Dipole in Uniform E Field

This interactive simulator explores Dipole in Uniform E in Electricity & Magnetism. τ = −pE sin θ, U = −pE cos θ; damped rotation; optional AC on E. Use the controls to change the scenario; watch the visualization and any graphs or readouts to connect the model with lectures, labs, and homework.

Who it's for: Best once you already know the basic definitions and want to build intuition. Typical context: Electricity & Magnetism.

Key terms

  • dipole
  • uniform
  • dipole uniform field
  • electricity
  • magnetism

How it works

A **rigid dipole** **p** in a **uniform** electric field **E** feels **τ = p × E**. With **E** along **+x** and **θ** the angle from **E** to **p**, **τ_z = −pE sin θ** and **U = −pE cos θ**. The sim integrates **I θ¨ = τ − γ θ̇** (damped). Turn on **AC** to wobble **E** and watch **lag** or **parametric**-like motion — still a **toy** scalar model, not a full 3D rigid body.

Key equations

τ = −pE sin θ · I θ¨ = τ − γ θ̇ · U = −pE cos θ