Introduction to Electrodynamics · Problem 4.7

Electric Fields in Matter — David J. Griffiths

Physics · dipole-energy

Problem

Show that the energy of an ideal dipole

\mathbf{p}

in an electric field

\mathbf{E}

is given by

U = -\mathbf{p} \cdot \mathbf{E}. \tag{4.6}