1

Chapter
ELECTRIC CHARGES AND FIELDS

NCERT CRUX
 Electric charge is the property associated with a body
or a particle due to which it is able to produce as well as Identical Charges Suspended
experience the electric effects. from a Common Point
Two small bodies are suspended from a common point by two
Coulomb’s Law and Force strings both are equally charged and have the same mass m.
due to Multiple Charges

1 q1q 2
 F=
4π ∈0 ∈r d2
∈0 - permittivity of free space or vacuum or air.
∈r - Relative permittivity or dielectric constant of the
∈ T cos  T
medium in which the charges are situated. ∈r =
∈ 0 
C2 farad 
 ∈0 = 8.857 × 10–12 or ,
Nm 2 metre Fe
1
and = 9 × 109 Nm 2 /C2
4π ∈0 mg
 Suppose the position vector of two charges q1 and q2 Using Coulomb’s law
 
are r1 and r2 , then electric force on charge q1 due to Fe = kc(qq/r2)
q2 is, where kc = 9 × 109 Nm2/C2
F2 Therefore
kc (qq / r2) = mg tan (θ)
q2
If we wish to determine the charge on the bodies.
Equating the horizontal and vertical components of the
forces,
r2 q1 F1
qq
r1 =k c 2 mg tan θ
r
 1 q1q 2  
=F
4πe
1 
0 r −r
 3 r1 − r2 ( ) q=r

mg tan θ
kc
2 1

Similarly, electric force on q2 due to charge q1 is

Electric Field
 1 q1q 2  
= F2   3 r2 − r1
4πe 0 r − r
( )  The space around an electric charge where the electric
2 1
influence is felt is known as electric field.
Here q1 and q2 are to be substituted with sign.  Electric field is a conservative field.
 2 CUET 2023-24 PW

Motion of a Charged Particle in a Uniform

Electric Field
A charged body of mass ‘m’ and charge ‘q’ is initially at rest
in a uniform electric field of intensity E. The force acting on
it is given by F = Eq.
 Here the direction of F is towards the direction of
electric field if ‘q’ is +ve and opposite to the field if ‘q’
Electric Field due to a Uniformly Charged
is –ve. Non–Conducting Sphere
 The body travels in a straight line path with uniform At any point inside the sphere:
F Eq 1 Qr
acceleration, =
a = and initial velocity u = 0. E= for r < R
m m 4πe0 R 3
At an instant of time t. On the surface of the sphere:
 Eq  1 q
Its final velocity, v = u + at = t E=
m 4πe0 R 2
1 2 1  Eq  2 At any point outside the sphere:
Displacement s =+
ut at = t
2 2 m  1 q
E=
Momentum, P = mv = (Eq)t [ mv = F × t] 4π ∈0 r 2

1 1  E2q 2  2
Kinetic energy,=
K.E = mv 2  t
2 2  m 

Electric Field at the Axis of a Circular

Uniformly Charged Ring

Electric Dipole

P An electric dipole is a pair of equal and opposite point charges

q 2dE cos  q and –q separated by a distance 2a.
→
Electric Dipole Moment ( p )
It is defined as the product of magnitude of either charge and
the distance between the two charges.
Intensity of electric field at a point P that lies on the axis of the  
p = q(2a)
1 qx 
ring at a distance x from its centre is E = Dipole moment p always points from –q to +q.
4πe 0 x 2 + R 2 3 2
( )
Where R is the radius of the ring. The electric field is maximum
R
at x = ± Axial Line
2
Electric Field due to a Charged Spherical
Conductor (Spherical Shell)
1 q Electric Field due to a Dipole at a Point
 Outside the shell:
= E × 2 Lying on the Axial Line
4π ∈0 r
(End on Position)
On the shell: = σ 1 q
E = 1 2pr
∈0 4π∈0 R 2 E axial =
4πe0 ( r − a 2 )2
2

Inside the shell: E = 0

Electric Charges and Fields 3

Direction of the electric field is in the direction of the dipole   q

moment. φE= ∫ E ⋅ dS= e0
In case of a short dipole (r >> a).
Where, E is the electric field and dS is the surface area.
1 2p
E axial =
4πe0 r 3 Continuous Charge Distribution
q
Electric Field due to a Dipole at a Point Linear charge distribution: λ =

Lying on the Equatorial Line (Broad side on
Position) Where λ = linear charge density.

1 p q
E equatorial = Surface charge distribution: σ =
4πe0 r 2 + a 2 3 2 A
( ) where σ = surface charge density.
Direction of the electric field is opposite to the direction of q
dipole moment. Volume charge distribution: ρ =
V
In case of short dipole (r >> a),
where ρ = volume charge density.
1 p
E equatorial =
4πe0 r 3 Applications of Gauss’s Law
1. Electric field due to an infinitely long charged wire.
Electric Field due to a Short Dipole at any
Point
Which is at a distance r from the dipole
1 p
E
= 1 + 3cos 2 θ
4πe 0 r 3

Torque on a Dipole Placed in a Uniform

Electric Field
  
t = p×E
  q
⇒ t = pE sinq, it is maximum for θ = 90° & minimum for Using Gauss law, φE= ∫ E ⋅ dS= e0
θ = 0, 180°
λl
Potential Energy of a Dipole Placed in a E.2πrl =
e0
Uniform Electric Field
λ
The potential energy of a dipole in a uniform electric field is ⇒E=
2πe 0 r
U = –PE cos q 
 σ
⇒U= −P.E 2. Electric field due to thin conducting sheet E = ,
where σ is charge per unit area. 2 e0
 σ
3. Electric field due to thick conducting sheet is E = .
Gauss’s Law e0

According to Gauss’s law, “the net electric flux through any

+
closed surface is equal to the net charge enclosed by it divided +
+
by e0”. Mathematically, it can be written as +
+
  q E + E
φE= ∫ E ⋅ dS=
e0 +
+
+
If electric charge is placed inside a gaussian surface then the +
+
electric flux coming out of the surface can be calculated using +
+
the equation.