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Introductory Physics Volume Two

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18 Electric Field 1.5<br />

that we “sum” over all the pieces.<br />

Let us evaluate this integral for the case of the string that we<br />

introduced earlier. First we need to relate dq to dx. The entire length<br />

L of the string has a charge Q so that the charge per length is λ = Q/L.<br />

If the charge is uniformly spread over the string we expect the charge<br />

per length to be the same everywhere so that<br />

dq<br />

dx = Q = λ −→ dq = λdx<br />

L<br />

With this, and the fact that ⃗r s = x s î, we can write<br />

∫<br />

dq ⃗r − ⃗r s<br />

⃗E(⃗r) =<br />

4πɛ 0 |⃗r − ⃗r s | 3<br />

∫ L/2<br />

λdx s ⃗r − x s î<br />

=<br />

−L/2 4πɛ 0 |⃗r − x s î| 3<br />

If we write the field point as ⃗r = xî + yĵ, and then do the integration,<br />

we find that<br />

⎡<br />

⎤<br />

⃗E(x, y) =<br />

λ ⎣<br />

1<br />

1<br />

− √<br />

⎦ î<br />

4πɛ 0<br />

√y 2 + (x − L 2 )2 y 2 + (x + L 2 )2<br />

⎡<br />

⎤<br />

+ λ 1 x −<br />

⎣−<br />

L 2<br />

x + L 2<br />

+ √<br />

⎦ ĵ<br />

4πɛ 0 y<br />

√y 2 + (x − L 2 )2 y 2 + (x + L 2 )2<br />

⊲ Problem 1.4<br />

Suppose that you have a circular hoop of radius R with a net charge<br />

Q spread uniform around the hoop. Compute the electric field at a<br />

distance z along the axis of the hoop?

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