CHAPTER

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 is coulomb. Charge is quantized, conserved, and additive.

COULOMB'S LAW
r 1 q1 q 2
Force between two charges F = ˆr q1 q2
4p Î0 r 2
r
If medium is present then multiply Î0 with Îr where Îr =relative permittivity
NOTE :The Law is applicable only for static and point charges. Moving charges may result in magnetic interaction.
And if charges are spread on bodies then induction may change the charge distribution.

ELECTRIC FIELD OR ELECTRIC INTENSITY OR ELECTRIC FIELD STRENGTH (Vector Quantity)

r
r F
It is the net force on unit positive charge due to all other charges. E = unit is N/C or V/m.
q

ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO SPECIAL CHARGE DISTRIBUTION

(c) Uniformly charged non conducting sphere:
kq
(a) Point charge E =
r2 B C
E
++ A
Kq/R2 + ++ ++
P + + ++ +
++ R +
r r ++ +
E R ++
r q
kq
(i) EC = ; r>R
r2
(b) Charged conducting sphere :
kq
(ii) EB = ; r=R
R2
C
E B kqr
A (iii) EA = ; r<R
Kq/R
2
R3
(d) Linear charge distribution of length ' l '
R
r
R

E a
b P
kq
(i) E C = 2 ; r > R for point out side the sphere r
r
kq s
(ii) E B = R2 = Î ; r=R for point at the surface of l sin ( ) = 2kl sin
a+b

the sphere
0
EP =
2p Î0 r
2

r
( )
a+b
2

(iii) EA = 0 ; r < R for point inside the sphere r 2kl

For infinite line of charge : E P = ˆr
r
(e) Infinite charged conducting plate s æ x ö
EP = ç1 - ÷
2e0 è R2 + x2 ø
E
++
++++
+ + r n^ P Null point for two charges :
++ + r
+ ++
r ++ Q1 Q2
If |Q1| > |Q2| Þ Null point near Q2 (Smaller charge)
r s Q1
E= nˆ x= r (distance of null point from Q )
Î0 Q1 ± Q2 1

(f) Infinite sheet of charge (or charged non (+) for like charges; (–) for unlike charges
conducting plate)
r Equilibrium of suspended point charge ball
system
E ++
++ ++ ^
s + + r nP
++ +
r
+ ++
++ l q
q
l
Tcos q
T
q
r s Q Q
E= ˆ
n Fe
2 Î0 Tsinq
(g) Charged circular ring at an axial point : x
mg
++
E
+ + + ++ +
+

r For equilibrium position Tcos q = mg &

+ + ++

Emax R
E
r O x P kQ2 Fe kQ2
R Tsin q =Fe= Þ tan q = =
2 x2 mg x2 mg
++

• If whole set up is taken into an artificial satellite

+

kQx kq 2
EP = ~ 0) T = Fe =
(geff -
4l2
(R )
2 3/2
+ x2
2l
R
Field will be maximum at x = ± q q
2
180°
At centre of ring x = 0 so E0 = 0
(h) Segment of ring :
ELECTRIC FLUX
r r
l + f = ò E.dA
+ a 2kl æ aö r r
+ O E0 = sin ç ÷
è 2ø (i) For uniform electric field; f = E.A = EA cos
R
+ R r
l + where q = angle between E & area vector
r
( A ) . F lu x i s co ntr ib ut ed on ly d ue to t he
(i) Due to charged disk
co mpon e n t o f ele ct ri c f ie ld wh ich i s
sC/m2 perpendicular to the plane.
++ r
++ + (ii) If E is not uniform throughout the area A ,
R ++ + r r
++ + then f = ò E.dA
++ + + E
+ ++ + x P r
+ +++ (iii) dA represent area vector normal to the surface
+++ and pointing outwards from a closed surface.
+
Gauss’s Law POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE
r r The potential difference between two points A and
åq
Ñò E.ds = Î0
(Applicable only to closed surface) B is work done by external agent against electric
field in taking a unit positive charge from B to A
r r q without acceleration (or keeping Kinetic Energy
f=Ñ
ò E × d A = een0 (WBA )ext
constant or Ki = Kf)) VA - VB = .
q
where qen= net charge enclosed by the closed
surface . Electric potential
f does not depend on the It is the work done against the field to take a unit
(i) Shape and size of the closed surface positive charge from infinity (reference point) to the
(ii) Th e ch ar ges locat ed o ut sid e th e clos ed given point without gaining any kinetic energy
surface.
(iii) Electric field depends on charges both inside é (W ) ù
VP = ê ¥-P ext ú
and outside the surface. ë q û
w Electric field intensity at a point near a
Potential Due to Special Charge Distribution
s kq
charged conductor : E = (i) Point charge V=
Î0 r
w Electrostatics pressure on a charged
s2 V r
conductor : P =
2 Î0 q p
w Energy density in electric field:
1 (ii) Charged conducting sphere
uE = Î E2
2 0
C
V B
ELECTRIC FIELD LINES Kq A
R
r R
R
A B

kq kq
(a) VC = ; r>R (b) VB = ; r=R
qA>qB r R
kq
Electric lines of electrostatic field have following (c) VA = ; r<R
R
properties
(iii) Uniformly charged non conducting sphere
(i) Imaginary lines
(ii) Never intersect each other C
(iii) Electrostatic field lines never forms closed loops B
3Kq V
(iv) Field lines ends or starts normally at the surface 2R A
Kq O
of a conductor. R
(v) If there is no electric field there will be no field r
R
lines. R

(vi) Number of electric field lines per unit area

normal to the area at a point represents
magnitude of intensity,crowded lines represent kq kq
(a) VC = ;r>R (b) VB = ;r=R
strong field while distant lines weak field. r R
(vii) Tangent to the line of force at a point in an kq éë3R2 - r 2 ùû
electric field gives the direction of intensity of (c) VA = ; r<R
electric field. 2R 3
(iv) Segment of ring Equipotential Surface and
l Equipotential Region
In an electric field the locus of points of equal
a O potential is called an equipotential surface. An
R equipotential surface and the electric field line meet
l
at right angles. The region where E = 0, Potential of
kl.a kQ the whole region must remain constant as no work is
V0 = = when Q = laR
R R done in displacement of charge in it. It is called as
(v) Electric Potential at a Distant Point Along equipotential region like conducting bodies.
The Axis of a Charged Ring
Electric dipole
If equal and opposite point charges are placed at very
r small separation then system is known as dipole.
a
2l
x P Electric dipole moment = q2l
q –q
1. It is a vector quantity
2. Direction is from –ve to +ve charge
Electric dipole in uniform electric field
V1
r r
1. Torque rt = p ´ E or t = pE sin q

2. Work done in rotation to dipole from q1 to q2

angle in external electric field.
R
W = pE(cosq1–cosq2)
q kq 3. Potential energy = –pE cosq
V= =
4pe 0 (a2 + x2 )1 2 r Note :____________________________________
(vi) due to charged disk :- • In uniform field, force on a dipole = 0,
s torque may or may not be zero.
++
++ + • In general in non-uniform field, force on a dipole
++ + +
+ + ++ ¹ 0 and torque may or may not be zero
++ + + x P
+ ++ + uur
R +++ + + r r dE
+ • In non uniform E,Fe = p.
+ + dr

VP =
s
2e0
( x 2 + R2 - x ) Electric field and potential due to dipole
r
Relation between E & V Electric field Potential
r r ¶V
E = - grad V = -ÑV , E = - ; 2kp kp
¶r 1. at axial
r r3 r2
¶V ˆ ¶V ˆ ¶V ˆ r ®
E=- i- j- k , V = -E.dr
¶x ¶y ¶z ò
kp
Electric potential energy of two charges 2. at equitorial 0
r3
It is the amount of work required to bring the two point
charges to a particular separation from ¥ without kp kp cos q
change in KE. 3. at general position 1 + 3 cos2 q
r3 r2
1 q1 q 2
U=
4p Î0 r
KEY POINTS
• Electric field in the bulk of the conductor (volume) is zero while it is perpendicular to the surface in
electrostatics.
• Excess charge resides on the free surface of conductor in electrostatic condition.
• Potential throughout the volume of the conductor is same in electrostatics.
• Charge density at convex sharp points on a conductor is greater. Lesser is radius of curvature at a
convex part, greater is the charge density.
• Potential difference between two points in an electric field does not depend on the path between
them.
• Potential at a point due to positive charge is positive & due to negative charge is negative.
r r
• When P is parallel to E then the dipole is in stable equilibrium
r r
• When P is antiparallel to E then the dipole is in unstable equilibrium
KQ 2
• Self potential energy of a charged conducting spherical shell = .
2R
• A spherically symmetric charge {i.e r depends only on r} behaves as if its charge is concentrated
at its centre (for outside points).
• Dielectric strength of material : The minimum electric field required to ionize the medium or
the maximum electric field which the medium can bear without break down.
• The particles such as photon or neutrino which have no (rest) mass can never has a charge because
charge cannot exist without mass.
• Electric charge is invariant because value of electric charge does not depend on frame of reference.
• A charged particle is free to move in an electric field. It may or may not move along an electric line
of force because initial conditions affect the motion of charged particle.
• Electrostatic experiments do not work well in humid days because water is a good conductor of
electricity.
• A metallic shield in form of a hollow conducting shell may be built to block an electric field because
in a hollow conducting shell, the electric field is zero at every point.