Question

what is the energy required or released to form a dipole from a neutral polarizable molecule.

Answer 1

The potential energy of a magnetic dipole in a magnetic field is\[U=-\vec\mu\cdot\vec B\]an electric dipole has the same formula for potential energy that any two charges have\[U=\frac1{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{q_1q_2}r\]

Answer 2

if you want to know the details:

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-02sc-physics-ii-electricity-and-magnetism-fall-2010/discrete-and-continuous-distributions-of-charge/

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-02sc-physics-ii-electricity-and-magnetism-fall-2010/magnetic-field/MIT8_02SC_notes16to18.pdf

Answer 3

Energy of the two opposite charges will be:
\(U=-\Large \frac1{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{q^2}{a}=-\frac1{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{P^2}{a^3}\) if distance between the charges is a and P=qa

Answer 4

Doesn't that consider potential to be zero at infinity? What we are doing is separating charge from zero to distance r right? We are not bringing charge from infinity to r distance.
\[ \int_r^0 {1 \over 4 \pi \epsilon _ 0}{ q^2 \over r^2} = \left [ - kq^2 \over r\right ]_0^r = kq^2 /0 - kq^2/r\]

Answer 5

Well, the question was : "What is the energy stored in the dipole" which means exactly, "what work can you obtain when the charges are taken to infinity with zero-velocity".

Answer 6

sorry ... my mistake!! any idea on what i mean??

Answer 7

please recheck edited question