We get the first two of Maxwell's Equations in this chapter!
Electric field
We begin with Coulomb's law:
\vec{E}(\vec{r}) = \frac{1}{4\pi \epsilon_0} \int \frac{1}{s^2} \hat{s} dq
E(r)=4πϵ01∫s21s^dq where the separation vector
s = \vec{r} - \vec{r'} s=r−r′ . This can be turned into a volume, surface or line integral with dq = \rho \: d\tau = \sigma \: d\vec{a} = \lambda \: d\vec{l} dq=ρdτ=σda=λdl , where \rho, \sigma, \lambda ρ,σ,λ are the corresponding charge densities.This form isn't exactly in the chapter, but we also have the force law
\vec{F} = Q \vec{E} F=QE for electric force, and more generally \vec{F} = Q(\vec{E} + \vec{v} \times \vec{B}) F=Q(E+v×B) to include magnetic force, which will come later.From this we get Maxwell's equations for the divergence and curl of electric fields.
Gauss' law:
\oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{a} = \frac{Q_{enc}}{\epsilon_0} \implies \vec{\nabla} \cdot \vec{E} = \frac{\rho}{\epsilon_0}
∮E⋅da=ϵ0Qenc⟹∇⋅E=ϵ0ρ and the curl of an electric field is always 0:
\oint \vec{E} \: d \vec{l} = 0 \implies \vec{\nabla} \times \vec{E} = \vec{0}
∮Edl=0⟹∇×E=0 Electric potential
The scalar potential
V(\vec{r}) = -\int_O^{\vec{r}} \vec{E} \cdot d \vec{l} V(r)=−∫OrE⋅dl is path independent. Note that \vec{E} = -\vec{\nabla} V \implies \vec{\nabla} ^2 V = -\frac{\rho}{\epsilon_0} E=−∇V⟹∇2V=−ϵ0ρ , and for a region of no charge \vec{\nabla}^2 V = 0 ∇2V=0 Generally for a charge distribution,
V(\vec{r}) = \frac{1}{4 \pi \epsilon_0} \int \frac{1}{s} dq
V(r)=4πϵ01∫s1dq with
same as for Coulomb's law.Work and energy
The energy of a charge distribution can be calculated by the work it takes to bring in each charge. Individually
W = \int_a^b \vec{F} \cdot d\vec{l} = Q[V(b) - V(a)] W=∫abF⋅dl=Q[V(b)−V(a)] ; with a reference point at infinity, W = QV(\vec{r}) W=QV(r) Generally
W = \frac{1}{2} \int \rho V d\tau W=21∫ρVdτ , or over all space, W = \frac{\epsilon_0}{2} \int E^2 d\tau W=2ϵ0∫E2dτ .Conductor
In a conductor, electrons are free to roam. They have the following properties:
\vec{E} = 0 E=0 inside because charges move to induce a field in opposition to whatever field is applied
\rho = 0 ρ=0 inside due to Gauss' law. Then all net charge must be on the surface of the conductor.Also,
must be perpendicular to the surface of the conductor, so from Gauss' law\vec{E} = \frac{\sigma}{\epsilon_0} \hat{n}
E=ϵ0σn^ on the surface. Also,
\sigma = -\epsilon_0 \frac{\partial V}{\partial n} σ=−ϵ0∂n∂V Capacitors
Capacitance is defined as
C = \frac{Q}{V} C=VQ . For parallel plates, C = \frac{A \epsilon_0}{d} C=dAϵ0 for plates of area A with separation from each other d.The work it takes to charge a capacitor up to a potential V is
W = \frac{1}{2} CV^2 W=21CV2 .