Plotting electric field lines of a dipole

In summary, the conversation discusses the equation for the lines of electric fields of a dipole and its plot in polar coordinates. There is confusion about the correct equation, as well as the effect of time on the electric field lines. The equation given in the original post appears to be for the magnitude of the electric field, but it is not entirely accurate and does not have a time dependency. The correct equation for the electric field includes a constant vector, which is dependent on θ in polar coordinates.
  • #1
silverfox
2
0
I was given this equation as the lines of electric fields of a dipole(two opposite charges separated by a finite distance)
e=(1/r^3)*((3cos^2(theta)-1)^2 +sin^2(2theta))^0.5
and I was asked to plot it.
I guess it must be something like this:
250px-VFPt_dipole_electric.svg.png

but when I try to plot it in wolframalpha.com in polar coords.I don't get the output I expect.
The question is is it the right equation?
 
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  • #2
Hmm, I also graphed it with wolfram, and it appears to not follow the characteristics of a dipole. It more appears to follow the characteristics of the electric field for like charges, rather than unlike.
 
  • #3
Welcome to PF, silverfox! :smile:

I checked what the equation is for an electric dipole and found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipole#Field_from_an_electric_dipole

If I work this out in polar coordinates, I get a slightly different formula than the one you have for what appears to be the magnitude of the electric field.
(You can use that [itex]\mathbf{p} = qd\cos\theta \mathbf{\hat r} - qd\sin\theta \hat{\textbf{θ}}[/itex].)
Can it be that you or someone else made a calculation mistake?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
I worked a bit more on the problem but I couldn't find an equation myself nor could plot the ones you said or I found on wikipedia...
I was told that if E(r, theta) is the first equation I wrote then E(r, theta, t) would be the same thing times sin(wt) but I don't get it, How does time affect the electric field lines?
And I also thought that p is a border between + and - charges in a dipole which is equal to qd and is a constant value am I wrong?
 
  • #5
In the link I gave you can find an equation for E containing only p and r as variables.
If you substitute the p I gave in my post, you get E(r,θ).
The formula you gave in the OP looks like |E(r,θ)|, but it is not quite right.

It does not have a time dependency.
To make it time dependent, you would need to make the 2 charges time dependent.

p is the vector dipole moment, which is constant.
It is given by p=qd, where -q and +q are the charges, and d is the constant vector from the negative charge to the positive charge.

However, a constant vector is dependent on θ in polar coordinates, since the unit vectors change with θ.
 

1. How do I plot the electric field lines of a dipole?

To plot the electric field lines of a dipole, you can use the formula E = kq/r^2, where E is the electric field strength, k is the Coulomb's constant, q is the charge of the dipole, and r is the distance from the dipole. Use this formula to calculate the electric field strength at various points around the dipole and then draw lines in the direction of the electric field at each point.

2. What is the direction of the electric field lines of a dipole?

The electric field lines of a dipole are directed from the positive charge to the negative charge. This means that the electric field lines will go from the north pole of the dipole to the south pole.

3. How does the distance between the charges affect the electric field lines of a dipole?

The electric field lines of a dipole are directly proportional to the charge of the dipole and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the charges. This means that as the distance between the charges increases, the electric field strength decreases and the electric field lines become more spread out.

4. Can the electric field lines of a dipole intersect?

No, the electric field lines of a dipole cannot intersect. This is because the direction of the electric field at any point is determined by the direction of the electric field lines, and if the lines were to intersect, the direction of the field at that point would be undefined.

5. What is the significance of plotting electric field lines of a dipole?

Plotting electric field lines of a dipole allows us to visualize and understand the behavior of the electric field around the dipole. It helps us understand how the electric field strength and direction change as we move away from the dipole, and can also be used to calculate the electric potential and other properties of the dipole.

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