Charge Distribution on Conducting Spherical Shell

The electric field at the center is infinite, zero at the inner surface, and positive at the outer surface.In summary, we are given a conducting spherical shell with zero net charge and inner and outer radii R1 and R2. A positive point charge q is placed at the center of the shell. The task is to find the electric fields at three different points, with a specific focus on finding the charge density on the inner and outer surfaces (r=R1 and r=R2). The signs of the charges on the inner and outer surfaces are opposite, with the inner surface having a negative charge and the outer surface having a positive charge. This is because the positive charge at the center attracts negative charges on the inner surface and repels
  • #1
pyroknife
613
3

Homework Statement


A conducting spherical shell that has zero net charge has an inner radius R1 and an outer radius R2. A postive point charge q is placed at the center of the cell. The 1st part was to find the electric fields at the 3 diff places. The part I need help on is where we have to find the charge density on inner surface r=R1 and outer surface r=R2.

what I have a question about is. The signs would be opposite for inner and outer. Is the one entering (inner surface) negative and the one leaving (outer surface) positive? If so, why is it like that?
 
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  • #2
pyroknife said:
what I have a question about is. The signs would be opposite for inner and outer. Is the one entering (inner surface) negative and the one leaving (outer surface) positive? If so, why is it like that?

There is a positive charge at the centre. Does it attract or repel the free electrons in the metal shell? So what kind of excess charge accumulates at the inner surface of the shell?


ehild
 

Related to Charge Distribution on Conducting Spherical Shell

What is a spherical shell?

A spherical shell is a three-dimensional shape that is formed by rotating a circle around an axis that passes through its center. It consists of two parallel surfaces, known as the inner and outer surfaces, that are equidistant from each other at all points.

What is the purpose of conducting a spherical shell experiment?

Conducting a spherical shell experiment allows scientists to study the behavior of electric charges and electric fields. This is useful for understanding concepts such as electric potential, capacitance, and energy storage in electrical systems.

How is a spherical shell experiment conducted?

In a typical spherical shell experiment, a metallic spherical shell is connected to a power source, while a point charge is placed at different distances from the shell. The electric potential and electric field are then measured at various points around the shell to observe the effects of the point charge on the shell.

What are some real-life applications of spherical shell experiments?

Spherical shell experiments have many practical applications in the field of electrical engineering. They are used in the design and analysis of capacitors, which are essential components in electronic devices. They are also used in the study of lightning and the behavior of electric fields in thunderstorms.

What are some limitations of conducting a spherical shell experiment?

One limitation of conducting a spherical shell experiment is that it assumes a perfect spherical shape for the shell, which may not be the case in real-life situations. Another limitation is that it only considers the behavior of point charges, which may not accurately represent the behavior of larger objects with distributed charges.

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