Lesson 21: Electric Fields and field lines

18. Electric fields

18.1 Electric field and field lines

Learning outcomes

understand that an electric field is an example of a field of force and

1 define electric field as force per unit positive charge

2 recall and use F = qE for the force on a charge in an electric field

3 represent an electric field by means of field lines

What is an electric charge?

is the physical property of matter that causes it to experience

a force when placed in an electromagnetic field.

Law of electric charges

What is an electric field?
a region around a charged particle or object within which a force would be
exerted on other charged particles or objects.

The blue arrows represent the

electric field lines which
represent the strength and
direction of the electric field.

Note: the field lines are drawn

for a proton. For an electron the
lines would be reversed.
 Electric Field strength (E)
• The electric field strength at a point is the force (F) per unit
charge exerted on a stationary positive charge (placed at that point.

Force
Electric Field 𝐹
strength
𝐸=
𝑄1
charge
Units of E NC-1

+
Q1
Q2
Representing field lines
 Questions (textbook p439)

1)

2)

3)
Lesson 22: Uniform Electric Fields
 18. Electric fields
18.2 Uniform electric fields

Learning outcomes
recall and use E = ΔV / Δd to calculate the field strength of the uniform
1 field between charged parallel plates.

2 describe the effect of a uniform electric field on the motion of charged

particles
Uniform field strength
• The work done by the electric field in the
diagram to move a positive charge q from
A, the positive plate, ie. higher potential, to
B, the negative plate, lower potential, is
W = −ΔPE = −qΔV.
• The potential difference between points A
and B is

−ΔV = −(VB − VA) = VA − VB = VAB.

• Entering this into the expression for work

yields:

W = qVAB
.
Work is W = Fd cos θ; here cos θ = 1, since the path is parallel
to the field, and so W = Fd.
Since F = qE, we see that W = qEd. Substituting this
expression for work into the previous equation
gives qEd = qVAB.
The charge cancels, and so the voltage between points A and B
is seen to be

𝐸𝑑=V AB or  V AB Use this to calculate the

𝐸= strength of a field
𝑑 between two plates

Units : Vm-1 or NC-1

 Questions (textbook p441-442)

4)

5)

6)
 Questions (textbook p441-442)

7)

8)
 Motion of a charged particle in a uniform
field

In the diagram above, we can see that the electric forces on the charged
particles are constant in magnitude and direction regardless of whether the
particles are moving or not. If the charged particles enter at right angles to the
electric field lines, the resulting motion will be parabolic and follow the exact
same rules as projectile motion in gravitational fields.
Force on a charge
 Worked example
2 parallel plates separated by 2cm have a P.d. of 5kV. Calculate the electric force
acting on a dust particle between the plates that has a charge of 8x10 -19 C.
Lesson 23: Coulombs law
 18. Electric fields
18.3 Electric force between point charges

Learning outcomes
understand that, for a point outside a spherical conductor, the charge on
1 the sphere may be considered to be a point charge at its centre

recall and use Coulomb’s law F = Q1Q2 / (4πε0r2) for the force between
2 two point charges in free space

18.4 Electric field of a point charge

recall and use E = Q / (4πε0r2) for the electric field strength due to a point
1 charge in free space
 Coulomb’s law
Coulomb’s law states that any 2, point charges exert an electrical force on each other
that is proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between them

Consider 2 point charges (q1 and q2 )

separated by distance r. The force each
charge exerts on the other is F.
Newton’s III, suggests that both these
forces are equal but opposite.

Thus F12 = F21

It is important to treat all charges as point charges that are infinitesimally small and thus its charge
emanates from the centre point. Hence why the distance (r) between each charge above is
measured from the centres of each charge.
 𝑘 𝑄1 𝑄2
𝐹= 2
𝑟
Where k is constant of 𝑘 𝑄1 𝑄2
𝐹=
proportionality. 𝑟
2

1
and 𝑘=
4 𝜋𝜀0

𝑄1 𝑄2
Therefore 𝐹= 2
4 𝜋𝜀0 𝑟
 Electric Field strength due to a point charge
Previously we found the electric field strength experienced by a point charge at a distance
Ie. E=F/Q

However, to find the electric field strength near a point charge Q1 (or outside a uniformly
charged sphere), we have to imagine a small positive test charge Q2 placed in the field and
determine the force per unit charge on it.

∴ 𝐸=
𝐹
𝑄1

𝑄1 𝑄2
Since
𝐹= 2
4 𝜋𝜀0 𝑟
+Q 1
Substituting F into the electric field strength
Q2
𝑄1 𝑄 2
We get 𝐸= 2
4 𝜋𝜀 0 𝑟 𝑄 1
Continued…
 Electric Field strength (E)-(at a distance)
 To equate the electric field strength from a point, a relationship between charge
and distance follows:

𝑄2
𝐸= 2
4 𝜋𝜀 0 𝑟

 Where the electric field strength is proportional to charge of an object divided by the
distance away from the point squared..
 =
 Questions (textbook p453-54)

1)

2)
Lesson 24: Electric potential
 18. Electric fields
18.5 Electric potential

Learning outcomes
define electric potential at a point as the work done per unit positive
1 charge in bringing a small test charge from infinity to the point

recall and use the fact that the electric field at a point is equal to the
2 negative of potential gradient at that point

use V = Q / (4πε0r) for the electric potential in the field due to a point
3 charge

understand how the concept of electric potential leads to the electric

4 potential energy of two point charges and use EP = Qq / (4πε0r)
 Electric potential energy
+ charge at infinite distance away. To arrive at this result, we must define
Zero Potential energy (as it feels zero force) our zero of potential. We say a charge has
+ Q1 zero potential energy when it is at infinity
(ie. Some place where it is beyond the
Influence of any other charges).

If we move a positive charge towards a

positive charge, the potential is positive.
Q2
If we move a positive towards a negative
charge, then the potential is negative.

From this we can define:

The electric potential at a point is

𝑄2 equal to the work done per unit
V= charge (Q1) in bringing that unit
4 𝜋𝜀 0 𝑟 positive charge from infinity to that
point
Equipotentials and fields

The dashed equipotential lines are like

the contour lines on a map.
Equipotentials in physics refers to a
region in space where every point in it
is at the same potential.
30V
8V
2V
In order to bring a +charge from the
outermost equipotential to the next
0V
equipotential requires 2J of energy and
so on.
 Potential gradient & electric field strength
Electric Force
increases EPE increases
+ +
Direction of motion

As + test charge moves towards the other + charge we increase its EPE in same
direction. As we know two positive charges will experience a repelling force thus
Electric force increases in opposite direction.
If we move a – charge towards a + charge the following happens
But in both situations the Field
Electric Force strength and potential gradient
EPE increases increases always oppose each other. IE:
- +
Direction of motion
 Electric potential energy (Ep)
Recall: The electric potential at a point is
equal to the work done per unit charge (Q1)
in bringing that unit positive charge from
infinity to that point
Q1 Q2
Ie.
+ Therefore, the Work done or potential
energy change in moving towards is equal
to the electric potential (V) at that point
multiplied by
or
Recall Electric potential at this
point can be found using: 𝑄1 𝑄2 Or instead of W we can
𝑊= write Ep for
4 𝜋𝜀 0 𝑟
𝑄1 𝑄2 Potential energy
𝐸 𝑝= of a pair of point
4 𝜋𝜀 0 𝑟 charges
Similarities between Electric and
gravitational fields