ELECTROSTAT ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE

Electric Potential at a point in the electric field is defined as the work done in moving
(without any acceleration) a unit positive charge from infinity to that point against the
electrostatic force irrespective of the path followed.
If W is the work done in moving Q charge from infinity to a point, then the
potential at that point is
Potential =work/charge
OR
V=W/Q
Electric Potential Difference between any two points in the electric field is defined
asthe work done in moving (without any acceleration) a unit positive charge from one
point to the other against the electrostatic force irrespective of the path followed.

The S.I Unit of electric potential is volt(V)

One volt
Electric potential at a point is one volt if one joule of work is done in moving
one coulomb charge from infinity to that point in the electric field.

POTENTIAL AT A POINT DUE TO A POINT CHARGE

Consider a point charge Q at the origin. (take Q to be positive). We wish to

determine the potential at any point P with position vector r from the origin. For that we
must calculate the work done in bringing a unit positive test charge from infinity to the
point P. For Q > 0, the work done against the repulsive force on the test charge is positive.
Since work done is independent of the path, we choose a convenient path – along the line
joining the charge to the point P.
dr’ P’
⃗⃗⃗
𝒓′

Q
At some intermediate point P′ on the path, the electrostatic force on a unit
positive charge is

𝟏 𝑸 ̂
⃗𝑭 = 𝒓′
𝟒𝝅 ∈𝟎 𝒓′𝟐
̂ is the unit vector along OP′.
where 𝒓′

Work done against this force from r′ to r′ + dr’ is

−𝟏 𝑸𝒅𝒓′
𝒅𝒘 =
𝟒𝝅 ∈𝟎 𝒓′𝟐

The negative sign appears because for ∆r′ < 0, ∆W is positive .

Total work done (W) by the external force is obtained by integrating Eq. (2.6)
from r ′ = ∞ to r ′ = r,
𝒓
𝑾 = ∫∞ 𝒅𝒘
𝒓
−𝟏 𝑸𝒅𝒓′
𝑾= ∫
𝟒𝝅 ∈𝟎 𝒓′𝟐
∞
−𝑸 𝒓 𝟏
= ∫ dr’
𝟒𝝅∈𝟎 ∞ 𝒓′𝟐
− 𝑸 −𝟏 𝒓
= [ ]
𝟒𝝅∈𝟎 𝒓′ ∞
𝟏 𝑸
=
𝟒𝝅∈𝟎 𝒓

𝟏 𝑸
Therefore, the potential at P, V =
𝟒𝝅∈𝟎 𝒓
The potential difference between two points is independent of the path through
which it is displaced. But depends only on the initial and final positions.

Electric field is a conservative field, because the work done in moving a charge
from one point to another is independent of the path, but depends on ly on the
initial and final positions, ie the work done by the electrostatic force over a
closed path is zero.
The graph showing the variation of potential and field due to a point charge with
distance.

POTENTIAL AT A POINT DUE TO AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE

Consider an electric dipole consisting of two-point charges +q and -q separated by a

small distance 2a in air. Let us find the potential at appoint P which is at a distance r from the
centre of the dipole O. O is considered as the origin.

P
Since electric potential obeys superposition principle so potential due to
electric dipole as a whole would be sum of potential due to both the
charges +q and -q. Thus

where r1 and r2 respectively are distance of charge +q and -q from point R.

Now draw line PC perpendicular to RO and line QD perpendicular to RO as shown in
figure.
From triangle POC
cosθ= OC/OP=OC/a
therefore OC = a cosθ similarly
OD=acosθ

Now,
r1 = QR≅RD = OR-OD
= r – a cosθ
r2 = PR≅RC = OR+OC
= r +a cosθ
Therefore,

𝑞 1 1
𝑉= (𝑟−𝑎𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑟+𝑎𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)
4𝜋∈0

1 2𝑎𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
= (𝑟 2 −𝑎2 𝑐𝑜𝑠2𝜃 )
4𝜋∈0
since magnitude of dipole moment is

|p| = 2qa

𝟏 𝒑 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽
𝑽= (𝒓𝟐−𝒂𝟐𝒄𝒐𝒔𝟐 𝜽)
𝟒𝝅∈𝟎
For a short dipole
If we consider the case where r>>a then, ie,

𝑝 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑉=
4𝜋𝑟 2

Case 1. A point on the axial line.

For a point l on the axial line of the dipole, (𝜃 = 0)

Therefore, cos θ = cos 0 = 1

Substituting this in the above expression

𝑝
𝑉=
4𝜋 ∈0 𝑟 2

Case 2. A point on the equatorial line.

For a point l on the axial line of the dipole, (𝜃 = 90)

Therefore, cos θ = cos90 = 0

Substituting this in the above expression

V=0

Potential at a point due to two charges

Consider two-point charges q1 and q2 kept in air at A and B respectively. The
electric potential at a point P which is at distances r1 and r2 respectively from A and B
respectively.
1 𝑞1
The potential at P due to the charge q1, V1 =
4𝜋∈0 𝑟1

1 𝑞2
The potential at P due to the charge q2, V2 =
4𝜋∈0 𝑟2
1 𝑞1 1 𝑞2
Therefore, the potential at P, V = V1+ V2 = +
4𝜋∈0 𝑟1 4𝜋∈0 𝑟2

1 𝑞1 𝑞2
V = [ + ]
4𝜋∈0 𝑟1 𝑟2
𝟏 𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐 𝒒𝒏
Therefore potential at appoint due to n charges V = [ + +⋯+ ]
𝟒𝝅∈𝟎 𝒓𝟏 𝒓𝟐 𝒓𝒏
 Equipotential Surface

An equipotential surface is a surface in which the electric potential at all points

on the surface will be the same.

Properties of equipotential surfaces

(1) Electric field lines are perpendicular to the equipotential surface

(2) Work done in moving a charge from one point to another point in an equipotential
surface is zero.
(3) The equipotential surface due to a point charge is concentric spheres and that
due to uniform electric field are planes normal to electric field.

General relation between potential difference and field

A and B are two equipotential surfaces separated by a small distance dl

Let the electric field at ‘P’ is E; then the work done in moving unit +ve charge from ‘P’
through a small distance dl against E is

d𝜔 = E. d𝑖 = -E d𝑙
But, d𝜔 = v+ dv –v = dv = potential difference.
∴ dv = - E d𝑙
𝑑𝑣
𝑜𝑟 E =-
𝑑𝑙
That is, the electric field is the negative gradient of potential

The negative sign shows that electric field is directed from higher potential to lower
potential
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY OF A SYSTEM OF CHRGES
(In the absence of external electric field)

Potential energy of a system of charges is defined as the work done in bringing

them from infinite separation to the present position.

Consider a system of 3 charges q1, q2 and q3 in air. let the position vector
charges are r1, r2 and r3 respectively. Let us consider that these charges are kept
initially at infinite separation. We can find the work done in bringing them from infinite
separation to the present position.
The work done to bring q1 from infinity to its present position is zero, because it
is moved in a charge free region.
W1= 0

The work done to bring q2 from infinity to its present position is

W2 = V1 X q2

1 𝑞1 𝑞2
=
4𝜋∈0 𝑟12

The work done in bringing the charge q3 from infinity to ‘r3’ is

𝑊 3 = q3 (𝑣1 + 𝑣2 )

1 𝑞1 𝑞2
= q3 [ [ + ]
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟13 𝑟23

1 𝑞1 𝑞3 𝑞2 𝑞3
= [ + ]
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟13 𝑟23

∴ Total energy of the system is

𝟏 𝒒 𝒒𝟐 𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟑 𝒒𝟐 𝒒𝟑
= [ 𝒓𝟏 + + ]
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝟎 𝟏𝟐 𝒓𝟏𝟑 𝒓𝟐𝟑
 Potential energy a two charges in an external electric field.

Let us consider two charges q1 and q2 at two points with position vectors ‘r1’ and
‘r2’. Let V1(r1) and V(r2) be the electric potential at r1 and r2 due to the external
electric field, then

∴ The work done in bringing q1 from infinity to r1 is

W1 = q1 V(r1)

The work done in bringing q2 from infinity to r2 is

W2 = q2 V(r2)

The work done in bringing the charge ‘q2’ against the field of q1 is

1 𝑞1 𝑞2
W3 =
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟12

The total work done will be stored as the potential energy of the system as
given by

𝟏 𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐
𝐔= + q1 V(r1) + q2 V(r2)
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝟎 𝒓𝟏𝟐
 Potential energy of a dipole in an external field

dω = 𝜏d 𝜃 = p E Sin𝜃 d𝜃

The work done in rotating the dipole from an angle θ1to θ2 is given by

𝜃
𝜃2 𝑝𝐸𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃𝑑𝜃 = −𝑝𝐸[𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃]𝜃12
𝑊= ∫𝜃
1

= −𝑝𝐸(𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃2 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃1 )

W = p E (𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃2 )

The potential energy of the dipole at an angle θ with electric field can be obtained by
integrating the above equation from 𝜋⁄2 to 𝜃

𝜃
i.e. 𝒰 = ∫𝜋⁄ pESin𝜃d𝜃
2

𝜃
= pE ∫𝜋⁄ Sin𝜃d𝜃
2

= pE [-Cos 𝜃]𝜃𝜋⁄
2

= - pE [Cos 𝜃 – Cos𝜋⁄2]

= -pE (Cos 𝜃 - 0)
 ⃗⃗
⃗ .𝑬
U = -PE Cos 𝜽 or U =−𝒑
Special cases:

𝐔 is max: if 𝜽 = 1800, ie. 𝑼max = PE

𝐔 is zero: if 𝜽 = 900, ie. 𝑼zero = 0

𝑼 is minimum: if 𝜽 = 00, ie. 𝑼mm = -PE

Capacitor and Capacitance

A capacitor is a system consisting of two conductors separated by a an insulator.
Let the charge on the conductor is Q and the potential difference across the m is V.

Then Q α V
Q = C V, where C is the constant of proportionality known as capacitance of the
capacitor.
𝑄
Therefore, C = .
𝑉
The S.I unit of capacitance is C/V but it is called farad(F)
The capacitance depends up on the shape and dimensions of the conductor and the nature
of the medium in between them.
There are different types of capacitors like Parallel plate capacitor, spherical capacitor,
ceramic capacitor, variable capacitor etc.
Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor.
A Parallel Plate Capacitor is formed by two identical parallel conducting plate separated
by a small distance of ‘d. Let A be the area of each plates Q is the charge in the plate and σ is
the surface density of charge and d is the separation between the plates.

+Q A B -Q

------d------
 σ
The electric field in the region between the plates of the capacitor is E =
∈0
The electric field between the plates of the capacitor is uniform.
The potential difference between the plates V= E d
Q σA 𝜎𝐴 ∈ 𝐴
Therefore the capacitance of the capacitor 𝐶 = = = 𝜎 = 0
V Ed 𝑑 𝑑
𝜖0
∈𝟎 𝑨
C=
𝒅

Dielectrics and polarization

Dielectrics are non-conducting polar or non-polar substances. If the centres of

positive and negative charges of a molecule do not coincide, then it is a polar
molecule and otherwise non polar molecule. In the polar molecule there will be a
permanent dipole moment. But the net dipole moment of the substance becomes
zero because of the random orientation of each molecule of the substance.
If a non-polar substance is placed in an external electric field, each molecule will
change into dipoles in the direction of the external field and producing an induced
field in the opposite direction.
If a polar substance is placed in an external electric field, each dipole molecule
will align in the direction of the electric field and producing an internal field in the
opposite direction.
But in both cases, the internal field produced will be less than the external field
and there by the net field become
E = E0 - Ep

The effect of dielectric in a capacitor

When a dielectric is placed in between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor due to
electric polarization, the electric field and hence the potential between the plates is
decreased. Hence the capacitance of the capacitor is increased by dielectric
constant (K) times.
Let us consider a parallel plate capacitor of plate area ‘A’ and separation ‘d’. If the
space between the plates is air, its capacitance is given by,
𝜀0 𝐴
C0 = 𝑑

Let ±Q be the charges and ±𝜎 be the charge densities on the plate. Let and V0 =
E0 d be the electric field and potential in this case.
 When a dielectric slab is introduced between the plates of a capacitor an
electric field is developed inside the dielectric slab in a direction opposite to the
applied field. The electric field so developed is called polarization field Ep. Let
E0 be the applied field. The net electric field inside the dielectric slab E= E0 - Ep.
Here electric field decreases, potential also decreases. So, capacitance
increases.

The potential difference between the plates of the capacitor after introducing the
dielectric slab of thickness t < d is given by

V = E.t + Eo .(d-t)
𝐸0
But 𝐸 = , where K is the dielectric constant of the medium between the plates.
𝐾
𝑄 𝜎𝐴
Therefore, C = =
𝑉 𝐸.𝑡−𝐸0 (𝑑−𝑡)

𝜎𝐴
= 𝐸0
𝑡−𝐸0(𝑑−𝑡)
𝑘

𝜎𝐴
=𝐸
𝑡
0{ −(𝑑−𝑡)}
𝑘
𝜎
But E0 =
𝜖0

∈𝟎 𝐀
Therefore, 𝐂= 𝐭
𝐤
−(𝐝−𝐭)
If the entire region between the plates is filled with dielectric, t = d

𝑲∈𝟎 𝑨
𝑪=
𝒅
 Energy stored in a capacitor
Let us consider a parallel plate capacitors of area A and separation of the plates
as ‘d’ so that the capacitance is

𝜀 𝐴
C = 0𝑑
If a charge ‘q’ is given to the capacitor, its potential is ‘v’ so that
𝑞 𝑞
C= or V=
𝑣 𝐶
Now the work done in giving an additional charge dq to it is

d𝜔 = Vdq
𝑞
i.e. d𝜔 = dq
𝑣

Now the total work done in charge the capacitor from q=0 to q=Q is obtained by
integration as

𝑄𝑞
𝜔 = ∫0 dq
𝑣

1 𝑞2 𝑄
= [ ]
𝐶 2 0

1 𝑄2
=
𝐶 2

𝑄2
=
2𝐶

This work done is stored in the capacitor as electro static potential energy in the
electric field between the plates.
𝑄2 1 1
𝑈= = CV2 = QV
2𝐶 2 2
 Energy density

𝜀0 𝐴
If V = Ed and C=
𝑑

1
Then, U = CV2
2

1 𝜀0 𝐴
= (Ed)2
2 𝑑

1 𝜀0 𝐴𝐸 2 𝑑 2
=
2 𝑑

1
= 𝜀0 𝐸 2 (Ad)
2

∴ The energy density or energy per unit volume of the capacitor is

𝑈 1
𝑈d = = 𝜀0 𝐸 2
𝐴𝑑 2

Combination of capacitors

Capacitors can be connected together in a circuit in two different ways, series

combination and parallel combination

(1) Series combination

Let us consider three capacitors C1, C2 and C3 connected in series with a voltage
source ‘v’ as shown below.
If the Capacitors are connected in Series the same charge ‘Q’ will be reaching to
all the capacitors and the potential ‘V’ is divided into V1, V2 and V3 across C1, C2
and C3 respectively.

∴ V = V1+ V2 + V3 (1)
𝑄 𝑄 𝑄
But, V1= , V2 = and V3 =
𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

𝑄 𝑄 𝑄
∴V= + +
𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

1 1 1
=Q[ + + ] (2)
𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

If these capacitors are replaced by an equivalent capacitance ‘Cs’ such that the
voltage ‘V’ and the charge ‘Q’ remains the same, then

𝑄
V= (3)
𝐶𝑠

From Equation: (2) and (3)

𝑄 1 1 1
= Q[ + + ]
𝐶𝑠 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

1 1 1 1
i.e. = + +
𝐶𝑠 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3
 If n capacitors are connected in series then
1 1 1 1 1
= + + + …………..+
𝐶𝑠 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3 𝐶𝑛

i.e. The reciprocal of the effective capacitance in series combination is equal to

the sum of the reciprocals of the individual capacitances.

If ‘n’ identical capacitors of C each are connected in series, then

𝐶
𝐶𝑠 =
𝑛

(2) Parallel combination

If the capacitors are connected in parallel, the potential difference across

each capacitor will be same and equal to the source voltage, but the charge is
distributed as Q1, Q2 and Q3 so that the charge from the source

Q = Q1+ Q2 + Q3 (1)
But Q1= C1V, Q 2 = C 2V and Q3 = C3V

∴ Q = C 1V + C 2V + C 3V

= (C1 + C2 + C3) V (2)

If these three capacitors are replaced by a single capacitance ‘Cp’ in such

a way that the voltage ‘V’ and the charge ‘Q’ remains the same, then

Q = CpV (3)

From (2) and (3)

CpV = (C1 + C2 + C3) V

i.e. Cp = C1 + C2 + C3

If ‘n’ capacitors are connected in parallel then

Cp = C1 + C2 + C3 + …………………+ Cn

i.e. The effective capacitance in parallel combination is equal to the sum of

the individual capacitances.

If ‘n’ identical capacitors of each ‘c’ are connected in parallel, then

CP = nc