Electric Dipole
Electric Dipole: Overview
This topic covers concepts, such as Electric Dipole, Electric Dipole Moment, Electric Field Due to Dipole at Axial Point, Electric Field Due Dipole at Equatorial Point, Electric Field Due Dipole at General Point, etc.
Important Questions on Electric Dipole
Which orientation of an electric dipole(p) in a uniform electric field(E) would correspond to stable equilibrium?

Two point charges 4Q,Q are separated by 1 m in air at what point on the line joining the charges is the electric field intensity zero?
Also calculate the electrostatic potential energy of the system of charges, taking the value of charge, C.

An electric dipole of length having charges , placed at with respect to a uniform electric field experiences a torque of magnitude . The magnitude of the electric field is

Electric charges are placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle of side . The magnitude of electric dipole moment of the system is

An electric dipole of moment p is placed in an electric field of intensity E. The dipole acquires a position such that the axis of the dipole makes an angle with the direction of the field. Assuming that the potential energy of the dipole to be zero when , the torque and the potential energy of the dipole will respectively be


An electric field is kept in non-uniform electric field. It generally experiences:

An electric dipole of dipole moment is placed in an electric field . The torque exerted by the field on the dipole is-

If the force acting on a point charge kept on the axis of an electric dipole is . What will be the amount of the force if the distance of the point charge is doubled from the dipole?

What is the dimension of the dipole moment?

Assertion (A): An electric dipole is placed in a uniform electric field. Its equilibrium will be stable when the dipole is set along the direction of the electric field.
Reason (R): In stable equilibrium energy of dipole should be the least possible.

Assertion (A): An electric dipole is placed in a uniform electric field. Its equilibrium will be stable when the dipole is set along the direction of the electric field.
Reason (R): In stable equilibrium energy of dipole should be the least possible.

For unstable equilibrium, basic two conditions are (what should be angle between and )

When electric dipole is kept in uniform electric field such that torque is zero and potential energy is maximum then equilibrium is

If an electric dipole is placed in a uniform electric field ______ will act on the dipole.

A dipole is said to be in stable equilibrium when angle between electric field and dipole moment is:

A molecule of a substance has a permanent electric dipole moment equal to . A mole of this substance is polarised (at low temperature) by applying a strong electrostatic field of magnitude . The direction of the field is suddenly changed by an angle of . Estimate the heat released by the substance in aligning its dipoles along the new direction of the field. For simplicity, assume polarisation to the sample.

If an electric dipole is placed in a uniform electric field, it experiences:

What is the unit of electric dipole moment?

Electric field due to the electric dipole at the equatorial plane is given as:
