Electromagnetic Fields

Lecture 5: Energy and Potential

Dr. Ebtihal H. G. Yousif

Sudan University of Science & Technology

Electronics Engineering

Sem 6, 2017

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Outline

1 Work and Energy

Example D4.1
Example D4.2
2 Potential Dierence
Example D4.4
3 Potential Gradient
Example D4.8
4 Special Cases
Work for Moving a Point Charge
Potential Field of a Point Charge
Potential Field for a System of Charges
The Electric Dipole

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Work and Energy

Dierential Work
The dierential work done by an external source moving charge Q
is
dW = Q E d (Joul)
(5.1)
To move the charge Q a distance of dL in a direction aL , the
dierential work is

dW = Q E aL dL (Joul)
(5.2)

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Work and Energy

Work
Considering a charge in the electric field, the work required to
move the charge a finite distance is determined by

final
W = Q E d (Joul)
init
(5.3)

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Work and Energy

No work is done1 in carrying the unit charge around any closed

path! I
E d = 0

Any field that satisfies the above equation, (i.e., where the
closed line integral of the field is zero) is said to be a
conservative field. The name arises from the fact that no
work is done (or that energy is conserved) around a closed
path.

1
This is true for static fields, but we will see that Faraday demonstrated it
was incomplete when time-varying magnetic fields were present.
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Work and Energy
Example D4.1

(Example D4.1, Hayt 2008)

Given the electric field
( )
1( ) V
E = 2 8xyz ax + 4x 2 z ay 4x 2 y az ,
z m

find the dierential amount of work done in moving a 6 nC charge

a distance of 2 m, starting at P(2,-2, 3) and proceeding in the
direction of
1 aL = 67 ax + 37 ay + 27 az
2 aL = 67 ax 37 ay 27 az
3 aL = 37 ax + 67 ay

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Work and Energy
Example D4.1

Solution
1 Case of aL = 7 ax + 7 ay + 7 az .
6 3 2

First, the value of the electric field at P(2,-2,3) is

8 4 4
E = (2)(2)ax + (22 )ay 2 (22 )(2)az
3 3 3( )
32 16 32 V
= ax + ay + az ,
3 3 9 m
Next, using equation (5.2)
dW = Q E aL dL
( )
32 16 32 ( 6 3 2 )
= (6) 109 ax + ay + az ax + ay + az (2)
3 3 9 7 7 7
( )
32 6 12 3 32 2
= (12)1015 + + =149.3 1015 Joul
3 7 3 7 9 7
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Work and Energy
Example D4.1

2 Case of aL = 67 ax 37 ay 27 az
Using equation (5.2)

dW = Q E aL dL
( )
32 16 32 (6 3 2 )
9
= (6) 10 ax + ay + az ax ay az (2)
3 3 9 7 7 7
( )
32 6 16 3 32 2
= (12)1015
3 7 3 7 9 7
= 149.3 1015 Joul

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Work and Energy
Example D4.1

3 Case of aL = 37 ax + 67 ay
Using equation (5.2)

dW = Q E aL dL
( )
32 16 32 (3 6 )
9
= (6) 10 ax + ay + az ax + ay (2)
3 3 9 7 7
( )
32 3 16 6
= (12)1015 +
3 7 3 7
= 0 Joul

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Work and Energy
Example D4.2

(Example D4.2, Hayt 2008)

Calculate the work done in moving a 4 C charge from B(1, 0, 0) to
A(0, 2, 0) along the path y = 2 2x, z = 0 in the field
1 E = 5ax (V/m)
2 E = 5x ax (V/m)
3 E = 5x ax + 5y ay (V/m)

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Work and Energy
Example D4.2

Solution
1 Case of E = 5ax (V/m)
Here we use equation (5.3)
A
W = Q E d
B
A( ) ( )
= 4 5ax dx ax + dy ay + dz az
B

and since any unit vector dotted with itself is unity,

A
W = 4 5 dx = 4(5)(0 1) = 20 J
B

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Work and Energy
Example D4.2

2 Case of E = 5x ax (V/m)
Using equation (5.3)
A
W = Q E d
B
A( ) ( )
= 4 5x ax dx ax + dy ay + dz az
B

and since any unit vector dotted with itself is unity,

A ( )
01
W = 4 5x dx = 4(5) = 10 J
B 2

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Work and Energy
Example D4.2

3 Case of E = 5x ax + 5y ay (V/m)
Using equation (5.3)
A
W = Q E d
B
A( ) ( )
= 4 5x ax + 5y ay dx ax + dy ay + dz az
B

and since any unit vector dotted with itself is unity,

A ( )
0 1 22 0
W = 4 5x dx + 5y dy = 4(5) + = 30 J
B 2 2

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Potential Dierence

Potential Dierence
Potential dierence, V, is defined as the work done (by an external
source) in moving a unit positive charge from one point to another
in an electric field,

final

Potential dierence = V = E d (Volt)

init
(5.4)

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Potential Dierence

VAB signifies the potential dierence between points A and B

and is the work done in moving the unit charge from B (last
named) to A (first named).
Potential dierence is measured in joules per coulomb or
volts
Hence the potential dierence between points A and B is

A
VAB = E d
B
(5.5)
If the potential at point A is VA and that at B is VB , then

VAB = VA VB
(5.6)
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Potential Dierence
Example D4.4

(Example D4.4, Hayt 2008)

An electric field is expressed in rectangular coordinates by
E = 6x 2 ax + 6y ay + 4az
Find:
1 VMN if points M and N are specified by M(2, 6, 1) and
N(3, 3, 2);
2 VM if V = 0 at Q(4, 2, 35);
3 VN if V = 2 at P(1, 2, 4).

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Potential Dierence
Example D4.4

Solution
1 Case of VMN if points M and N are specified by M(2, 6, 1)
and N(3, 3, 2):
Using equation (5.5),
M
VMN = E d
N
M( ) ( )
= 6x 2 ax + 6y ay + 4az dx ax + dy ay + dz az
N
M
= 6x 2 dx + 6y dy + 4 dz
N
6 6
= (23 (3)3 ) (62 (3)2 ) 4(1 2)
3 2
= 70 81 + 12 = 193V
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Potential Dierence
Example D4.4

2 Case of VM if V = 0 at Q(4, 2, 35):

Using equation (5.6) we have VM = VMQ + VQ = VMQ
M
VMQ = 6x 2 dx + 6y dy + 4 dz
Q
6 6
= (23 43 ) (62 (2)2 ) 4(1 + 35) = 120V
3 2

3 Case of VN if V = 2 at P(1, 2, 4)
Similarly, VN = VNP + VP
N
VNP = 6x 2 dx + 6y dy + 4 dz
P
6 6
= ((3)3 13 ) ((3)2 22 ) 4(2 + 4) = 17V
3 2
VN = 17 + 2 = 19V
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Potential Gradient

Potential Gradient
We now may write the relationship between V and E as

dV
E = grad V = V = a N
dN
(5.7)

Remember from Lecture 2:

V V V
Cartesian: V = a x + a y + a z
x y z
V 1 V V
Cylindrical: V = a + a + a z
z
V 1 V 1 V
Spherical: V = a r + a + a ,
r r r sin 19 / 29
Potential Gradient
Example D4.8

(Example D4.8, Hayt 2008)

Given the potential field in cylindrical coordinates
100
V = cos (Volt)
z2+1
and point P at = 3 m, = 60 , z = 2 m, find values at P for
1 V
2 E
3 E
dV
4 dN
5 a N
6 v

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Potential Gradient
Example D4.8

Solution
100 100
1 V = cos = 2 3 cos 60 = 30V
z2
+1 2 +1
2 Using E = grad V
V 1 V V
V = a + a + a z
z
100 100 200z
E= 2 cos a + 2 sin a + 2 cos a z
z +1 z +1 (z + 1)2

at P
E = 10.00 a + 17.3 a + 24.0 a z V /m
3 E = |E| = 31.2 V/m

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Potential Gradient
Example D4.8

dV
4 From equation (5.7), E = 31.2 V/m
dN
E
5 a N = = 0.32 a 0.55 a 0.77 a z
|E|
6 We know from lecture 4 that D = v , and D = 0 E.

1 1 D Dz
D = (D ) + +
z
( )
1 1 E Ez
= 0 (E ) + +
z

Hence, at the point P

v = 234 pC /m3

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Special Cases: Work for Moving a Point Charge

Let us consider the case, in which a charge of Q is carried in

the field of an infinite line charge (see figure in next slide).
From lecture 3, the field resulting from the infinite line charge
is

E= a
20
The work done in taking a charge Q from = b to = a is

Q b
W= ln
20 a
(5.8)
Thus, the potential dierence between points at = a and
= b is
W b
Vab = = ln
Q 20 a
(5.9) 23 / 29
Special Cases: Work Moving a Point Charge Near a
Line Charge

Figure: A radial path along which a charge of Q is carried in the field of

an infinite line charge.
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Special Cases: Potential Field of a Point Charge at
the Origin

Let us consider a point charge Q at the origin. The potential

at any distance r from the point charge is
Q
V = , Volt
40 r
Let us consider the potential dierence between two points
located at r = rA and r = rB in the field of the point charge
Q (placed at the origin).
( )
Q 1 1
VAB = , Volt
40 rA rB

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Special Cases: Potential Field for a System of
Charges

The potential field of a single point charge, which we shall

identify as Q1 and locate at r1
Q1
V (r) = , Volt
40 |r r1 |

The potential arising from n point charges is

n
Qm
V (r) = , Volt
40 |r rm |
m=1

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Special Cases: The Electric Dipole

An electric dipole, or simply a dipole, is the name given to two

point charges of equal magnitude and opposite sign, separated
by a distance, d, that is small compared to the distance to the
point P at which we want to know the electric and potential
fields.
The geometry of a dipole problem is depicted in the figure in
next slide assuming spherical coordinates.
Qd cos
V =
40 r 2
Qd
E = V = (2 cos a r + sin a )
40 r 3

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Special Cases: The Electric Dipole

Figure: The geometry of the problem of an electric dipole.

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Further guidelines to students

Please have a look at

Example (4.2) (Hayt 2008, page 80)
Example (4.4) (Hayt 2008, page 94)
Try to solve the following Drill Problems
D4.7

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