Materials

„ Materials made up of normal matter (atoms, molecules,

etc.) have some amazing electromagnetic properties!
„ Simplest kinds of electromagnetic properties:
„conductor (of electricity)
„partial conductor/insulator
„non-conductor insulator

„ Why materials conduct vs. do not conduct electricity

depends on microscopic (i.e. quantum) structure of
materials & temperature (i.e. thermal/internal energy).

EM-2.5-1
 CONDUCTORS

„ "normal" good conductors of electricity:

– metals - gold, platinum, silver, copper...
– Have finite DC resistance, R = V/I (Ohm’s Law) @ finite
temperatures, T > 0 K

„ "superconductors“
– low temperature SC's such as lead ( Tc~4K) indium, niobium, .....
– Hi- TC SCs (e.g. Tc~77K): BSCO, YBCO .....
– DC resistance vanishes below Tc (critical temp)

„ An perfect conductor is a (hypothetical) material that

would have an unlimited number of completely free
electrons/free charges. No such things truly exist in
nature, but ∃ many materials which do come
(amazingly) close to an ideal/perfect conductor.
EM-2.5-2
„ INSULATORS:
– e.g. plastics, teflon, glass, rubber ….
„ PARTIAL CONDUCTORS:
– e.g. doped plastics, semi-conductors (germanium, silicon,
graphite….)
„ IONIC LIQUIDS:
– e.g. salt water – can also conduct electricity
– Acidic solutions – ions transport electrical charges – not
electrons

EM-2.5-3
 Properties of a conductor

1. ENET(r) =0 inside a conductor

2. The volume free charge density = 0 inside a conductor
3. Any induced charges on a conductor can ONLY reside
on surface(s) of the conductor– as surface charge
distributions
4. The entire volume & surface of a conductor is an
equipotential
5. Just outside the surface of a conductor, E(r) is
perpendicular/normal to the surface

EM-2.5-4
EM-2.5-5
EM-2.5-6
EM-2.5-7
EM-2.5-8
EM-2.5-9
EM-2.5-10
EM-2.5-11
Example

EM-2.5-12
Example (conti.)

EM-2.5-13
Example (conti.)

EM-2.5-14
 Obtain free charge from V or E
„ We have derived, using Gauss’ Law:

or

„ From Griffiths Eqn’s 2.34-2.37, p. 89-90:

„ or
EM-2.5-15
 FORCE & PRESSURE ON A CONDUCTOR

„ Edge on view

EM-2.5-16
 FORCE & PRESSURE ON A CONDUCTOR (conti.)
„ We have discussed that
1. A surface charge has a net E ┴ to surfaces both sides.
2. E=0 inside a conductor.
„ What happens?

„ Consider the patch removed

EM-2.5-17
 FORCE & PRESSURE ON A CONDUCTOR (conti.)

„ What is the force/pressure acting on the patch?

„ sum up all the “patches” associated with the conducting

surface

„ Pressure=force/area

EM-2.5-18
 CAPACITORS
„ A capacitor is a device that enables the storage of electric
charge, Q.
„ Since there are electric fields associated with electric
charge, a capacitor is also a device that enables the
storage (long and/or short term) of electrical energy.

EM-2.5-19
CAPACITORS (conti.)

EM-2.5-20
 CAPACITORS (conti.)

„ Using Gauss’ Law on the upper plate

EM-2.5-21
 EXAMPLE 2.11

„ Find the capacitance, C of two concentric spherical

metal shells, with radii a & b, b > a.

EM-2.5-22
 Work done in charging up a capacitor

„ Charging an initially uncharged capacitor means

individually removing electrons from the upper plate of
the parallel-plate capacitor (inner sphere of concentric
spherical capacitor) and transporting them to the lower
plate of the parallel-plate capacitor (outer sphere of
concentric spherical capacitor), respectively.

EM-2.5-23