AP Physics Electric Fields and Electric Forces

Introduction: Most of the forces encountered in introductory physics are contact forces. In other words, objects must
be touching to influence each other. The troubling aspect of both the gravitational and electric forces is the way that
they are able to reach across "empty space" and influence other objects, as non-contact forces. This "action-at-a-
distance" was said to have troubled Newton, and he offered no explanation for it, famously writing near the end of The
Principia: "I frame no hypotheses.” If this concept troubled Newton, it might also trouble you. The field concept is a
way to imagine what is happening in "action-at-a-distance". In mechanics we talked about a gravitational field in the
region around an object with mass. This semester we will explore the concept of electric field, the region around a
charged object.
The electric field is a vector field: it consists of a distribution of vectors, one for each point in the region
around a charged object. The magnitude of the field, 𝐸⃗ , is determined by the force, 𝐹 , exerted by the field on the
positive test charge divided by the magnitude of the charge, q0. The direction of the field is the direction the test charge
would move if released in the field.
𝐹
𝐸⃗ =
𝑞0

The SI unit for electric field is newtons per coulomb (N/C). Although we use the test charge to define the electric field
of a charged object, that field exists independently of the test charge.
Michael Faraday, who introduced the idea of electric fields in the 19th century, thought of the space around a
charged body as filled with lines of force. Although we no longer attach much reality to these lines, now usually called
electric field lines, they still provide a nice way to visualize patterns of electric fields. To visualize the electric fields
we draw maps consisting of electric field lines. We map electric fields so that we can describe the direction and relative
magnitude of the force on a test charge placed anywhere in the vicinity of a configuration of charges. Although we do
not often use field lines quantitatively, they are very useful to visualize what is going on.

The properties of electric field lines are:

1. Field lines begin on positive charges and end on negative charges.
2. The field lines are always perpendicular to the charged surface.
3. The field lines never cross other electric field lines.
4. The number of field lines in an area is proportional to the strength of the field.
5. There are no field lines inside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium, which means there is no field inside a
conductor once it reaches electric equilibrium. (If you put a charge any place on a conductor in electrostatic
equilibrium, it almost instantly reaches equilibrium).
6. For large distances from a collection of charges the collection appears as a point charge.

Performance Objectives: Upon completion of the readings and activities of this unit and when asked to respond
either orally or on a written test, the student will:
• map electric fields by drawing electric field lines.
• calculate the electric field on a positive test charge.
• calculate the electric field due to a point charge.
• calculate the electric field due to an electric dipole.
• use the principle of superposition to calculate the electric field due to a system of charges.
• calculate the electric field due to various continuous charge distributions.
• derive and use the electric field calculations for common charge distributions.
• determine the motion of a charged particle in an electric field.
• determine the motion of a dipole in an electric field.

Textbook Reference: Serway & Jewett, Chapter 22

The University Physics II Course Guidebook from the University of Arkansas gives the following method for
drawing electric field maps.

Draw the Location and Strength of the Charges: Connect the Stubs Without Crossing the Field
Leaving plenty of room, draw circles where the electric Lines:
charges are located. Label each circle with the strength Field lines do not cross, since the electric field
of the charge. Select a Number of Lines Per Charge: has a single direction at every point in space. To finish
The number of field lines entering or leaving a charged the map, simply connect the field lines on the stubs and
object is proportional to the charge of the object. If we the field lines at infinity, without crossing the lines. A
have point charges q1 = 5 µC, and q2 = -10 µC, you line may not begin and end with stubs pointing in
might randomly select four lines to represent q1, different directions.
therefore eight lines represent q2.

Draw Stubs of Field Lines:

Draw little arrows on the charges for the
number of lines selected. Arrows should point out for
positive charge and in for negative. Near a point charge Respect Symmetry:
the field lines are radial. The stubs should be The symmetry of your field map is affected by the
perpendicular to the surface and evenly spaced around initial choice of stub directions, your choices for the
the charge. field at infinity, and how you connect the stubs. The
field you end up with should have the same symmetry
as the charges you started with.

Draw the Long Range Field:

Far from a charge distribution, the electric
field will have a characteristic shape. For distributions
with a non-zero net charge, the electric field far from
the charges will be that of a point charge with a charge
equal to the total charge of the distribution. If we
continue with q1 and q2 above, far from the charge we
will see a radial field equal to that of a point charge Using the rules for drawing field lines, draw the field
with charge qtotal = q1 + q2 = -5. lines for the following charge distribution.
Draw a dashed circle far from the charges,
which is called the circle at infinity.
Draw the appropriate number of field lines
leaving or entering this circle: For q1 and q2, if four
lines leave q1 = 5, then four other lines must enter the
circle at infinity since qtotal = -5.
Field Lines
1. Using the rules for drawing field lines, and the 8. Two particles with equal charge magnitudes
sample setup, draw the field lines for the following 2.0 x 10-7 C but opposite signs are held 15 cm apart.
charge distributions. What are the magnitude and direction of E at the point
a) -2, -4, +10 midway between the charges?
b) -7, +5, +5 6.4 x 105 N/C toward the negative charge
c) +6, +4, -2

2. Sketch the electric field lines between and outside 9. An atom of plutonium-239 has a nuclear radius of
two parallel plates when a uniform positive charge q1 is 6.64 fm and the atomic number Z = 94. Assuming that
on the left plate and a uniform negative charge - q2 is on the positive charge is distributed uniformly within the
the right plate. Use charge quantities of 6 and 12. Draw nucleus, what are the magnitude and direction of the
the cases electric field at the surface of the nucleus due to the
a) q1 > q2 positive charge? 3.07 x 1021 N/C
b) q1 = q2
c) ql < q2
10. In the figure to the
3. Sketch the electric field lines both between and right, two fixed point
outside two concentric spherical shells when a uniform charges q1 = +1.0 x 10-6 C
positive charge q1 is on the inner shell and a uniform and q2 = +3.0 x 10-6 C are
negative charge - q2 is on the outer. Use charge separated by a distance
quantities of 8 and 16. Draw the cases d = 10.0 cm. Plot their net
a) q1 > q2 electric field E(x) as a function of x for both positive
b) q1 = q2 and negative values of x, taking E to be positive when
c) ql < q2 the vector 𝐸⃗ points to the right and negative when 𝐸⃗
points to the left.
4. The figure to the right shows
the cross sectional view of a
hollow, uncharged, conducting 11. Two point charges q1 = 2.1 x 10-8 C and
cylinder with a charged wire q2 = -4.0 q1 are fixed in place 50.0 cm apart. Find the
which is parallel to its axis but point along the straight line passing through the
off center. two charges at which the electric field is zero.
Sketch the electric field lines 50 cm from q1 and 100 cm from q2
inside and outside the hollow cylinder. (Redraw a larger
version on your own paper. Large enough to show
detail.) 12. (a) In the figure below, two fixed point charges q1 =
a) For q = + 8. -5q and q2 = +2q are separated by distance d. Locate the
b) For q = - 8. point (or points) at which the net electric field due to the
two charges is zero. (b) Sketch the net electric field
5. In the figure to the lines qualitatively. 1.72 d to the right of q2
right, the electric field
lines on the left have
twice the separation of
those on the right.
a) If the magnitude of the field at A is 40.0 N/C, what
force acts on a proton at A? 6.4 x 10-18 N
b) What is the magnitude of the field at B? 20.0 N/C

Electric Field Due to a Point Charge

6. What is the magnitude of a point charge that would
create an electric field of 1.00 N/C at points 1.00 m
away? 1.11 x 10-10 C

7. What is the magnitude of a point charge whose

electric field 50.0 cm away has the magnitude 2.0 N/C?
56 pC
 Electric Field Due to a Line of Charge
13. In the figure to the 18. A charge of 80.0 nC is uniformly distributed along
right, what is the the x axis from x = 0 to x = 2.0 m. Determine the
magnitude of the electric magnitude of the electric field at a point on the x axis at
field at point P due to the x = 8.0 m. 15 N/C
four point charges shown?
0 N/C 19. A line of charge with a linear density of 9.0 nC/m is
distributed along the x axis from x = 0 to x = 3.0 m.
Determine the magnitude of the electric field at a point
on the x axis at x = 4.0 m. 61 N/C
14. In the figure to the left,
calculate the direction and 20. A line of charge with a linear density of 4.0 nC/m is
magnitude of the electric field at distributed along the x axis from x = -2.0 m to x = +3.0
point P due to the three point m. Determine the magnitude of the electric field at x =
charges. +5.0 m on the x axis. 13 N/C

21. A 10-cm-long thin glass rod uniformly charged to

15. What are the +10 nC and a 10-cm-long thin plastic rod uniformly
magnitude and direction charged to -10 nC are placed side by side, 4.0 cm apart.
of the electric field at the What are the electric field strengths 𝐸⃗1 , 𝐸⃗2 , and 𝐸⃗3 at
center of the square in distances 1.0 cm, 2.0 cm, and 3.0 cm respectively from
the figure to the left, if q the glass rod along the line connecting the midpoints of
= 1.0 x10-8 C and a = 5.0 the two rods?
cm? 1.02 x 105 N/C 2.28 x 105 N/C 1.67 x 105 N/C 2.28 x 105 N/C

22. A 10-cm-long thin glass rod is uniformly charged to

Electric Field Due to an Electric Dipole. An electric +50 nC. A small plastic bead, charged to -5.0 nC, is 4.0
dipole is a configuration of two charged particles, each cm from the center of the rod. What is the force
of magnitude q but of opposite sign, separated by a (magnitude and direction) on the bead?
distance d. The product qd is the magnitude p of a 8.78 x 10-4 N toward the rod
vector quantity known as the electric dipole moment
𝑝. The direction of 𝑝 is taken to be from the negative 23. A uniform linear charge of 2.0 nC/m is distributed
end to the positive end of the dipole. We can use 𝑝 to along the x axis from x = 0 to x = 3.0 m.
specify the orientation of the dipole. a) What would be the integral for the y component of
the electric field at y = 4.0 m on the y axis?
16. Calculate the electric dipole moment of an electron b) Evaluate the integral.
and a proton 4.30 nm apart. 6.88 x 10-28 C-m 3
72 𝑑𝑥
𝐸𝑦 = ∫
17. Find the magnitude and direction of the electric field (16 + 𝑥 2 )3/2
0
at point P a distance r away from an electric dipole
whose magnitude is Qd. 24. The electric field 5.0 cm from a very long charged
a) Where P is located at a distance r = 4d along the wire is (2000 N/C, toward the wire). What is the charge
perpendicular bisector of the line joining the charges. (in nC) on a 1.0-cm-long segment of the wire?
b) Where P is located at a distance r >> d along the -0.056 nC
perpendicular bisector of the line joining the charges.
c) Where P is located at a distance r = 4d along the axis 25. A long straight wire has charge per unit length
of the dipole. 3.0 x 10-10 C/m. At what distance from the wire is the
d) Where P is located at a distance r >> d along the axis electric field equal to 0.8 N/C? 6.75 m
of the dipole.
Express your answer in terms of the magnitude and Electric Field Due to an Arc of Charge
direction of the electric dipole moment 𝑝. 26. A charge of 25 nC is uniformly distributed along a
circular arc (radius = 2.0 m) that subtends and angle of
90°. What is magnitude of the electric field at the center
of the circle along which the arc lies? 51 N/C
27. A line of charge with a linear density of 5.0 nC/m is 36. What must be the charge per unit area, in C/m2, of
uniformly distributed along a circular arc (radius = 2.0 an infinite-plane sheet of charge if the electric field
m) that is subtended by 90°. What is the magnitude of produced by the sheet is to be 2.0 N/C?
the electric field at the center of the circle along which 3.54 x 10-11 C/m2
the arc lies? 31 N/C
Motion of a Charged Particle in an Electric Field
28. A uniformly charged rod (length = 2.0 m, A = 5.0 Recall: 𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑛 = 1.67𝑥10−27 𝑘𝑔
nC/m) is bent to form one quadrant of a circle. What is 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 = 9.11 𝑥 10−31 𝑘𝑔
the magnitude of the electric field at the center of the
circle? 50 N/C 37. What must be the charge (sign and magnitude) on a
particle of mass 2.0 g for it to remain stationary in the
29. A uniformly charged rod (length = 2.0 m, A = 3.0 laboratory when placed in a downward directed electric
nC/m) is bent to form a semicircle. What is the field of 5.0 x 103 N/C? -3.92 x 10-6 C
magnitude of the electric field at the center of the
circle? 85 N/C 38. A 0.10 g plastic bead is charged by the addition of
1.0 x 1010 excess electrons. What electric field E
Electric Field Due to a Ring of Charge (strength and direction) will cause the bead to hang
30. Two charged rings, 10.0 cm in diameter, face each suspended in the air? 6.13 x 105 N/C down
other, 20.0 cm apart. Both rings are charged to
+20.0 nC. What is the electric field strength at 39. Two 2.0-cm-diameter disks face each other, 1.0
a) the midpoint between the two rings and mm apart. They are charged to ± 10.0 nC.
b) the center of the left ring? 0 N/C 4110 N/C a) What is the electric field strength between the disks?
b) A proton is shot from the negative disk toward the
31. Two 10-cm-diameter charged rings face each other, positive disk. What launch speed must the proton have
20 cm apart. The left ring is charged to -20 nC and the to just barely reach the positive disk?
right ring is charged to +20 nC.
a) What is the electric field E, both magnitude and 40. The electron gun in an old television tube uses a
direction, at the midpoint between the two rings? uniform electric field to accelerate electrons from rest to
b) What is the force F on a 1.0 nC charge placed at 5.0 x 107 m/s in a distance of 1.2 cm. What is the
the midpoint? electric field strength of that field? 5.93 x 105 N/C

Electric Field Due to a Disk of Charge 41. An electron is released from rest 2.0 cm from an
32. Two charged disks, 10.0 cm in diameter, face each infinite charged plane. It accelerates toward the plane
other, 20.0 cm apart. Both disks are charged to and collides with a speed of 1.0 x 107 m/s. What are
-50.0 nC. What is the electric field strength at the a) the surface charge density of the plane and b) the
midpoint between the two disks? 0 N/C time required for the electron to travel the 2.0 cm?
b) the center of the left disk? 3.49 x 105 N/C
42. The surface charge density on an infinite charged
33. A disk of radius 2.5 cm has a surface charge density plane is -2.0 x 10-6 C/m2. A proton is shot straight away
of 5.3 μC/m2 on its upper face. What is the magnitude from the plane at 2.0 x 106 m/s. How far does the
of the electric field produced by the disk at a point on its proton travel before reaching its turning point?
central axis at a distance of 12 cm from the disk? 0.185 m
6300 N/C
43. A uniform electric field exists in the region between
34. The electric field strength 5.0 cm from a very wide two oppositely charged plane parallel plates. An
charged electrode is 1000 N/C. What is the charge (in electron is released from rest at the surface of the
nC) of a 1.0 cm diameter circular segment of the negatively charged plate and strikes the surface of the
electrode? 1.39 x 10-3 nC opposite plate, 2.0 cm distant from the first, in a time
interval of 1.5 x 10-8 s.
35. Two 2.0-cm-diameter insulating spheres have a a) Find the electric field. 1.01 x 103 N/C
6.0 cm space between them. One sphere is charged to b) Find the velocity of the electron when it strikes the
10 nC and the other to -14 nC. What is the electric field second plate. 2.67 x 106 m/s
strength at the midpoint between the two spheres?
1.35 x 105 N/C
44. An electron is Recalling that: 𝜏 = 𝑟 𝑥 𝐹 = 𝑟𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
projected with an
initial velocity of 1.0 it’s easy to calculate that the magnitude of the torque
x107 m/s into the about the center from one of the charges is:
uniform field
between the parallel 𝑑
plates as shown in the 𝜏= 𝑞𝐸 sin 𝜃
2
figure. The direction
of the field is vertically downward, and the field is zero and since there are two charges of equal magnitude,
except in the space between the two plates. The electron then there exists another torque about the center from
enters the field at a point midway between the plates. If the other particle and that torque has the same
the electron just misses the upper plate as it emerges magnitude as that which we’ve calculated above. This
from the field, find the magnitude of the electric field. makes the total torque equal to:
1.42 x 104 N/C
𝜏 = 𝑑𝑞𝐸 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = 𝑝𝐸 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
Motion of a Dipole in an Electric Field
In the previous chapter, we defined the electric or more generally: 𝜏 = 𝑝 𝑥 𝐸⃗ so you’ll have to
dipole moment as: remember that the direction of the torque is derived
𝑝 = 𝑞𝑑 from the right-hand rule! From that standpoint, the
magnitude of the torque on the dipole in the figure is:
where the direction of the moment is from the negative
charge toward the positive charge. An electric dipole – 𝜏 = −𝑝𝐸 sin 𝜃
as you may remember – consists of two opposite
charges of equal magnitude separated by a distance d. Energy of a Dipole in an Electric Field
When an electric dipole is placed in an Since potential energy requires a reference
external electric field, it tends to line up with the field. point which we are free to determine based on any
We’ll consider the dipole as a rigid object capable of given scenario, let’s choose the potential energy to be
rotating about its center of mass – refer to the diagram zero when the angle 𝜃 is 90⁰. We can then find the
below and note how the electric dipole 𝑝 makes an potential energy U of the dipole at any other angle by
angle of θ with field 𝐸⃗ . recalling that:

𝜃 𝜃
𝑈 = −𝑊 = − ∫ 𝜏 𝑑𝜃 = ∫ 𝑝𝐸 sin 𝜃 𝑑θ
900 90⁰

Evaluating, we get:

𝑈 = −𝑝𝐸 cos 𝜃

or more generally:

𝑈 = −𝑝 ∙ 𝐸⃗

45. An ammonia molecule (NH3) has a permanent

electric dipole moment 5.0 x 10-30 C-m. A proton is
2.0 nm from the molecule in the plane that bisects the
dipole. What is the electric force of the molecule on the
The electrical forces on the charges creates a proton? 9.0 x 10-13 N, direction opposite 𝑝.
torque about the center of the dipole.
46. The permanent electric dipole moment of the water
molecule (H20) is 6.2 x 10-30 C-m. What is the
maximum torque on a water molecule in a 5.0 x 10 8
N/C electric field?