What is the Work Required to Charge a Spherical Shell?

Click For Summary
To calculate the work required to charge a spherical shell of radius R and total charge Q, one must consider the relationship between work and electric potential energy. The work done is equivalent to the change in potential energy as the shell is charged. The relevant formula involves integrating the electric field around the shell, which is influenced by its spherical symmetry. The final answer for the work done is k * Q^2 / (2R), where k is the Coulomb's constant. Understanding the implications of the shell's geometry is crucial for solving the problem effectively.
grief
Messages
73
Reaction score
1
the problem is: "Calculate the work that must be done to charge a spherical shell of radius R and total charge Q", and I have no idea where to start. You probably have to write some sort of an integral but I don't know how. Can anyone give me a hint?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
the answer, by the way is ke*Q^2/(2R), if that helps
 
Think about the equivalence of work and energy, and the fact that charging a sphere changes the electric potential energy.
 
I know that work is equal to the change of potential energy, but the potential energy of what? Won't it be just keQ/r^2. How does the fact that it is a spherical shell affect the problem?
 
Last edited:

Thread 'Magnitude of buoyant force in fluids of different densities'

The book claims the answer is that all the magnitudes are the same because "the gravitational force on the penguin is the same". I'm having trouble understanding this. I thought the buoyant force was equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. Weight depends on mass which depends on density. Therefore, due to the differing densities the buoyant force will be different in each case? Is this incorrect?
View full post »

Similar threads

Force between point charges at the center of two spherical shells
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
The energy needed to construct a charged hollow spherical shell with finite thickness
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
851
Electric field of spherical shell
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Find the electric field inside and outside of a spherical shell superposition
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
E&M: Gauss' Law Surface Charge Density
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K
Capacitance of three concentric shells
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
Minimizing the Energy of Two Conductors Very Far Apart
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
2K
Spherical conductor shell problem
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
Electrical Potential of a uniformly charged spherical shell
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
Charged sphere and charged conducting shell
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K