Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

MODULE 1: Coulomb’s Law, Electric Field Intensity and Flux Density

 Experimental Law of Coulomb

 Force on a point charge
 Force due to several charges
 Electric field intensity
 Electric Field intensity due to several charges
 Electric Field intensity at a point due to infinite sheet of charge
 Electric Flux
 Electric Flux Density

Experimental law of Coulomb

Coulomb’s law states that the electrostatic force F between two point charges q1 and q2 is
directly proportional to the product of the magnitude of the charges, and inversely proportional to
the square of the distance between them., and it acts along the line joining the two charges.
Then, as per the Coulomb’s Law,

F kq1q2
Or F = (kq1q2)/(r²) N

Where k is the constant of proportionality whose value varies with the system of units. R^ is the
unit vector along the line joining the two charges.
In SI unit, k= .
Where is called the permittivity of the free space.
It has an assigned value given as =8.834 F/m.

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 1

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

Force on Q1 is given by

F1 =
Newtons

q1 q2

F2
q1 q2

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 2

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

Objectives

After going through this section, the students are able to 1. State Coulombs law
Application of Coulombs Law to point charge as well as several charges

Electric field intensity

Electric field intensity at any point in an electric field is the force experienced by positive
unit charge placed at that point.
Consider a charge Q located at a point A. At the point B in the electric fields set up by Q, it is
required to find the electric field intensity E.
Let the charge at B be and let the charge Q be fixed at A. Let r be the distance between A and
B. As per the Coulomb’s Law, the force between Q and q is given by:
F= rˆ N
If it is a unit positive charge, then by definition, F in the above equation gives the magnitude
of the electric field intensity E.
i.e. E=F when
Therefore, the magnitude of the electric field
strength is: E=Q/(4r
Let r be the unit vector along the line joining A and B. Thus, the vector relation between E is
written as:
E=Q/(4 or²) V/m

Electric Field intensity due to several charges

Let there be many point charges q1,q2,q3......... qn at distances r1,r2,r3 .....rn be the corresponding
unit vectors. The field E1, E2, E3.......... En at the charges q1,q2,q3........... qn respectively are:

E=Eq1+Eq2+Eq3

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 3

 Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

1. Discrete charges

. . Q1 P
Q2 Q Rm
m
n

1P  1 Qm
V
4 1 R
0 m

2. Line charge
l
xP V  1 l dl V
2P 4 R
0 l

ρl C / m
3. Surface charge
V  ds
xP 3P  1  S
2 4 0 R
ρs C / m S

4. Volume charge

xP
3
ρv C/ m
1 V dv
V   V
R 4P 4 R
0 V

5. Combination of above V5P = V1P + V2P + V3P + V4P

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 4

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

Electric field intensity at a point due to a infinite line charge

Let us assume a straight line charge extending along Z axis in a cylindrical coordinate
system from -∞ to +∞ as shown in the figure 1.1. Consider an incremental length dl at a point on
the conductor. The incremental length has an incremental charge of dQ= ρl dl= ρldz’ Coulombs.
Considering the charge dQ, the incremental field intensity at point p is given by,

Where

,
and

Therefore,

Integrating the above and substituting z’=ρ cot θ, we get

and

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 5

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

Electric field intensity at a point due to a infinite sheet of charge:

Let us assume a infinite sheet of charge with surface charge density ρs as shown in the
figure 1.2. Divide the sheet of charge into differential width strips. number of str Consider an
incremental length dl at a point on the conductor. The line charge density ρl= ρs dy’.

The differential Electric field intensity at point P,

adding the effects of all the strips,

Therefore,

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 6

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

Electric field at a point on the axis of charged circular ring:

Let ρ be the charge density of the ring.

So, ρ=dq/dl
dq=ρdl

Electric field due to an infinitely small element = dE = dq/4πεo r² rˆ

where rˆ is the unit vector along AP.

dE can resolved into two rectangular components, dEx and dEy. Now, dEx=dEcosθ.
Taking the magnitude of dE from above, the equation becomes,

dEx=
cosθ=
substituting for dq from above, we have;

dEx=

The component dEy is directed downwards. If we consider an element of the ring at a point
diametrically opposite to A, then its dEy component points upwards and hence, cancels with
that due to element A. The dEx components add up.
∫dEy=0.
The total field at P is the sum of the fields due to all the elements of the ring.
Therefore, E=∫dE=∫dEx+∫dEy=∫dEx

E=∫dEx=

But, r=(R²+x²)½

Therefore, E= ax

Where, ax is the unit vector along the x axis

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 7

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

Objectives
At the end of this section the students are able to
1. Define Electric field Intensity
2. Derive Electric field intensity at a due to several charges
3. Derive Electric field Intensity at a point due to sheet of charge
4. Derive Electric field intensity at a point on the axis of charged circular ring

Electric flux:

The concept of electric flux is useful in association with Gauss' law. The electric flux through a
planar area is defined as the electric field times the component of the area perpendicular to the
field. If the area is not planar, then the evaluation of the flux generally requires an area integral
since the angle will be continually changing.

When the area A is used in a vector operation like this, it is understood that the magnitude of the
vector is equal to the area and the direction of the vector is perpendicular to the area.
Consider a concentric sphere having radius of ‘a’m charged up to +Q C. This sphere is
then placed in another sphere having a radius of ’b’ m as shown in the figure 1.4.

There is no electrical connection between them. The outer sphere is momentarily charged,
then it found that the charge on the outer sphere is equal to the charge on the inner sphere. This is
depicted by the radial lines. This is referred as displacement flux. Therefore,

Ψ = Q.

Electric flux density:

If +Q C of charge on the inner sphere produces the electric flux of ψ, then electric flux ψ uniformly
2 2
distributed over the surface area 4Πa m , where a is the radius of the inner sphere.

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 8

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

The electric flux density si given by

Similarly for the outer sphere,

If the inner sphere becomes smaller and smaller retaining a charge of Q C, it becomes a
point charge. The flux density at appoint ‘r’ from the point charge is given by,

The electric field intensity due to point charge in free space is given by,

Therefore in free space,

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 9

Electromagnetic Waves 18EC55

Dept. of ECE, ATMECE Available At VTU HUB (Android App) Page 10