The electric potential at a point $(x, y, z)$ is given by $V=-x^2 y-x z^3+4$ The electric field $\vec{E}$ at…

The electric potential at a point $(x, y, z)$ is given by $V=-x^2 y-x z^3+4$ The electric field $\vec{E}$ at that point is
  1. $\vec{E}=\hat{i}\left(2 x y+z^3\right)+\hat{j} x^2+\hat{k} 3 x z^2$
  2. $\vec{E}=\hat{i} 2 x y+\hat{j}\left(x^2+y^2\right)+\hat{k}\left(3 x z-y^2\right)$
  3. $\vec{E}=\hat{i} z^3+\hat{j} x y z+\hat{k} z^2$
  4. $\vec{E}=\hat{i}\left(2 x y-z^3\right)+\hat{j} x y^2+\hat{k} z^2 x$

Solution

Key Idea Electric field at a point is equal to the negative gradient of the electrostatic potential at that point. Potential gradient relates with electric field according to the following relation $E=\frac{-d V}{d r}$ $\begin{aligned} \vec{E} & =-\frac{\partial V}{\partial r}=\left[-\frac{\partial V}{\partial x} \hat{i}-\frac{\partial V}{\partial y} \hat{j}-\frac{\partial V}{\partial x} \hat{k}\right] \\ & =\left[\hat{i}\left(2 x y+z^3\right)+\hat{j} x^2+\hat{k} 3 x z^2\right] \end{aligned}$

Asked in: NEET 2009 (Screening)

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