Infinite sheet of charge

Symmetry: 

direction of E = x-axis
A
CHOOSE Gaussian surface to be a
cylinder aligned with the x-axis. x

Apply Gauss' Law: E E

Integrate the barrel,
Now the ends,
The charge enclosed = A

Therefore, Gauss’ Law 

Conclusion: An infinite plane sheet of charge creates a CONSTANT

electric field .
 Two Infinite Sheets
(into screen)

Field outside the sheets must be + -

zero. Two ways to see: E=0   E=0
+ -
Superposition + -
+ -
Gaussian surface +
A -
encloses zero charge + -
Field inside sheets is NOT zero: + -
+ -
Superposition + -
-
Gaussian surface A+ -
encloses non-zero chg + -
+ -
0 E
 More Sheets
(into screen)

Now, asymmetrically charged

+ -
Ex<0   Ex>0
+ -
Superposition +
Show fields in all locations from each sheet + -
+
+ -
+
+ -
+
-
+
+ -
+ -
 CheckPoint
In both cases shown below, the colored lines represent
positive (blue) and negative (red) charged planes.

In which case is E at point P the biggest?

A) A     B) B    C) the same
 Superposition:

NET
   
Case A Case B
This week
• Today:
• Electric Potential Energy
• Wednesday:
• Electric Potential
• Homework #2 is due 9PM
• Thursday:
• Midterm 1  Kane Hall; 5 pm sharp
• See Home Page for content, Practice, Equation sheet …

• PHYS 122 A  Physics Building Rooms A102 and A118

• PHYS 122 B  Kane 120
• No backpacks please
• Bring a calculator (no fancy stuff allowed of course)
• We provide the equation sheet
• Friday:
• No class

Phys 122 Lecture 7

Lecture Thoughts

• I don't recall any of the types of energy we went over in 121 ever
being negative. I understand that change in electric energy can be
positive or negative, but how can the overall potential energy of a
system be negative? What does it mean to have "negative potential
energy"?

• The concept of the potential energy with more than two bodies and
different angles confuses me.

• The myriad of different formulas in change in work, change in

potential, and the potential energy.
 Big new ideas from Physics 121
 Define Potential Energy Difference (for a Conservative Force)

→
Units: Joules
The definition of Work:
The work done on a particle by a force F as it moves an
object from point 1 to point 2 is …
→ ·

Remember: The work equals the change in kinetic energy

Consequence:

Physics 121: Lecture 11, Pg 8

 Finding the potential energy change:
Use formulas to find the magnitude
Check the sign by understanding the problem…

q1 q2  1 1  1 1 q1 q2
Coulomb k 2
rˆ  kq1 q2    kq1 q2    k  U0
r  r2 r1   r2 r1  r

Note: For gravity, m1 and m2 are always positive

Thus, it is always: attractive force

But: For Coulomb’s Law, q1 and q2 can have either sign.

Same sign charges: repulsive force
Opposite signs charges: attractive force

Physics 121: Lecture 11, Pg 9

 Finding the potential energy change:
Use formulas to find the magnitude
Check the sign by understanding the problem…

q1 q2  1 1  1 1 q1 q2
Coulomb k 2
rˆ  kq1 q2    kq1 q2    k  U0
r  r2 r1   r2 r1  r

Note: For gravity, m1 and m2 are always positive

Thus, it is always: attractive force

But: For Coulomb’s Law, q1 and q2 can have either sign.

Same sign charges: repulsive force
Opposite signs charges: attractive force

Physics 121: Lecture 11, Pg 10

 Finding the potential energy change:
Use formulas to find the magnitude
Check the sign by understanding the problem…
Δ →

q1 q2  1 1  1 1 q1 q2
Coulomb k 2
rˆ  kq1 q2    kq1 q2    k  U0
r  r2 r1   r2 r1  r

Note: For gravity, m1 and m2 are always positive

Thus, it is always: attractive force

But: For Coulomb’s Law, q1 and q2 can have either sign.

Same sign charges: repulsive force
Opposite signs charges: attractive force

Physics 121: Lecture 11, Pg 11

 Simple Examples
h2
U  Wconservative r1 = ∞

Work by gravity is negative = -mgh

Potential energy increases

Work by gravity is
r2 positive =
h1
PE decreases

Same idea for Coulomb force… if Coulomb force does positive

work, potential energy decreases.

+Q E +Q
 Clicker
You hold a positively charged ball and walk to the right in a region
that contains an electric field directed to the left.

FE FH
dr
E

WH is the work done by the hand on the ball

WE is the work done by the electric field on the ball

Which of the following statements is true:

A) WH  0 and WE  0
B) WH  0 and WE  0
C) WH  0 and WE 0
D) WH  0 and WE  0
Prelecture: Electric Potential Energy
 Prelecture: Electric Potential Energy

Force and displacement in

opposite directions  Work is
negative.
Prelecture: Electric Potential Energy
 Prelecture: Electric Potential Energy

Think what the charges would tend

to do in the absence of other forces.
They would “fall” from case B to
case A.  Case B has higher U.
 Example: Two Point Charges

Calculate the change in potential energy for two point

charges originally very far apart moved to a separation of “d”

d
q1 q2
U    k 2
dr d

r12 q1 q2

q1q2  1 q1q2
U  k 4 0 d
d
Charged particles with the same sign have an increase in
potential energy when brought closer together.

For point charges often choose r  infinity as “zero” potential

energy.
 Clicker

Case A
d
Case B
2d

In Case A two negative charges which are equal in magnitude are

separated by a distance d. In Case B the same charges are separated
by a distance 2d. Which configuration has the highest potential energy?

•A) Case A
•B) Case B
 Followup
q1q2 1
As usual, choose U = 0 at infinity: U (r) 
4 0 r
q1q2 1
Case A UA 
d 4 0 d
Case B q1q2 1
UB 
2d 4 0 2d
U(r)

UA UB
U(d)
U(2d)
0
r
 Potential Energy of Many Charges

Two charges are separated by a distance d. What is the change in

potential energy when a third charge q is brought from far away to a
distance d from the original two charges?

Q2

d d
qQ1 1 qQ2 1
U  
4 0 d 4 0 d
(consider each pair separately and add) Q1 q
d
 Clicker
What is the total energy* required to bring in three identical
charges, from infinitely far away to the points on an equilateral
triangle shown.

A) 0 Q
3 Q2
B) U 
Q2 1
W  Wi  
4 0 d 4 0 d
Q2 1
C) U  2 4 d d 3 Q2
0 d U  
2

D) U  3 4Q 1 4 0 d
0 d
Q2 1
E) U  6 4 d Q d dl Q F12
0

Work to bring in first charge: W1  0

1 Q2
Work to bring in second charge : W2  
4 0 d
Work to bring in third charge : W   1 Q 2  1 Q 2   2 Q 2
4 0 d 4 0 d 4 0 d
3

*total energy is equivalent to the change in Potential Energy

 Clicker follower
Suppose one of the charges is negative. Now what is the total
energy required to bring the three charges in infinitely far away?

A) 0
Q2 1 Q 2
B) U  1
4 0 d
Q2 1
C) U  1
4 0 1 Q2
W  Wi  
d
d d
D) U  2
Q2 1
4 0 d
4 0 d
Q2 1 1 Q2
E) U  2
4 0 d U  
Q d Q 4 0 d
1

Work to bring in first charge: W1  0

1 Q2
Work to bring in second charge : W2  
4 0 d
1 Q2 1 Q2
Work to bring in third charge : W3    0
4 0 d 4 0 d
 Checkpoint review
A charge of +Q is fixed in space. A second charge of +q was first placed at a distance r1 away from +Q. Then
it was moved along a straight line to a new position at a distance R away from its starting position. The final
location of +q is at a distance r2 from +Q.

A
B 1 Qq 1 Qq
C U1  U2 
D 4 0 r1 4 0 r2
E

Qq  1 1 
U  U 2  U1    
4 0  r2 r1 
The change in potential energy is final minus initial. Note:  q moves AWAY from Q.  
Its Potential energy MUST DECREASE
U < 0
 CheckPoint Review

1 Qq
U Left  41%
4 0 d
1  Qq
U Right 
4 0 d d d
They add to 0, no
matter what q is
+Q -Q

A               B               C                     D (and, it doesn’t depend on the sign)

 CheckPoint Review

50% success. LET’S DO THE CALCULATION!
 Calculations
There are two solutions along line that connects the charges
One is the point B located between the charges.
The other is point A
r
, to the left of the positive  charge. 
d
Q 2Q
A B dr D x
X0r Xd
Set U  0
1 Qq 1 2Qq
U   
4 0 r 4 0 r  d 1

2
r d r
Set U  0

1 2 2r  d  r

r rd
d
r
3
rd
Makes Sense!  Q is twice as far from 2q as it is from q
Reminder
• Thursday at 5 pm. Exam 1
• Covers material through Gauss’ Law