Electric Fields and Parallel Plate Configurations

Introduction to Parallel Plate Configurations

• Parallel metallic surfaces have important applications in electronics, including cathode ray tubes and capacitors
• Understanding electric fields and potential distributions is crucial for these applications
• Parallel plate configurations are useful for testing principles

Electric Field

• The electric field (\vec{E}) describes the force exerted on a charge by other charges

• It's defined as the force per unit charge (\vec{E} = \frac{\vec{F}}{q})

• Units are Newtons per Coulomb (\frac{N}{C}) or Volts per meter (\frac{V}{m})

• Electric field direction is the direction of fastest potential decrease

• Electric field is perpendicular to equipotential surfaces

• Equation (1.1) defines electric field as the negative change in potential (ΔV) over the change in distance (Δr): E = - \frac{\Delta V}{ \Delta r}

• Electric field lines show the direction of the field and always start on the positive plate and terminate on the negative plate

• Field lines are perpendicular to equipotential surfaces