Problem on electric field due to dipoles

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the electric field at point P due to a dipole arrangement represented by charges at the corners of a square. The initial expressions for the electric field from the closer and more distant dipoles are derived, but the user struggles to simplify these to reach the desired formula for x >> a. Suggestions include using binomial expansion to simplify the terms, as higher-order terms become negligible when x is much larger than a. The user expresses uncertainty about how to apply the binomial expansion effectively to achieve the compact form needed for the solution. Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the importance of approximations in physics calculations for simplifying complex expressions.
stunner5000pt
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look at the figure in the attachment

The black dots at the ends of the square in the figure represent charges -q or +q and they are denoted + or - by the symbol next to the them.
Now that line is drawn from the centre of the square to point P and is distance x
The side of the square is 2a

Show that Electric Field at P for x >> a is 3 (2qa^2) / 2 pi epsilon0 x^4

so far i came up with this

for the dipole closer to P the expression would be

E = (1/4 pi epsilon) 2qa/ [(x-a)^2 +(2a/2)^2]^3/2

and after a lot of algebra i get

E = (qa / 2 pi epsilon ) * 1 / [ x^2 + 2xa + 2a^2]^3/2

for the first closer dipole

for the more distant dipole i get E = - (1/4 pi epsilon) 2qa / [ (x+a)^2 + a^2 ] ^3/2

more algebra i get E = - (qa / 2 pi epsilon ) * 1 / [x^2 + 2xa + 2a^2]^3/2

but it is after this point that i am stuck completely

how do i get to the expression that is needed??

please please help!
 

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nee some help here I'm not sure on how to proceed in this

no replies... still trying by myself but to no avail
 
for x >> a , you can use binomial expansion.
 
photon_mass said:
for x >> a , you can use binomial expansion.

how would hte binomial expansion give me 3 (2qa) blah blah

i'm not quite sure how to use the binomial expansion but wouldn't that be a little long expression... would it compress to form somethign nice and compact which si needed?
 
binomial expansion of (x+a)^n = x[1 (a/x)]^n =x[ 1 + n(a/x) + [n(n-1)/2!](a/x)^2 + ... ]
it will compress because x >> a, so the higher order terms go to zero.
a/x = small ; (a/x)^2 = small times small= very small = << 1.
 
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