Dipoles in physics are either magnetic or electric, both having two poles. The dipole field is the sum of electric or magnetic fields at any point. The Earth’s magnetic field is a dipole field, while a hydrogen atom and water molecule are electric dipoles. The dipole field is the total electric or magnetic field at any point. The Earth’s magnetic field is represented by a dipole field with magnetic field lines extending from the South to the North Pole.
In physics, there are two main types of dipoles, a magnetic dipole and an electric dipole. Conceptually they are similar in that the term dipole means “to have two poles”. A dipole field is the sum of the electric fields resulting from the dipole at any point in an area, regardless of whether it is an electric dipole or a magnetic dipole. The earth’s magnetic field can be represented by a dipole field.
Electric dipoles are any set of equal and opposite charges, a positive side and a negative side. A hydrogen atom is a dipole as it has a positively charged proton and a negatively charged electron. However, a water molecule is also a dipole because the electrons are more attracted to the oxygen atom than the two stable hydrogen atoms.
The dipole field surrounding an electric dipole is the total electric field consisting of the electric force due to the two charges within the dipole acting on a positive test charge at each point in the area. This electric field is the force on that positive test charge divided by the magnitude of the charge, and is in the direction of the force. This can easily be seen by drawing arrows to represent the magnitude of the electromagnetic force at each point and then drawing field lines parallel to the direction of the force from one charge to another. The magnitude and direction of the sum of these forces is the dipole field.
A magnetic dipole is essentially a bar magnet and has two different poles, north and south. The dipole field according to a magnetic dipole is the total magnetic field made up of the magnetic forces at each point in the area. All magnets are dipoles in nature. One of the four electromagnetic equations developed by James Maxwell states that there is no magnetic monopoly.
In geophysics, the Earth’s magnetic field can be represented as a dipole field with magnetic field lines extending from the geographic South Pole to the geographic North Pole. The strength of the dipole field is greatest when the field lines are closest to each other, such as at the north and south poles, and weakens as the field lines move apart. A line drawn through the center of the dipolar field, at the Earth’s equator, represents the equatorial plane and is perpendicular to the magnetic field lines.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
