Method of images: electric dipole and infinite plane

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the method of images in electrostatics, specifically regarding the behavior of electric dipoles near an infinite conducting plane. When a charge q is placed at a distance d from the plane, the image charge is -q, satisfying the boundary condition of V=0 at the plane and V=0 at infinity. For a dipole, the image is a reversed dipole at the same distance, maintaining the orientation due to the requirement that the parallel component of the electric field (E) must sum to zero at the surface of the conductor. The potential condition of V=0 is a convention that applies differently in the context of a conducting volume versus a surface.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Laplace's equation in electrostatics
  • Familiarity with the method of images in electrostatics
  • Knowledge of electric dipoles and their behavior in electric fields
  • Concept of boundary conditions in electrostatics, particularly for conductors
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  • Study the method of images in electrostatics with a focus on dipoles and conductors
  • Explore the implications of boundary conditions in electrostatics, especially for conducting surfaces
  • Learn about the uniqueness theorem in electrostatics and its applications
  • Investigate the behavior of electric fields at the interface of different dielectric materials
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Students and professionals in physics, particularly those specializing in electromagnetism, as well as engineers working with electrostatic applications and boundary value problems.

RaamGeneral
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Hello, a dubt arose while doing some exercise.
If I have a charge q at a distance d from the above-mentioned plane, i can find the solution to the laplace equations (thanks to the uniqueness theorems) finding a collection of image charges that satisfies the boundary conditions.
These conditions are V=0 (or V=constant?) on the plane and V=0 at infinity.
I find that the image charge is -q at distance d on the other side.

If I have a dipole the solution is a reversed, "specular" dipole on the other side at the same distance again (thanks to the superposition principle, right? I treat each single charge of the dipole like in the first example mentioned).

Now I found an exercise in which there was a conducting semispace and the dipole orthogonal to the its surface at distance d.

I saw in the solution that I don't apply the potential 0 at the surface but the parallel component of E must sum to zero. So the image dipole has the same orientation of the real one.

Why this? I know the "parallel component of E" condition has to be applyed when studying the electic field in the boundary of two dielectics (and a conductor is a dielectric with infinite permittivity) so it makes sense. But why the potential condition doesn't hold here?
Is it in fact because this is a region of space conductor and not a surface?
Why again?
Can you explain please?

Thank you and sorry for the length.
 
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The condition of parallel E-field being zero, in both cases makes sense, because the conductor is a equipotential surface.
Therefore the condition of setting V=0 inside the conducting surface / volume is just a convention.

I don't know why the solution claimed that. In fact it should not make a difference whether you use conducting surface or a semispace, because the influenced charge is just on the surface.
 

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