Electric Dipole
An electric dipole is a pair of equal and opposite point charges q and –q, separated by a distance of 2a.
- Direction from –q to q is the direction of the dipole.
- The mid-point of locations of –q and q is called the center of the dipole.
- Total charge of an electric dipole is zero but since the charges are separated by some distance the electric field do not cancel out.
- Dipole moment is the mathematical product of the separation of the ends of a dipole and the magnitude of the charges (2a x q).
- Some molecules like H2O, have permanent dipole moment as their charges do not coincide. These molecules are called polar molecules.
- Permanent dipoles have a dipole moment irrespective of any external Electric field.
