Problem on electric field due to dipoles

In summary, the figure in the attachment shows a square with black dots representing charges of either -q or +q. A line is drawn from the center of the square to point P at a distance x, with the side of the square being 2a. By using the binomial expansion and considering x >> a, it can be shown that the electric field at P is 3 (2qa^2) / 2 pi epsilon0 x^4.
  • #1
stunner5000pt
1,461
2
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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  • #2
nee some help here I'm not sure on how to proceed in this

no replies... still trying by myself but to no avail
 
  • #3
for x >> a , you can use binomial expansion.
 
  • #4
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?
 
  • #5
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.
 

1. What is a dipole and how does it contribute to the electric field?

A dipole is a pair of equal and opposite charges that are separated by a distance. This separation creates an electric dipole moment, which is the measure of the strength of the dipole. The electric field due to a dipole is a combination of the individual electric fields of the two charges, resulting in a net electric field that points from the positive to the negative charge.

2. How is the electric field calculated for a dipole?

The electric field at a point due to a dipole can be calculated using the formula E = (1/4πε0) * [2p/r3 - (p•r)/r5] * r, where p is the electric dipole moment, r is the distance from the center of the dipole to the point, and ε0 is the permittivity of free space.

3. Can the electric field due to a dipole be zero at any point?

Yes, the electric field due to a dipole can be zero at points along the perpendicular bisector of the dipole, as well as at points along the line connecting the two charges at a distance equal to the dipole length. At these points, the electric fields of the two charges cancel each other out, resulting in a net electric field of zero.

4. How does the electric field due to a dipole change with distance?

The electric field due to a dipole follows an inverse cube law, meaning that it decreases with the cube of the distance from the dipole. This means that the electric field is strongest closer to the dipole and weaker further away.

5. What are some real-world applications of dipoles and their electric field?

Dipoles and their electric field have various applications in everyday life, such as in electronic devices like capacitors and antennas. They are also utilized in medical imaging techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and in particle accelerators. In chemistry, dipole moments are used to measure the polarity of molecules, which is important in understanding the behavior of chemicals in reactions.

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