Question

The electric potential at a point P due to a dipole (at distance r from the centre, at angle θ from the dipole axis) is given by:

Options

• \[V = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{p\cos\theta}{r^2}\]

• \[V = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{p}{r^3}\]

• \[V = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{p}{r}\]

• \[V = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{p\sin\theta}{r}\]

Answer 1

For a point at distance r from the centre of a dipole at angle θ from the dipole axis (where r ≫ a), the electric potential is \[V = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{p\cos\theta}{r^2}\]. This shows that the potential depends on both the dipole moment and the angular orientation, and falls off as 1/r² rather than 1/r for a point charge.