Given below are two statements:
Statement I: The total charge of an electric dipole is zero, but its electric field is not zero.
Statement II: On the equatorial plane of a dipole, the electric field points opposite to the dipole moment.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
Statement I The total charge of an electric dipole is zero, but its electric field is not zero. — True. The charges \( q \) and \( -q \) sit at two different points. At any point their fields differ a little in size and direction, so the two fields do not add up to zero.
Statement II On the equatorial plane of a dipole, the electric field points opposite to the dipole moment. — True. At a point on the equatorial plane, \( +q \) and \( -q \) are at equal distances, so their fields have equal size. The parts normal to the dipole axis add to zero. The parts along the axis add up and point from \( +q \) towards \( -q \), that is, opposite to \( \vec p \).
NCERT (2026-27):
Electric Dipole – “The total charge of the electric dipole is obviously zero. This does not mean that the field of the electric dipole is zero.”
The field of an electric dipole – “… Clearly, the components normal to the dipole axis cancel away. The components along the dipole axis add up. The total electric field is opposite to p̂.”