Dipole Moment in Physics

Study Notes

Definition: A dipole moment is a measure of the separation of positive and negative electric charges in a system.
Formula: p = q × d, where p is the dipole moment, q is the magnitude of the charge, and d is the distance between the charges.
Unit: Debye (D) or coulomb-meter (C·m)
Characteristics:
- A dipole has a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other end.
- The dipole moment is a vector quantity, pointing from the negative charge to the positive charge.

Definition: Electric field lines are imaginary lines that emerge from positive charges and enter negative charges.
Characteristics:
- Electric field lines are continuous and unbroken.
- They emerge from positive charges and enter negative charges.
- Field lines are denser where the electric field is stronger.
- Electric field lines can be used to visualize the direction and strength of the electric field.
Behavior around a dipole:
- Field lines emerge from the positive charge and enter the negative charge.
- The field lines are denser near the charges and less dense farther away.

Torque (τ) on a dipole in an electric field (E):
- Formula: τ = p × E
- Unit: newton-meter (N·m)
Characteristics:
- The torque on a dipole is maximum when the dipole is perpendicular to the electric field.
- The torque is zero when the dipole is parallel or antiparallel to the electric field.
Rotation of a dipole in an electric field:
- The dipole will rotate to align itself with the electric field, minimizing its potential energy.
- The direction of rotation is determined by the right-hand rule.

A dipole moment is a measure of the separation of positive and negative electric charges in a system.
The formula to calculate the dipole moment is p = q × d, where p is the dipole moment, q is the magnitude of the charge, and d is the distance between the charges.
The unit of dipole moment is Debye (D) or coulomb-meter (C·m).

A dipole has a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other end.
The dipole moment is a vector quantity, pointing from the negative charge to the positive charge.

Electric field lines are imaginary lines that emerge from positive charges and enter negative charges.
Electric field lines are continuous and unbroken.
They emerge from positive charges and enter negative charges.
Field lines are denser where the electric field is stronger.
Electric field lines can be used to visualize the direction and strength of the electric field.

The torque (τ) on a dipole in an electric field (E) is calculated by the formula τ = p × E.
The unit of torque is newton-meter (N·m).
The torque on a dipole is maximum when the dipole is perpendicular to the electric field.
The torque is zero when the dipole is parallel or antiparallel to the electric field.
The dipole will rotate to align itself with the electric field, minimizing its potential energy.
The direction of rotation is determined by the right-hand rule.