MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Department of Physics: 8.02

Electric Field from a Uniformly Charged Disk Solutions

A disc of radius R is uniformly charged with total charge Q. Find the direction and
magnitude of the electric field at the point P lying a distance x from the center of the disc
along the axis of symmetry of the disc.


Step 1: Draw Picture


Step 2: Think
By symmetry the field at point P is going to be along the x-axis (to the right if the disk is
positively charged). Also by symmetry, every point on a ring of radius r will be the same
distance from P so we will build up the disk from a series of rings.

Step 3: Label the picture entirely


Step 4: Set up the basic equations: (2 ) dq dA rdr ! ! " = = ,
3 x e
dq
dE dE k x
d
= = ,
2 2
d x r = + . Notice that I am careful in labeling dE and write it in terms of the correct
variable, d, rather than in terms of the more typical r. This is a very common mistake.
ALSO make sure that you use dE for a ring, NOT a point charge

Step 5: Substitute and integrate (recalling all I care about is the x component)

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Department of Physics: 8.02

( ) ( )
( )
( )
3 3
2 2
2 2
2 2
3 1
2 2
1
2
2 2
1
2
3
2 2 2 2
0 0
1
2 2
2
2 2
(2 ) 2
1 1
2
2 1
R R
x x e e e
r r
x R
x R
e
e e
x u x
e
dq rdr rdr
E dE k x k x k x
d
x r x r
k x
k x u du u k x
x
x R
x
k
x R
! "
" !
" !
" ! " !
" !
# #
= =
+
+
=
= = = =
+ +
$ %
& '
= = = #
& '
#
& '
+
( )
$ %
& '
= #
& '
& '
+
( )
* * * *
*

So,



Either version is fine, its just a different way of writing the constant. You should also
check the limits: for R!0 (but keep Q constant!) it should go to a point charge. For
R!! (infinite plane) it should be a constant.