How does an electric dipole behave in an electric field?
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Similarly one may ask, what is an electric dipole what is its direction?
The electric dipole moment, a vector, is directed along the line from negative charge toward positive charge. Dipole moments tend to point along the direction of the surrounding electric field.
Also, why does a dipole rotate in an electric field? Rotation of a Dipole due to an Electric Field 1, where we denote the distance between the charges as the vector →d, pointing from the negative charge to the positive charge. (a) The net force on the dipole is zero, but the net torque is not. As a result, the dipole rotates, becoming aligned with the external field.
Then, what happens when an electric dipole is placed in uniform electric field?
When an electric dipole is places in a uniform electric field , it experiences no force as the electric force on both the negative and the positive charge are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction so they cancel out. But , it experiences a torque(couple) and hence it rotates.
What is the net torque on the electric dipole?
The electric field will apply a force to +e in the direction of the electric field and a force to -e in the direction opposite the electric field. This will rotate the electric dipole. Recall from Physics 1250 that torque is defined as τ=r×F.