What is electric displacement?
Electric displacement, also known as electric flux density, is a vector quantity in electromagnetism that represents the flow of electric charge in a dielectric material. It is defined as the flow of electric charge per unit area perpendicular to a specified surface. The electric displacement is related to the electric field by the equation:
where D is the electric displacement, E is the electric field, P is the polarization of the material, and ε0 is the vacuum permittivity.
Electric displacement plays a key role in the behavior of dielectric materials in an electric field. It is used to calculate the electric flux through a given surface, and it is used to calculate the electric energy stored in a dielectric material.
Application of electric displacement
Electric displacement has a number of applications in various fields of physics and engineering. Some of the main applications are :- Capacitance: The electric displacement is used to calculate the capacitance of a capacitor, which is a measure of its ability to store electric charge.
- Dielectric Materials: The electric displacement is used to study the behavior of dielectric materials in an electric field. This information is useful in the design and development of a wide range of electrical and electronic devices, including capacitors, transformers, and high-frequency communication systems.
- Electric Flux: The electric displacement is used to calculate the electric flux through a given surface, which is a measure of the amount of electric charge that passes through that surface.
- Electromagnetic Waves: Electric displacement is an important concept in the study of electromagnetic waves, including light and radio waves. It is used to calculate the electric energy stored in a wave and to predict the behavior of electromagnetic waves in various materials.
- Thermodynamics: Electric displacement is used to calculate the heat capacity of dielectric materials, which is important in the design of thermal management systems, especially in electronic devices.
- Biophysics: Electric displacement is used to study the behavior of biological materials, including cells and tissues, in an electric field. This information is important in the study of cellular behavior, including the response of cells to electric fields and the transport of ions across cell membranes.