Question

An electric dipole with dipole moment 7 = 2 x 10-ºſ C-m is kept in a region
with electric field 100 N/C î. The magnitude of torque due to electrostatic
force on the dipole is​

Answer 1

Given:

An electric dipole with dipole moment 7 = 2 x 10^(-6) C-m is kept in a region with electric field 100 N/C î.

To find:

Maximum torque on dipole?

Calculation:

General expression for torque on dipole is:

$\tau = PE \sin( \theta)$

• $\theta$ is the angle between the dipole moment vector and the electrostatic field intensity vector.

$\implies \tau_{max} = PE \sin( {90}^{ \circ} )$

$\implies \tau_{max} = PE$

$\implies \tau_{max} = (2 \times {10}^{ - 6} ) \times 100$

$\implies \tau_{max} = 2 \times {10}^{ - 4} \: Nm$

So, maximum torque experience by dipole is 2 × 10^(-4) Nm.