Lecture 16.
Finding 𝐸𝐸 from known 𝑉𝑉 (continued).
Electric properties of dielectrics.
Polarization.
𝑘𝑘𝑞𝑞
Q: Assume that a potential is given as 𝑉𝑉(𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦) = .
𝑥𝑥 2 +𝑦𝑦 2
a) What are the x- and y-components of the electric field?
b) What is the magnitude of the field (electric field strength) at that point?
Capacitance Recap
• In a charged capacitor the
voltage created across its
plates and the charge on its
plates are proportional to
each other:
𝜆𝜆1
𝑄𝑄 = 𝐶𝐶 ∆𝑉𝑉𝐶𝐶 𝐸𝐸 𝑅𝑅1 < 𝑟𝑟 < 𝑅𝑅2 =
2𝜋𝜋𝜀𝜀0 ⋅ 𝑟𝑟
• Capacitance: 𝐶𝐶 = 𝑄𝑄/∆𝑉𝑉𝐶𝐶 (𝜆𝜆1 − 𝜆𝜆2 )
𝐸𝐸 𝑟𝑟 > 𝑅𝑅2 =
2𝜋𝜋𝜀𝜀0 ⋅ 𝑟𝑟
(meaning: how much charge
we can store at a given voltage) = 0 if 𝜆𝜆1 = 𝜆𝜆2
Week 7
• 𝐶𝐶 depends only on geometry
Q: Consider two co-centric cylinders (a core and a shield). The outer radius of the core is 𝑎𝑎,
and the inner radius of the shield is 𝑏𝑏. The length of the cylinders is 𝐿𝐿.
Assume there is a charge +𝑄𝑄 on the central core and −𝑄𝑄 on the metallic shield. Assume air
between them. Assume the shield is grounded.
What is the capacitance of this capacitor?
+𝑄𝑄
𝐿𝐿
−𝑄𝑄
Q: Consider two co-centric cylinders (a core and a shield). The outer radius of the core is 𝑎𝑎,
and the inner radius of the shield is 𝑏𝑏. The length of the cylinders is 𝐿𝐿.
Assume there is a charge +𝑄𝑄 on the central core and −𝑄𝑄 on the metallic shield. Assume air
between them. Assume the shield is grounded.
What is the capacitance of this capacitor?
+𝑄𝑄
Strategy: 𝐸𝐸2
𝐸𝐸1
𝐿𝐿
• Find the electric field between the core
and the shield (can use Gauss’s law) −𝑄𝑄
• 𝐸𝐸 𝑟𝑟 ⇒ 𝑉𝑉(𝑟𝑟)
𝑄𝑄
• 𝑉𝑉(𝑟𝑟) will be proportional to 𝑄𝑄 => we will find capacitance, 𝐶𝐶 =
Δ𝑉𝑉
Charge distribution = ? Charge distribution (see fig)
−𝑄𝑄 −𝑄𝑄
𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏
𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎
+𝑄𝑄 +𝑄𝑄
Grounding. Grounding.
What’s its role? Here 𝑉𝑉 = 0!
2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑄𝑄𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖
• From Gauss’s law: 𝐸𝐸 = with 𝜆𝜆 =
𝑟𝑟 𝐿𝐿 Charge distribution
• Electric potential ⇔ Electric field:
−𝑄𝑄
f
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑏𝑏
𝐸𝐸 = − 𝑉𝑉f − 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 = − � 𝐸𝐸 ⋅ 𝑑𝑑 𝑠𝑠⃗
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 i
𝑎𝑎 𝑖𝑖 f
• Since we want the potential
+𝑄𝑄
difference between two conductors:
𝑖𝑖: at 𝑟𝑟 = 𝑎𝑎 f: at 𝑟𝑟 = 𝑏𝑏
This way we “integrate outwards”
Grounding.
Note that “f” could be any point on the shell, Here 𝑉𝑉 = 0!
since the whole conductor has the same potential
2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑄𝑄𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 f
• From Gauss’s law: 𝐸𝐸 = with 𝜆𝜆 = 𝑉𝑉f − 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 = − � 𝐸𝐸 ⋅ 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗
𝑟𝑟 𝐿𝐿
i
2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘
• For 𝑎𝑎 < 𝑟𝑟 < 𝑏𝑏: 𝑄𝑄𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = 𝑄𝑄 → 𝐸𝐸(𝑟𝑟) =
𝑟𝑟 −𝑄𝑄
𝑏𝑏
𝑏𝑏
2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑏𝑏
𝑉𝑉 𝑏𝑏 − 𝑉𝑉(𝑎𝑎) = − � 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 = −2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 ln 𝑟𝑟 �
𝑎𝑎 𝑟𝑟 𝑎𝑎
𝑎𝑎 𝑖𝑖 f
= −2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘(ln 𝑏𝑏 − ln(𝑎𝑎)) +𝑄𝑄
𝑉𝑉 𝑎𝑎 − 𝑉𝑉 𝑏𝑏 = 2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 ln 𝑏𝑏 − ln 𝑎𝑎
𝑏𝑏
Δ𝑉𝑉 = 2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 ln
𝑎𝑎 Grounding.
Here 𝑉𝑉 = 0!
Q: Find the capacitance, 𝐶𝐶cyl .
f
Q: What is the capacitance, 𝐶𝐶cyl , of this 𝑉𝑉f − 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 = − � 𝐸𝐸 ⋅ 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗
cylindrical capacitor? i
𝑏𝑏
A. 𝐶𝐶cyl =
2𝑘𝑘
ln
𝑏𝑏 Δ𝑉𝑉 = 2𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 ln
𝑎𝑎
−𝑄𝑄
𝐿𝐿 𝑎𝑎
𝑏𝑏
2𝑘𝑘 𝑎𝑎
B. 𝐶𝐶cyl = ln 𝑄𝑄 𝑏𝑏
𝐿𝐿 𝑏𝑏 Δ𝑉𝑉 = 2𝑘𝑘 ln
𝐿𝐿 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎
2𝑘𝑘
C. 𝐶𝐶cyl = +𝑄𝑄
𝐿𝐿 𝑄𝑄
𝐶𝐶 =
𝐿𝐿 Δ𝑉𝑉
D. 𝐶𝐶cyl = 𝑏𝑏
2𝑘𝑘 ln
𝑎𝑎
𝐿𝐿
𝐿𝐿
Е. 𝐶𝐶cyl = 𝐶𝐶 =
2𝑘𝑘 ln 𝑏𝑏
𝑎𝑎 2𝑘𝑘 ln(𝑏𝑏/𝑎𝑎)
Grounding.
Here 𝑉𝑉 = 0!
Dielectrics & Polarization
• Text: Ch 24.4 – 6
Conductor Insulator / Dielectric
𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 ≫ 𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑒
• Electrons (−) are mobile (they are light!) • All electrons are tightly bound
“Sea of electrons” to their parent atoms. They
• Ions (+) are fixed (they are heavy!) cannot travel away from them.
“Ionic lattice” • No charge transfer!
Dielectrics do interesting things
Observation:
𝑉𝑉 < 𝑉𝑉0
Wall
Note that here 𝑄𝑄 = const
(charges do not have any place
to go from the plates)
Parallel Plate Capacitor & Capacitance: now let’s see what it is!
• Inside the gap region:
+𝑄𝑄
Area = 𝐴𝐴
𝜎𝜎 𝜎𝜎
𝐸𝐸+ =
2𝜀𝜀0
& 𝐸𝐸− =
2𝜀𝜀0
−𝑄𝑄 𝑑𝑑
𝜎𝜎
• Superposition principle: 𝐸𝐸 = 𝐸𝐸+ + 𝐸𝐸− 𝐸𝐸 =
𝜀𝜀0
𝜎𝜎𝜎𝜎 𝑄𝑄 𝑑𝑑
• Hence, Δ𝑉𝑉 = 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 = =
𝜀𝜀0 𝐴𝐴 𝜀𝜀0
𝑄𝑄 𝐴𝐴𝜀𝜀0 • 𝐶𝐶 depends only on
• Therefore: 𝐶𝐶∥ = =
Δ𝑉𝑉 𝑑𝑑 the geometry!
• How will this picture change if we fill the capacitor with a dielectric?
Dielectric materials in external electric field: Polarization
𝐸𝐸ext
+
+
-
+
-
𝐸𝐸ext = 0
-
+
-
-
+
+
+
-
-
-
• This dielectric is made of: • Effect of the external field:
Polar molecules (tiny dipoles) Polar molecules align with the field
+
-
Atoms / non-polar molecules Atoms get polarized, and also align
+
with the field
-
• They are randomly oriented. • This alignment creates in internal electric field
The average electric field opposite to the external field (from + to -)
from the dipoles is zero,
and the atoms are neutral • 𝐸𝐸net,diel = 𝐸𝐸ext + 𝐸𝐸int < 𝐸𝐸ext ⇒
• Polarization weakens external E-field inside a dielectric!
Dielectric materials in external electric field: Polarization
𝐸𝐸0
• Due to polarization of dielectric, the net electric field
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
inside it (𝐸𝐸) is always less than what it would have
-
-
+
+
+
been without the dielectric (𝐸𝐸0 ), i.e. in empty space
-
-
-
• This can be expressed as
𝐸𝐸0
𝐸𝐸0
𝐸𝐸 𝐸𝐸 =
𝐾𝐾
with 𝐾𝐾 > 1 being a material-dependent coefficient
(dielectric constant)
PHYS 158 Quest: Push a dielectric into a capacitor!
Q: You have two identical capacitors. Cap 1 has been fully charged and then disconnected
from the battery (=> it carries a fixed charge), while Cap 2 is always connected to a battery
(=> it has a fixed voltage across its plates). You stick a dielectric into each. What will
happen with the electric energy stored in each of the two capacitors?
(1) (2)
𝑄𝑄2 𝐶𝐶(Δ𝑉𝑉)2 𝜀𝜀0 𝐴𝐴 𝜎𝜎
𝑈𝑈 = = 𝐶𝐶 = 𝐸𝐸 =
A. 𝑈𝑈1 goes up, 𝑈𝑈2 goes up. 2𝐶𝐶 2 𝑑𝑑 𝜀𝜀0
B. 𝑈𝑈1 goes up, 𝑈𝑈2 goes down.
C. 𝑈𝑈1 goes down, 𝑈𝑈2 goes up. 𝑄𝑄 = 𝐶𝐶∆𝑉𝑉 ∆𝑉𝑉 = 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸
D. 𝑈𝑈1 goes down, 𝑈𝑈2 goes down.
Dynamical simulation of what happens inside a capacitor:
E. They don’t change. [Link]
+𝑞𝑞
𝑄𝑄2 𝐶𝐶(Δ𝑉𝑉)2
𝑈𝑈 = =
2𝐶𝐶 2
−𝑞𝑞
𝑄𝑄 = const 𝑄𝑄 = 𝑄𝑄0 𝐾𝐾
𝐸𝐸0 Δ𝑉𝑉
𝐸𝐸 = (polarization) 𝐸𝐸 = = const (polarization ???)
𝐾𝐾 𝑑𝑑
𝐸𝐸0 Δ𝑉𝑉0
Δ𝑉𝑉 = 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 = 𝑑𝑑 = Δ𝑉𝑉 = const
𝐾𝐾 𝐾𝐾
𝑄𝑄 𝑄𝑄 𝑄𝑄 𝑄𝑄0 𝐾𝐾
𝐶𝐶 = = = 𝐾𝐾𝐶𝐶0 𝐶𝐶 = = = 𝐾𝐾𝐶𝐶0
Δ𝑉𝑉 (Δ𝑉𝑉0 /𝐾𝐾) Δ𝑉𝑉 Δ𝑉𝑉0
Energy is used to pull the dielectric in,
or creating polarization in dielectric.
𝑄𝑄2 𝑄𝑄2 𝑈𝑈0 (creating tiny dipoles,
𝐶𝐶Δ𝑉𝑉 2 𝐾𝐾𝐶𝐶0 Δ𝑉𝑉 2 (comes
𝑈𝑈 = = = 𝑈𝑈 = = = 𝐾𝐾𝑈𝑈0 from the
2𝐶𝐶 2𝐾𝐾𝐶𝐶0 𝐾𝐾 aligning them with 𝐸𝐸) 2 2 battery)
Q: A parallel plate capacitor has capacitance 𝐶𝐶0 = 2 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 when there is vacuum between the
plates. If Silicon dioxide, a dielectric with 𝐾𝐾 = 3.9, is inserted between the plates the
capacitance becomes…
A. C = 0.5 pF
B. C = 1.95 pF
C. C = 7.8 pF
D. C = 12.5 pF
E. Depends on the experiment
Q: A parallel plate capacitor has capacitance 𝐶𝐶0 = 2 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 when there is vacuum between the
plates. If Silicon dioxide, a dielectric with 𝐾𝐾 = 3.9, is inserted between the plates the
capacitance becomes…
• We have seen that in both cases (𝑄𝑄 = const and 𝑉𝑉 = const), the capacitance of a
capacitor increased after the dielectric has been inserted: 𝐶𝐶0 → 𝐶𝐶 = 𝐾𝐾𝐶𝐶0
• In general, capacitance is determined by the geometry and the material of the capacitor,
and does not depend on the conditions of the experiment (what we keep constant).
Result:
A. C = 0.5 pF • With dielectric, the
𝐾𝐾𝜀𝜀0 𝐴𝐴 𝜀𝜀𝜀𝜀 capacitance of a
B. C = 1.95 pF 𝐶𝐶 = =
𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑 capacitor increases:
C. C = 7.8 pF 𝐶𝐶0 → 𝐶𝐶 = 𝐾𝐾𝐶𝐶0
with 𝜀𝜀 = 𝐾𝐾𝜀𝜀0 being
D. C = 12.5 pF Practical applications!
dielectric permittivity
E. Depends on the experiment
Electric energy and its connection to forces
• Consider a parallel plate 𝐶𝐶𝑉𝑉 2 𝑄𝑄2 total energy stored in the E-field
𝑈𝑈0 = =
capacitor filled with air: 2 2𝐶𝐶 between the capacitor plates
Energy
Energy Field Density = Volume between plates = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
Volume 𝐴𝐴𝜀𝜀0
𝐶𝐶 =
𝑑𝑑
2 𝑉𝑉
𝑈𝑈0 1 𝐴𝐴𝜀𝜀0 1 𝜀𝜀0 𝑉𝑉 1 𝐸𝐸0 =
𝑢𝑢0 = = 𝑉𝑉 2 = = 𝜀𝜀0 𝐸𝐸02 𝑑𝑑
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 2 𝑑𝑑 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 2 𝑑𝑑 2
• Can be used to compute forces:
• With a dielectric inside: 1 2
𝜀𝜀0 → 𝜀𝜀 = 𝐾𝐾𝜀𝜀0 : 𝑢𝑢0 → 𝑢𝑢 = 𝜀𝜀𝐸𝐸
2 𝑑𝑑𝑈𝑈0
𝐹𝐹𝑥𝑥 = –
𝑑𝑑𝑥𝑥
Electrostatic attraction: Simple example
Q: A parallel-plate capacitor has a plate area 𝐴𝐴 +𝑄𝑄 Area = 𝐴𝐴
and a plate separation of 𝑧𝑧. The charge on
each plate has a magnitude 𝑄𝑄. There is no 𝑧𝑧
battery connected to the plates. −𝑄𝑄
Find the total force acting on the top plate.
• Hint: Coulomb law, 𝐹𝐹⃗ = 𝑞𝑞𝐸𝐸, is not very useful here (it will require a lot of integration).
𝑑𝑑𝑈𝑈
• Use 𝐹𝐹𝑧𝑧 = – instead!
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Electrostatic attraction: Simple example
𝑄𝑄2
• Energy stored in a capacitor: 𝑈𝑈 𝑧𝑧 =
2𝐶𝐶
• For a parallel plate capacitor 𝐴𝐴𝜀𝜀0 𝐴𝐴
𝐶𝐶 𝑧𝑧 = =
(𝑧𝑧 is the distance between the plates) 𝑧𝑧 4𝜋𝜋𝑘𝑘 𝑧𝑧
• Hence for a fixed charge the energy stored in a parallel plate capacitor is:
𝑄𝑄2 𝑄𝑄2 4𝜋𝜋𝑘𝑘𝑧𝑧 𝑄𝑄2 𝑧𝑧
𝑈𝑈 = = =
2𝐶𝐶 2 𝐴𝐴 2𝐴𝐴𝜀𝜀0
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 1 2 4𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋 𝑄𝑄2
• The force acting between the plates is: 𝐹𝐹𝑧𝑧 = − = − 𝑄𝑄 =−
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 2 𝐴𝐴 2𝐴𝐴𝜀𝜀0
𝑄𝑄2
• Answer: Magnitude: 𝐹𝐹 = Direction: attractive (positive & negative plates)
2𝐴𝐴𝜀𝜀0
Edge effects
• In reality, all capacitors are finite. At the edges, the field spills out of them.
• Fringe electric field from the capacitor polarizes
− −− the dielectric, and then interacts with the
induced charge distribution.
+ + + • As you can see from the figure, the force on
dielectric has a non-zero horizontal component
pointing into the capacitor => it pulls the
• You can find the force without dielectric into the capacitor!
computing the field at the edges
if you use
𝑑𝑑𝑈𝑈 𝑄𝑄2
𝐹𝐹𝑥𝑥 = – 𝑈𝑈 = Problem
𝑑𝑑𝑥𝑥 2𝐶𝐶(𝑥𝑥)
24.72
with 𝐶𝐶(𝑥𝑥) being the capacitance of the
capacitor with the dielectric partially inside.
Electrostatic attraction: Examples
[Link]
electricity/latest/balloons-and-static-electricity_en.html
Paper plotter
DEMO !
Robot that can climb walls using
electrostatic attraction
0.5 to 1.5 N / cm2
[Link]
