What the syllabus asks you to cover
Electric field and flux density. Significance of divergence, Divergence theorem. Electric potential, potential gradient, Energy density in electrostatic field, Free and bound charges, polarization, relative permittivity, electric dipole, Electric Boundar y conditions. Current, current density, conservation of charge, continuity equation, relaxation time. Boundary value problems, Laplace and Poisson equations and their solutions, uniqueness theorem.
Start here for the core ideas. A dedicated GitBook topic page was not available; this original guide is introductory. Use the syllabus checklist and references below to study the remaining details.
Start with the field
An electric field assigns a force per unit positive test charge to each point. Electric flux density accounts for the material response: in a linear, isotropic medium, . Gauss's law relates outward electric flux to enclosed free charge. Divergence expresses that relationship locally; the divergence theorem connects the local and integral forms.
Connect potential and energy
Electrostatic potential is scalar and . In a charge-free region of uniform permittivity, potential satisfies Laplace's equation; with charge, use Poisson's equation. Boundary conditions and geometry determine the solution. For a linear dielectric, energy density is .
Try it
A uniform field produces a 10 V potential drop over 2 m along the field direction. Its magnitude is 5 V/m. Reversing the displacement changes the sign of the potential change, not the field direction.
Check your understanding
Explain the difference between free and bound charge. Which boundary conditions apply to tangential electric field and normal electric flux density? Next, work through a dielectric-interface problem and a continuity-equation example.
Pause and recall
Without looking back, explain the main idea, recall a key definition or formula, and describe when it applies. Include assumptions and units where relevant. Revisit any step you could not explain.