Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Electrostatics: Basis and Applications

In course

EE-536: Physical models for micro and nanosystems

Students will learn simple theoretical models, the theoretical background of finite element modeling as well as its application to modeling charge, mass and heat transport in electronic, fluidic and e

Description

This lecture covers the fundamental concepts of electrostatics, including Coulomb's law, Gauss's law, electric fields, and capacitance. It also delves into the behavior of electric fields in conductors, dielectrics, and the molecular description of dielectrics. The instructor emphasizes the relationship between electric potential, work, and energy in electrostatic systems, as well as the impact of dielectrics on capacitance and electric fields.

Instructor

Andras Kis

2015− Associate professor, EPFL, STI, Institute of Electrical Engineering (IEL) and Materials Science and Engineering Institute (IMX) 2008−2015 Tenure-track assistant professor at EPFL, School of Engineering (STI), Institute of Electrical Engineering (IEL) 2004−2007 Postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, Physics Department in the group of Prof. Zettl 2000−2003 PhD student at EPFL, Faculty of basic sciences, Institute of physics of complex matter, group of Prof. Forró 1994−1999 MS, Physics, University of Zagreb, Croatia 1994 Baccalaureate, MIOC (Mathematical and Informational Educational Center) high school

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Physics

Electromagnetism: Electrodynamics

Related concepts (32)

Electric potential

The electric potential (also called the electric field potential, potential drop, the electrostatic potential) is defined as the amount of work energy needed per unit of electric charge to move this charge from a reference point to the specific point in an electric field. More precisely, it is the energy per unit charge for a test charge that is so small that the disturbance of the field under consideration is negligible.

Electric field

An electric field (sometimes E-field) is the physical field that surrounds electrically charged particles and exerts force on all other charged particles in the field, either attracting or repelling them. It also refers to the physical field for a system of charged particles. Electric fields originate from electric charges and time-varying electric currents. Electric fields and magnetic fields are both manifestations of the electromagnetic field, one of the four fundamental interactions (also called forces) of nature.

Electric displacement field

In physics, the electric displacement field (denoted by D) or electric induction is a vector field that appears in Maxwell's equations. It accounts for the electromagnetic effects of polarization and that of an electric field, combining the two in an auxiliary field. It plays a major role in topics such as the capacitance of a material, as well the response of dielectrics to electric field, and how shapes can change due to electric fields in piezoelectricity or flexoelectricity as well as the creation of voltages and charge transfer due to elastic strains.

Coulomb's law

Coulomb's inverse-square law, or simply Coulomb's law, is an experimental law of physics that calculates the amount of force between two electrically charged particles at rest. This electric force is conventionally called electrostatic force or Coulomb force. Although the law was known earlier, it was first published in 1785 by French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, hence the name. Coulomb's law was essential to the development of the theory of electromagnetism and maybe even its starting point, as it allowed meaningful discussions of the amount of electric charge in a particle.

Electromagnetic field

An electromagnetic field (also EM field or EMF) is a classical (i.e. non-quantum) field produced by moving electric charges. It is the field described by classical electrodynamics (a classical field theory) and is the classical counterpart to the quantized electromagnetic field tensor in quantum electrodynamics (a quantum field theory). The electromagnetic field propagates at the speed of light (in fact, this field can be identified as light) and interacts with charges and currents.

Related lectures (50)

Electrostatics: Basics and Applications

Introduces the basics of electrostatics, covering Coulomb's law, electric fields, capacitance, dielectrics, and more.

Electric Displacement in Dielectrics: Gauss's Law and Boundary Conditions Log in to Mediaspace to watch this video

Introduces the concept of electric displacement vector D and explores boundary conditions in dielectrics.

Electric Fields and Currents Log in to Mediaspace to watch this video

Explores electric fields, energy storage, charge displacement, DC currents, and historical aspects of electricity.

Electric Field of Dipole Moment Log in to Mediaspace to watch this video

Explores the electric field of a dipole moment and the concept of bound charges in a dielectric.

Electric Fields Boundary Conditions: Gauss's Law and Displacement Vector Log in to Mediaspace to watch this video