Electric Field Analysis

9

Method of Images

ABSTRACT There are many electric field problems involving one or more types of charges in the presence of conducting surfaces with specific boundary conditions, which are difficult to satisfy, if the governing field equation such as Poisson’s or Laplace’s equations is to be solved directly. Very often these problems do not exhibit any symmetry. However, sometimes the placement of additional fictitious charges of appropriate magnitude at suitable locations does provide a solution to such problems depending on the geometry of the equipotential conducting surfaces. These fictitious charges are called image charges and the electric field distribution can then be determined in the region excluding that occupied by the image charges ...