CH APTER

Physics HandBook

ELECTROSTATICS
ELECTRIC CHARGE
Charge of a material body is that property due to which it interacts with other charges. There are two kinds
of charges- positive and negative.
S.I. unit  Coulomb (C)
Properties of charge :-
(a) Charge is a scalar quantity (b) Charge is quantised
(c) Charge is conserved. (d) Charge is independent of frame of reference.
Methods of charging :-
(a) Friction (b) Induction (c) Conduction

COUL OMB'S LAW

 1 q1 q 2
Force between two charges F ˆr q1 q2
4  0 r 2
r
1
where, 4   = 9 × 109
0
Nm 2
C2

If medium is present then


F
E
1 q1 q 2
4  0 r r 2
ˆr
N
N OTE :The Law is applicable only for static and point charges. Moving charges may result in magnetic interaction.
LL
And if charges are spread on bodies then induction may change the charge distribution.

ELECTRIC FIELD OR ELECTRIC INTENSITY OR ELECTRIC FIELD STRENGTH

Electric field intensity is defined as force on unit test charge.
 kq kq 
E ˆr  r r
A

2
r r3
q
S I unit : Newton/coulomb (N/C)

ELECT RIC FIELD DUE TO SPECIAL CHARGE DISTRIBUTION

 kq (b) Due to linear change distribution :-

(a) Due to point charge E ˆr
r2

C/m

P 
Ex
r Ey
E

r q

Ex   sin   sin  
4  0 r


Ey   cos   cos  
4  0 r

E 1
Physics HandBook CHAPTER

(c) Due to infinite line of charge (g) Due to infinite plane sheet of charge
   
EP  ˆr EP  nˆ
2  0 r 2 0

E
C/m ++ +
++ + + + +
r P E + + +++ +++ ^
n  /20
++ + E
+ + ++ ++ + P
+
r +++ ++ + +
2 ++
C/m + r
(d) Electric field due to uniformly changed ring
(h) Due to infinite charged conducting plate
Q E
++  
+ + + ++ +

EP  nˆ
+
+ + ++

R –R/2 0
E
O x P
r
R/2
E
++

++ +
+

+
++ + + + +
+ + +++ +++ ^
n  /0
++ + E
+ + ++ ++ +
kQx
EP =
 R2  x2
3 /2

(i) At centre of the ring, x = 0. So E = 0

(ii) Electric field is maximum at x = ±

E
R
2
N
 C/m

(i)
2

+
+++
+
+++ ++ + +
P

Due to hollow non-conducting sphere

C
r

E B
LL
(e) Due to segment of ring A
Kq/R 2
 R
R
r
 R
2k  
P EP  sin  
R 2 
A

(a) For point inside the sphere (r < R) : E A

=0

Direction of electric field is along the direction of

kQ
angle bisector of the arc. (b) For point on the surface (r = R) : EB 
R2
(f) Due to charged disk
kQ
C/m2 (c) For point outside the sphere : EC 
r2
++
R ++++ ++
++ (j) Due to uniformly charged non-conducting sphere
++ O +
++ ++ E
++ + + x P
++ + E B C
++ + ++ A
+ Kq/R 2 + ++ ++
+ + ++ +
++ R +
  x  r ++ +
EP  1   R ++
2 0  2
R  x2

 
(a) For point inside the sphere (r < R)

2 E
 CH APTER
Physics HandBook

EA 
kQr

r ELECTRIC FLUX
R3 3 0
 
   E.dA
kQ
(b) For point on the surface (r = R) : E =
B
R2 (a) Scalar quantity
(b) SI unit :- Nm 2/ C or V–m
kQ  
(c) For point outside the sphere (r > R) : EC  (i) For uniform electric field  = E.A  EA cos 
r2
(k) Due to solid or Hollow conducting sphere  
where,  = Angle between E and area vector ( A ).
 
C (ii) For non-uniform field    E.dA
E B
2 A Gauss’s Law
Kq/R
  q in
R
r For a closed surface, total flux   E.dA  0
R
where q in = net charge enclosed by theclosed surface.
(i) Flux through Gaussian surface is independent of
(a) For point inside the sphere (r < R) : E =0 its shape.
A
(ii) Flux depends only on charges present inside the
kQ closed surface.
(b)

(c)
For point on the surface (r = R): E

For point outside the sphere (r > R) :

ELECT RIC FIELD LINES

E B
=

EC 
R2
kQ
r2
N (iii) Flux through a closed surface is independent of
position of charges inside it.
(iv) Electric field intensity at the Gaussian surface is
due to all charges present (inside as well as
outside).

ELECTROSTATICPOTENTIAL ENERGY
LL
It is the amount of energy required to bring any charge
+
from  to any particular point without any charge in
A B K.E.
Interection energy of a system of two charged
qA>q B Fixed point charge particles
near infinite metal
A

plate
r
Electric field lines have the following properties :- q1 q2
(a) Imaginary curves
kq 1 q 2
(b) Never intersect each other U=
(c) Never form closed loops r
(d) Start from (+ve) charge and ends on (–ve) charge. {Assuming potential energy at to be zero}
(e) If there is no electric field then there will no
field lines ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
(f) Number of electric field lines per unit area It is the work done against the field to take a unit
normal to the area at a point represents positive charge from infinity (reference point) to the
magnitude of electric field intensity. Crowded given point P without gaining any kinetic energy.
lines represent strong field while distant lines
weak field.  Wp ext U
(g) Number of lines originating f rom or VP  
q q
terminating on a charge is proportional to
magnitude of charge. (i) Electric potential is a scalar quantity
(h) Field lines start or end normally at the surface (ii) SI unit :- Volt (V) or J/C
of a conductor. (iii) In presence of dielectric medium, potential decreases
(i) Tangent to the lines of force at a point in an
1
electric field gives direction of intensity of and becomes times of its free space value.
electric field. r

E 3
Physics HandBook CHAPTER

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DUE TOSPECIAL CHARGE (b) For point on the surface (r = R) :-
DISTRIBUTION :-
(a) Due to a point charge :- kQ
VB 
P R
V
(c) For point outside the sphere (r > R) :-
r
kQ
VC 
r
q r
(f) Due to solid non-conducting sphere :-
kq q (a) For point inside the sphere (r < R) :-
VP  
r 4 0r
kQ 2
VA  3R r 2 
(b) Due to a charged ring :- 2R 3

++
+
+ + V
+ R+
+ +
+ Q C 3kQ/2R
+
x P kq A
+
+ +
+ VP  B
+
+ +
+ R 2  x2 O R

(c)

+
+
+
+

+
+
+
+ +q

Due to segment of ring :-

q

P
E
VP 
kQ
N (b) For point on the surface (r = R)

VB 
kQ
R
R r

+ R
LL
+
++ R (c) For point outside the sphere (r > R) :-
(d) due to charged disk :- kQ
VC 
 + r
+ + (g) Due to conducting sphere or shell :-
++
++ +
A

+ + x V
++ P
R ++ + Q C
+ A B kQ/R
O R
  2 2 
VP   x  R x R r
2 0  

(e) Due to non-conducting spherical shell :- (a) For point inside the sphere (r < R) :-
(a) For point inside the sphere (r < R) :-
kQ
kQ VA 
VA  R
R
(b) For point on the surface (r = R) :-
V kQ
+ + VB 
Q + C R
+ A B
(c) For point outside the surface (r > R) :-
+ O R +
+ + kQ
+
+ + + R r VC 
r

4 E
 CH APTER
Physics HandBook

POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE ELECTRIC FIELD DUETO DIPOLE

The potential difference between two points A & B is
work done by external agent against electric field in taking (a) At an axial point :-
a unit positive charge from B to A keeping kinetic energy  2kp
constant : E
r3
 WBA ext
VA  VB 
q (b) On the equitorial line :-
Relation between electric field & electric  kp
E
potential :- r3
  dV
E  V   gradV   rˆ
dr (c) At any general point :-

 v  kp
ˆi  v ˆj   v ˆk V   E.dr  E 1  3cos 2 
E ; 3
x y z  r

(a) Direction of E is from high potential to low potential.
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DUETO DIPOLE
(b) If V = constant over a region, then E = 0 (in that region)

EQUIPOTENTIALSURFACE.
The locus of all points having same potential is called
(a) Equipotential surfaces can never cross each other.
E
(b) Equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular to
the direction of electric field.
N (a) At an axial point :-

V
kp
r2

(b) At equitorial point :-

(c) No work is done in moving a charge from one point V=0
LL
to other over an equipotential surface.
(c) At a general point :-
ELECTRICDIPOLE
A system of two equal and opposite charges separated by kp cos 
V
a small distance is called electric dipole : r2
A

d
–q P +q CONDUCTORS ANDITS PROPERTIES
 
Dipole Moment :- p  qd
(a) Conductors are always equipotential surfaces.
Direction of dipole moment is from negative to positive (b) Charge always reside on the outer surface of a
charge : conductor.
(c) Electric field is always perpendicular to conducting
DIPOLEPLACEDIN UNIFORMELECTRIC FIELD surface.
 
(a) Torque   p  E (d) Electric field lines never exist within conducting
(b) Net force = 0 materials.
(c) Work done in rotation of dipole from 1 to 2 angle (e) When a conductor is grounded, its potential
becomes zero.
in external electric field W = pE(cos 1 – cos 2)

(d) Electrostatic potential energy = p.E  pE cos 
(e) In non-uniform electric field, force on electric dipole

  dE
F  p.
dr

E 5