Calculating Electric
Field
Contrary to popular
belief, sharks are not
attracted by blood in
their pursuit for
food.
2
Sharks possess
“ampullae of
Lorenzini,” which
contains
electroreceptor cells
that enable them to
detect the electric
fields produced by
their prey.
3
These tube-jellies under their skin are
considered by most as one of the most
evolved biological mechanisms known to
man.
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What are the different ways
to calculate electric field?
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
● The electric field is a vector that follows the
direction of the electric force on a test charge at
that location.
● It carries the SI unit N/C.
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
● The electric field’s vector value is dependent only
on the locations and values of the external
charges.
● This is supported by Coulomb’s Law.
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A test charge is a charge
considered to be infinitesimally small
that it approaches zero. It is
assumed that it does not exert any
force on the other charges on the
electric field.
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Electric Field of a Single Point Charge
Since the electric field is considered as a vector, it
can be expressed using the following equation:
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Electric Field at a Point between Two Charges
If the electric field E at point r is due to more than one
point charge, the total electric field is the summation
of individual fields.
Superposition Principle
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Electric Field at a Point between Two Charges
Therefore, the total electric field can be solved as
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How can you calculate the
electric field due to a single
point charge?
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Two-Dimensional Electric Fields
If two charges q1 and q2 are present in a Cartesian
plane, determine the magnitude of the electric field
produced by each of the charges, then add their
components.
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Two-Dimensional Electric Fields
To determine the direction of the electric field:
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Two-Dimensional Electric Fields
To determine the direction of the electric field:
● designate the positive directions as heading either
to the right (positive x-direction) or upward
(positive y-direction).
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Two-Dimensional Electric Fields
To determine the direction of the electric field:
● designate the positive directions as heading either
to the right (positive x-direction) or upward
(positive y-direction).
● The negative ones are those heading either to the
left (negative x-direction) or downward (negative
y-direction).
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Two-Dimensional Electric Fields
The magnitude of the resultant force can be solved
with the Pythagorean theorem.
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Coulomb’s Law and the Electric Field
Two-Dimensional Electric Fields
Moreover, the angle θR can be solved using
trigonometry:
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Remember that by definition, cosθ =
adjacent/hypotenuse. In determining
the x- and y-components of the
electric field, it is crucial to first
determine the location of the x-
component to the angle θ.
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If either the x- or y-component is
adjacent to this angle, use the
cosine function. On the contrary, if
the x- or y-component is opposite
the angle θ, use the sine function.
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How are electric fields
calculated for charges in
one and in two dimensions?
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A distance of 11.16 cm separates two point
charges, q1, which has a charge of ‒33.13 μC
and q2, which has a charge of 44.15 μC.
Identify the field’s magnitude at point A
between the two charges, if A is 3.30 cm away
from the negative charge.
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A distance of 11.16 cm separates two point
charges, q1, which has a charge of ‒33.13 μC
and q2, which has a charge of 44.15 μC.
Identify the field’s magnitude at point A
between the two charges, if A is 3.30 cm away
from the negative charge.
The electric field is equal to 3.38 ✕ 108 N/C.
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Two point charges, q1, which has a
charge of ‒76.11 μC and q2 , which
has a charge of 13.33 μC, are
separated by a distance of 24.67
cm. Identify the field’s magnitude
at point A between the two
charges if A is 10.39 cm away from
the negative charge.
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What will be the charge of q1 if an 18-μC point
charge is separated from it by a distance of
66.19 cm? Assume that the electric field
between the two charges at point A 21-cm
away eastward of q1 is equal to 4.67 ✕ 108 N/C.
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What will be the charge of q1 if an 18-μC point
charge is separated from it by a distance of
66.19 cm? Assume that the electric field
between the two charges at point A 21-cm
away eastward of q1 is equal to 4.67 ✕ 108 N/C.
The charge of q1 is equal to 2.28 ✕ 10-3 C.
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What will be the charge of q1 if an
11.90 μC point charge is separated
from it by a distance of 79.10 cm?
Assume that the electric field at
Point A 34.66-cm away to the right
of q1 is equal to 32.90 ✕ 108 N/C.
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Two charges with Point A at their origin form a
right triangle, as shown in the figure on the
next slide. Their corresponding charges are q1
= 10 μC and q2 = ‒20 μC. The distance
between q1 and point A is 46 mm and the
distance between q2 and point A is 14 mm.
Determine the resulting magnitude and
direction of the electric field at point A from
the two charges.
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Determine the resulting magnitude and
direction of the electric field at point A from
the two charges.
The magnitude of the electric field at point A
from the two charges is equal to 9.19 ✕ 108 N/C
at an angle of 89.3° with respect to the
horizontal.
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Two charges with Point A at their
origin form a right triangle. Their
corresponding charges are q1 =
34.33 μC and q2 = ‒45.78 μC. The
distance between q1 and point A is
12 cm and the distance between q2
and point A is 10.11 cm. Determine
the resulting magnitude and
direction of the electric field at
point A from the two charges. 31
Identify whether each statement is true or
false.
1. A test charge is a charge that exerts force on the
other charges on the field.
2. The cosine function of an arbitrary angle θ can be
determined by the ratio of the hypotenuse of a
triangle to its adjacent side.
3. Rightward and upward are considered negative
directions. 32
Analyze the problem below and answer the
questions that follow.
Two positive charges q1 and q2, both of equal charge,
2.5 μC, are separated at a distance 2 meters.
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Two positive charges q1 and q2, both of equal
charge, 2.5 μC, are separated at a distance 2
1. Draw the electric meters.
field diagram containing all the
given variables and their respective values.
2. Determine the values of r1 and r2.
3. Determine the value of E1.
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● Coulomb’s Law proves that when a test
charge q0 is found at a given location, r, and a
system of external charges act to exert a
force, F, on this test charge, the electric
field at r is equivalent to the amount of
force per unit charge.
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● The electric field is expressed through the SI
unit newton per coulomb, N/C.
● A test charge is a charge so small that it
does not exert any force on the other charges
on the electric field.
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Concept Formula Description
Use this equation to
Electric Field
determine the electric
field with respect to the
where
electric force exerted on
● E is the electric
a tiny test charge.
field;
● F is the
electrostatic force,
and
● q0 is the test
charge.
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Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Electric Field of
determine the
a Single Point
electric field of a
Charge where
single point
● E is the electric field;
charge.
● k is the value of Coulomb’s
constant, or 9 ✕ 109 Nm2/C2;
● r is the distance of the
electric field from the charge
q, and
● is the unit vector that
points in the direction of r .
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Concept Formula Description
Use this equation to
The
calculate the
Superpositio
where electric field
n Principle
● E is the electric field; between two
● k is the value of Coulomb’s charges.
constant, or 9 ✕ 109 Nm2/C2;
● q1 and q2 are the charges;
● r1 is the distance of q2 from
the field, and
● r2 is the distance of q1 from
the field.
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Concept Formula Description
Use this formula
Two-
when two charges
Dimensional
where are found along
Electric Field
● ER is the total electric the x- and y-axes,
field; respectively.
● Ex is the electric field
along the x-axis, and
● Ey is the electric field
along the y-axis.
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