Engineering Electromagnetics

Lecture 5

Dr.-Ing. Erwin Sitompul

President University
http://zitompul.wordpress.com
2 0 1 3
President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/1
 Engineering Electromagnetics

Chapter 4
Energy and Potential

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/2

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Energy Expended in Moving a Point Charge in an Electric Field

 The electric field intensity was defined as the force on a unit
test charge at that point where we wish to find the value of the
electric field intensity.
 To move the test charge against the electric field, we have to
exert a force equal and opposite in magnitude to that exerted
by the field. ► We must expend energy or do work.
 To move the charge in the direction of the electric field, our
energy expenditure turns out to be negative. ► We do not do
the work, the field does.

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/3

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Energy Expended in Moving a Point Charge in an Electric Field

 Suppose we wish to move a charge Q a distance dL in an
electric field E, the force on Q arising from the electric field is:
FE  Q E

 The component of this force in the direction dL which we must

overcome is:
FEL  FE  a L  Q E  a L

 The force that we apply must be equal and opposite to the force
exerted by the field:
Fappl   Q E  a L

 Differential work done by external source to Q is equal to:

dW   Q E  a L dL   Q E  d L
• If E and L are perpendicular, the
differential work will be zero
President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/4
 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Energy Expended in Moving a Point Charge in an Electric Field

 The work required to move the charge a finite distance is
determined by integration:
fin al
W   in it
dW

final
W  Q  E  dL
init

• The path must be specified beforehand

• The charge is assumed to be at rest at both initial
and final positions

• W > 0 means we expend energy or do work

• W < 0 means the field expends energy or do work

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/5

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

The Line I nt egral

 The integral expression of previous equation is an
example of a line integral, taking the form of
integral along a prescribed path.
 Without using vector notation,
we should have to write:
fin al
W  Q  E L dL
in it

• EL: component of E along dL

 The work involved in moving a charge Q from B to A is

approximately:
W   Q ( E L 1  L1  E L 2  L 2   E L 6  L6 )
W   Q (E1   L 1  E 2   L 2   E 6  L 6 )

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/6

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

The Line I nt egral

 If we assume that the electric field is uniform,
E1  E 2   E6
W  Q E  (L1  L 2   L 6 )
L BA
 Therefore,
W   Q E  L BA (uniform E )

 Since the summation can be interpreted as a line integral, the

exact result for the uniform field can be obtained as:
A
W  Q  E  dL
B
A
W  Q E   dL (u n ifo rm E )
B

W   Q E  L BA (uniform E ) • For the case of uniform E, W

does not depend on the particular
path selected along which the
charge is carried
President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/7
 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

The Line I nt egral

 Example
Given the nonuniform field E = yax + xay +2az, determine the
work expended in carrying 2 C from B(1,0,1) to A(0.8,0.6,1)
along the shorter arc of the circle x2 + y2 = 1, z = 1.

d L  dx a x  dy a y  dz a z • Differential path, rectangularcoordinate

A
W  Q  E  dL
B
A
  Q  ( ya x  xa y  2a z )  ( d xa x  d ya y  d za z )
B
0 .8 0 .6 1
 2 yd x  2  xd y  2  2 d z
1 0 1

• Circle equation: x 2  y 2  1
2
x 1 y
2
y 1 x

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/8

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

The Line I nt egral

0.8 0.6 1
W  2 1  x dx  2  1  y dy  2  2dz
2 2

1 0 1
0.8 0.6
x 2 1 1  y 2 1 1 
 2  1 x  sin x 2 1 y  sin y
2 2 1 2 2 0
  0.962 J 2
u a 1 u

2 2 2 2
a  u du  a u  sin
2 2 a
 Example
Redo the example, but use the straight-line path from B to A.
yA  yB
• Line equation: y  y B  ( x  xB )  y  3 x  3
x A  xB
0.8 0.6 1
W  2 yd x  2  xd y  2  2 d z
1 0 1

0.8 0.6 y
 2 (  3 x  3) dx  2  (1  ) dy  0
1 0 3
  0.962 J

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/9

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Different ial Lengt h

d L  dx a x  dy a y  dz a z Rectangular
d L  d  a    d  a   dz a z Cylindrical
d L  dr a r  rd  a   r sin  d  a  Spherical

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/10

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Work and Pat h Near an I nfinit e Line Charge

L
E  Ea  a
2  0 
d L  d  a    d  a   dz a z

final L
W  Q  a   1d  a 
init 2  0  1
fin al L
 Q  d  a   a
in it 2  0
 0

final L
W  Q  a d a
init 2  0 
b L d 
 Q 
2  0 
a

QL b
  ln
2  0 a
President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/11
 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Definit ion of Pot ent ial Difference and Pot ent ial
 We already find the expression for the work W done by an
external source in moving a charge Q from one point to another
in an electric field E:
final
W  Q  E  dL
init

 Potential difference 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:
fin al
P o ten tial d ifferen ce  V    E  dL
in it

 We shall now set an agreement on the direction of movement.

VAB signifies the potential difference between points A and B
and is the work done in moving the unit charge from B (last
named) to A (first named).

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/12

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Definit ion of Pot ent ial Difference and Pot ent ial
 Potential difference is measured in joules per coulomb (J/C).
However, volt (V) is defined as a more common unit.
 The potential difference between points A and B is:
A
V AB    E  d L V • VAB is positive if work is done in carrying
B the unit positive charge from B to A

 From the line-charge example, we found that the work done in

taking a charge Q from ρ = a t o ρ = b was:
QL b
W   ln
2  0 a
 Or, from ρ = b t o ρ = a,
QL a QL b
W   ln  ln
2  0 b 2  0 a

 Thus, the potential difference between points at ρ = a t o

ρ = b is:
W L b
V ab   ln
Q 2  0 a
President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/13
 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Definit ion of Pot ent ial Difference and Pot ent ial
 For a point charge, we can find the potential difference
between points A and B at radial distance rA and rB, choosing
an origin at Q:
Q
E  Erar  ar
4  0 r
2

d L  dr a r
A
V AB    E  d L
B
rA Q
  dr
4  0 r
rB 2

Q  1 1 
    • rB > rA  VAB > 0, WAB > 0,
4  0  rA rB  Work expended by the
external source (us)
• rB < rA  VAB < 0, WAB < 0,
Work done by the electric
field

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/14

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Definit ion of Pot ent ial Difference and Pot ent ial
 It is often convenient to speak of potential, or absolute
potential, of a point rather than the potential difference
between two points.
 For this purpose, we must first specify the reference point
which we consider to have zero potential.
 The most universal zero reference point is “ground”, which
means the potential of the surface region of the earth.
 Another widely used reference point is “infinity.”
 For cylindrical coordinate, in discussing a coaxial cable, the
outer conductor is selected as the zero reference for potential.

 If the potential at point A is VA and that at B is VB, then:

V AB  V A  V B

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/15

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

The Pot ent ial Field of a Point Charge

 In previous section we found an expression for the potential
difference between two points located at r = rA and r = rB in the
field of a point charge Q placed at the origin:
Q  1 1 
V AB      V A  VB
4  0  rA rB 
rA
V AB    E r dr
rB

 Any initial and final values of θ or Φ will not affect the answer.
As long as the radial distance between rA and rB is constant,
any complicated path between two points will not change the
results.
 This is because although dL has r, θ, and Φ components, the
electric field E only has the radial r component.
President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/16
 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

The Pot ent ial Field of a Point Charge

 The potential difference between two points in the field of a
point charge depends only on the distance of each point from
the charge.
 Thus, the simplest way to define a zero reference for potential
in this case is to let V = 0 at infinity.
 As the point r = rB recedes to infinity, the potential at rA
becomes:
V AB  V A  V B
Q 1 Q 1
V AB  
4  0 rA 4  0 rB
Q 1 Q 1
V AB  
4  0 rA 4 0 

Q 1
V AB   VA
4  0 rA

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/17

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

The Pot ent ial Field of a Point Charge

 Generally,
Q
V 
4  0 r

 Physically, Q/4πε0r joules of work must be done in carrying

1 coulomb charge from infinity to any point in a distance of r
meters from the charge Q.

 We can also choose any point as a zero reference:

Q
V   C1
4  0 r

with C1 may be selected so that V = 0 at any desired value of r.

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/18

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Equipot ent ial Surface

 Equipotential surface is a surface composed of all those points
having the same value of potential.
 No work is involved in moving a charge around on an
equipotential surface.

 The equipotential surfaces in the potential field of a point

charge are spheres centered at the point charge.
 The equipotential surfaces in the potential field of a line charge
are cylindrical surfaces axed at the line charge.
 The equipotential surfaces in the potential field of a sheet of
charge are surfaces parallel with the sheet of charge.

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/19

 Chapter 4 Energy and Potential

Homework 5
 D4.2.
 D4.3.
 D4.4.
 D4.5.

 All homework problems from Hayt and Buck, 7th Edition.

 Due: Monday, 13 May 2013.

President University Erwin Sitompul EEM 5/20