Electric dipoles

Storyboard

When you have two equal charges but opposite sign we speak of a dipole. The field that generates a dipole is characteristic because the lines emerge from one of the charges and end in the other generating a closed pattern.

>Model

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Dipole Moment

Equation

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The di-polar moment depends on the Q charges and the distance d between them, being

$ P = r Q $

where P is the di-polar moment.

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Dipole Potential Energy

Equation

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A dipole generates a potential that at a distance r under the angle \theta has a value

$ V =\displaystyle\frac{1}{4 \pi \epsilon_0 \epsilon }\displaystyle\frac{ P \cos \theta }{ r ^2}$

where P is the di-polar moment.

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Dipole Structure

Image

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The dipole is constituted by two (di) electric charges equal in charge but of opposite sign. Thus they form an electric field with two poles that is a dipole.

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