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Phys 2326 012709

1. To use Gauss's law to find the electric field produced by a charge distribution, choose a Gaussian surface with the appropriate symmetry, draw it around the charge distribution, and calculate the electric flux through the surface. 2. Gauss's law relates the electric flux through a closed surface to the net electric charge enclosed; the flux is equal to the enclosed charge divided by the permittivity of free space. 3. Examples where Gauss's law can be used to determine the electric field configuration include a uniformly charged sphere, thin conducting wire, and infinitely large conducting plate.

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30 views21 pages

Phys 2326 012709

1. To use Gauss's law to find the electric field produced by a charge distribution, choose a Gaussian surface with the appropriate symmetry, draw it around the charge distribution, and calculate the electric flux through the surface. 2. Gauss's law relates the electric flux through a closed surface to the net electric charge enclosed; the flux is equal to the enclosed charge divided by the permittivity of free space. 3. Examples where Gauss's law can be used to determine the electric field configuration include a uniformly charged sphere, thin conducting wire, and infinitely large conducting plate.

Uploaded by

Shodene
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Steps to Applying Gauss Law

To find the E field produced by a charge distribution at a point of


distance r from the center
1. Decide which type of symmetry best complements the
problem
2. Draw a Gaussian surface (mathematical not real)
reflecting the symmetry you chose around the charge
distribution at a distance of r from the center
3. Using Gausss law obtain the magnitude of E

Gausss Law

E
E gd A

qi
0

Applications of the Gausss Law


Remember electric field lines must start and must end on charges!
If no charge is enclosed within Gaussian surface flux is zero!
Electric flux is proportional to the algebraic number of lines leaving
the surface, outgoing lines have positive sign, incoming - negative

Examples of certain field configurations


Remember, Gausss law is equivalent to Coulombs law
However, you can employ it for certain symmetries to solve the reverse problem
find charge configuration from known E-field distribution.

Field within the conductor zero


(free charges screen the external field)
Any excess charge resides on the
surface

E gd A 0
S

Field of a charged conducting sphere

Field of a thin, uniformly charged conducting wire


Field outside the wire can only point
radially outward, and, therefore, may
only depend on the distance from the wire

E d A 0

E
2 r 0
- linear density of charge

Field of the uniformly charged sphere


Uniform charge within a sphere of radius r
3

r
q Q Q - total charge
a
Q

- volume density of charge


V
'

r
3 0

Field of the infinitely large conducting plate

Q
A

- uniform surface charge density

E
2 0

Charged Isolated Conductors


In a charged isolated conductor all the charge moves to the
surface
The E field inside a conductor must be 0 otherwise a
current would be set up
The charges do not necessarily distribute themselves
uniformly, they distribute themselves so the net force on
each other is 0.
This means the surface charge density varies over a
nonspherical conductor

Charged Isolated Conductors cont


On a conducting surface

E
o
If there were a cavity in the isolated conductor, no charges
would be on the surface of the cavity, they would stay on
the surface of the conductor

Charge on solid conductor resides on surface.


Charge in cavity makes a equal but opposite charge reside on
inner surface of conductor.

Properties of a Conductor in Electrostatic Equilibrium


1.
2.
3.
4.

The E field is zero everywhere inside the conductor


If an isolated conductor carries a charge, the charge resides on its
surface
The electric field just outside a charged conductor is
perpendicular to the surface and has the magnitude given above
On an irregularly shaped conductor, the surface charge density is
greatest at locations where the radius of curvature of the surface
is smallest

Charges on Conductors

Field within conductor


E=0

Experimental Testing of the Gausss Law

Earnshaws theorem
A point charge cannot be in stable equilibrium in electrostatic field
of other charges
(except right on top of another charge e.g. in the middle of a
distributed charge)
Stable equilibrium with other
constraints

Atom system of charges with only Coulombic forces in play.


According to Earhshaws theorem, charges in atom must move
However, planetary model of atom doesnt work
Only quantum mechanics explains the existence of an atom

Electric Potential Energy


Concepts of work, potential energy
and conservation of energy
For a conservative force, work can always
be expressed in terms of potential energy difference
b

Wa b F gd l U (U b U a )
a

Energy Theorem
For conservative forces in play,
total energy of the system is conserved

Ka U a Kb U b

Wa b Fd q0 Ed

U q0 Ey

Wa b U q0 E ( ya yb )

Potential energy Uincreases


as the test charge q0 moves in the direction opposite to

the electric force F q0 E : it decreases as it moves in the same direction as the


force
acting on the charge

Electric Potential Energy of Two Point Charges

Wa b

rb

qq
F gd l ke 20 cos dl
r
a
r
a

Wa b

1 1
ke qq0

r
a rb

qq0
U ke
r

Electric potential energy of two point charges

Example: Conservation of energy with electric forces


A positron moves away from an particle
m p 9.1 1031 kg

-particle
positron

m ; 7000m p
q 2e
r0 1010 m
V0 3 106 m / s

What is the speed at the distance r 2r0 2 1010 m ?


What is the speed at infinity?
Suppose, we have an electron instead of positron. What kind of motion we would expect?
Conservation of energy principle

K 0 U 0 K1 U1

Electric Potential Energy of the System of Charges


Potential energy of a test charge q0
in the presence of other charges

q0
qi

4 0 i r i

Potential energy of the system of charges


(energy required to assembly them together)

4 0

i j

qi q j
r ij

Potential energy difference can be equivalently described as a work done by external


force
required to move charges into the certain geometry (closer or farther apart). External

force now is opposite to the electrostatic


force
Wa b (U b U a ) Fext gd l

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