Electric Field Created by a Finite Plate

In summary, the electric field created by a finite plate can be analyzed using Gauss's law and the principle of superposition. Unlike an infinite plate, which produces a uniform electric field, a finite plate generates a non-uniform field that varies with distance from the plate. The field strength is strongest near the center of the plate and diminishes at the edges. The calculations involve integrating the contributions of individual charge elements on the plate, taking into account their distance from the observation point. Understanding the electric field behavior of finite plates is crucial in applications such as capacitor design and electrostatics.
  • #1
Heisenberg7
101
18
1720091531511.png

Let's assume that we have a finite plate which is at the center of a cartesian coordinate system. Now let's define a point ##r## with coordinates ##(0, 0, z)##. My question is, can we use Gauss's law to find the electric field at this point? The direction of the electric field is going to be up so all the ##x## and ##y## components will cancel out leaving us with only ##z## components of all the electric fields created by the infinitesimal points on the plane. Now, would it be possible for us to create a gaussian surface like a cylinder and calculate the electric field at the point ##r##?

I've seen a video about this and the guy explaining it uses some pretty advanced calculus to find the electric field at the point r. In the end, he gets this equation: $$\vec{E}(\vec{r}) = \frac {Q}{4\pi\epsilon_oab} \arctan(\frac {ab}{2z \sqrt{a^2+b^2+4z^2}})$$
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
I guess this is a dumb question because there is basically little to no symmetry (only along the z axis is the electric field pointed upwards).
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
629
Replies
1
Views
577
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
3
Views
6K
Replies
30
Views
2K
Back
Top