A "pure" dipoleρis situated at the origin, pointing in thezdirection.

(a) What is the force on a point charge q at (a,0,0)(Cartesian coordinates)?

(b) What is the force on q at (0,0,a)?

(c) How much work does it take to move q from(a,0,0)to (0,0,a)?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer

  1. The force is F1=-qp4πε0a3z.

  2. Force is F2=2pq4πε0a3z.

  3. The work done is W=ρq4πε0a2.

Step by step solution

01

Define functions

Write the expression for the electric filed due to dipole.

Edipole(r,θ)=P4πε0r3(2cosθ^r+sinθ^θ) …….. (1)

Here, ρis the dipole moment, r is the distance and r and θare the spherical co-ordinates.

Write the expression of the electric force in terms of the charge and electric filed.

role="math" localid="1655730438252" F=qE …… (2)

Here, F is the force, q is the charge and E is the electric field.

02

Determine (a)

a)

The dipole is facing along z-direction.

From equation (1),

r=aθ=π2ϕ=0

Write the expression for the force on the charge q.

F1qEdipole …… (3)

Substitute P4πε0r32cosθ^r+sinθ^θfor localid="1655730630645" Edipolner,θ in equation (3).

F1=qP4πε0r32cosθ^r+sinθ^θ …… (4)

Substitute afor rand π2for θin equation (4)

F1=qρ4πε0a32cosπ2r+sinπ2θ=qρ4πε0a3sinπ2θ

Simplify the above equation,

F1-qρ4πε0a3θ

As the dipole ρis pointing in the z-direction, so the electric force,

F1-qρ4πε0a3θ

Therefore, the force F1-qρ4πε0a3θ.

03

Determine the force on q at (0,0,a)

b)

From the equation (1), the electric field due to dipole at 0,0,a.

r=aθ=0ϕ=0

Then,

Write the expression for the force F2on the charge q.

F2=qP4πε0r32cosθ^r+sinθ^θ ……. (5)

Substituteafor rand 0°for θin equation (5).

F2=qP4πε0r32cos0°r+sin0°θ=qρ4πε0a32cos0°r

As the dipole ρis pointing in the z-direction, so the electric force,

F2=2ρq4πε0a3z

Thus, force F2=2ρq4πε0a3z.

04

4: Determine the work done to move q from (a,0,0) to (0,0,a)

c)

Write the expression for potential due to dipole.

Vr,θ=ρcosθ4πε0a2 ……. (6)

Write the expression for the potential V1 at (0, 0, a) due to dipole.

v2=ρcos04πε0a2=ρ4πε0a2

Write the expression for the potential v2at a,0,0due to dipole.

V2=ρcos04πε0a=ρπε0a2

Now, calculate work done in moving charge from 0,0,ato a,0,0.

Therefore,

Write the expression for the work done.

W=V2-V1q ……. (7)

Substitute 0 for V1and ρ4πε0a2for V2in equation (7).

W=ρ4πε0a2-0q=ρq4πε0a2

Therefore, the work done is =ρq4πε0a2.

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