑥

To determine the total charge, Q, we must sum

y the contributions from all the infinitesimal
segments of charge dq distributed along the rod.
P This is done by integrating the dq values over
the length of the rod.

dq
            x
x
dx
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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
 Example: Non-Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
Your Solution: y

dq
            x
x
dx

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 Example: Non-Uniformly-Charged Thin Rod
y
Then, find the electric field 𝐸
produced by the rod at point P
P, located on the y axis at a
distance d from the origin.
dq
            x
Your Solution:
x
dx

Your Homework

McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5 15

 Quiz
Consider a non-conducting rod with uniform charge density and
a total charge of magnitude Q along its top half and magnitude
Q along its bottom half (as shown below).
What is the direction of the electric field at point P?

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

(E) Other
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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
 Quiz
Consider a non-conducting rod with uniform charge density and
a total charge of magnitude Q along its top half and magnitude
Q along its bottom half (both positive, as shown below).
What is the direction of the electric field at point P?

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

(E) Other
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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
 Quiz
Consider a non-conducting rod with uniform charge density and
a total positive charge of magnitude Q along its top half and a
total of negative charge of magnitude Q along its bottom half (as
shown below).
What is the direction of the electric field at point P?

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

(E) Other
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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
 Example: Uniformly-Charged Thin Arc
Consider a thin rod bent into the shape of a circular arc with radius
r. The arc carries a total charge of –Q and has a linear charge
density . The arc subtends a total angle of 120°, symmetric about
the x-axis. What is the electric field 𝐸 at the origin (point P)?

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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
Example: Uniformly-Charged Thin Arc

Solution:
1. This negatively charged rod is not a particle.
2. consider a charge element (a small segment) on the rod and treat it as a point
charge.
3. Find the electric field due to this element (the segment) at point P
4. There is a symmetric segment (𝑑𝑠’), of the same size and at the same angle.
5. Find the electric field due to this symmetric element at point P
6. The y-components of the fields will cancel each other, so we can neglect them.
7. The x-components of the fields will add. Sum all such components, and the
summation becomes an integral
8. You may relate the element’s arc length to the angle that it subtends.
McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5 23
 Example: Uniformly-Charged Thin Arc
Your Solution:

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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5
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McMaster Physics 1E03 – Module 2, Lecture 5