Final answer:
The electric field at a point on the equatorial plane of a dipole is given by E = (1 / (4πε0)) * (p / r³), where p is the dipole moment, ε0 is the permittivity of free space, and r is the distance to the point from the dipole's center.
Step-by-step explanation:
The electric field at a point on the equatorial plane of an electric dipole can be approximated when the distance r from the center of the dipole is much greater than the separation d between the two charges that constitute the dipole. In this scenario, the electric field E due to the dipole at a point P on the equatorial plane is given by:
E = (1 / (4πε0)) * (p / r³)
In this equation, p represents the dipole moment of the dipole, which is calculated as the product of one of the charges q and the separation d (p = qd). The constant ε0 is the permittivity of free space, and r is the distance from the midpoint of the dipole to the point at which the electric field is being measured.