A charge inside a ring, small oscillation

In summary, the concept of a charge inside a ring involves analyzing the behavior of a charged particle placed at the center of a circular ring. When slightly displaced from this equilibrium position, the charge experiences a restoring force due to the electric field created by the ring's charge distribution. This results in small oscillations around the center, which can be modeled using concepts from harmonic motion. The frequency of these oscillations depends on the charge and the properties of the ring, demonstrating the interplay between electrostatics and dynamics.
  • #1
ermia
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Homework Statement
There is an insulator charged ring with linear charge density of ##\lambda =\lambda_0 \sin^2(\theta)##. There is a charge ##q## at the center of the ring. We push the charge forward at x direction ( assuming it is positive ), then we want to find the frequency of small oscillations of the charge. And we do the same thing in y dimension and we want the frequency of small oscillations in this direction too.
Relevant Equations
Gauss law
Laplace equation
Screenshot_20231217_015814_Samsung Notes.jpg

This is the picture of the problem. I attach my solution.
I first used a trick with gauss's law to calculate the radial electric field at first order of r. ( where r is small ) ( we can assume ##small r=\delta r##) I used a cylinder at the center of the ring then i calculated the ##\hat{z}## feild and with that i found the eletric field at r then I used newton second law to find the frequency of small oscillations. Now, the question is why the answer will be the same for every r?! It shouldn't be I think! Because the problem doesn't have symmetry. But my solution gives a radial electric field. Is it true that the y and x frequencies will be equal when calculating to the first order?! Or iam wrong?
 

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  • #2
"insulator … with … current"?
I confess I do not understand the relevance of the ##\hat z## field. I would solve it by finding the potential at a small displacement d. In making the approximations, you will need to be careful to keep enough terms. I suggest everything up to ##(\frac dr)^2##.
 
  • #3
haruspex said:
"insulator … with … current"?
I confess I do not understand the relevance of the ##\hat z## field. I would solve it by finding the potential at a small displacement d. In making the approximations, you will need to be careful to keep enough terms. I suggest everything up to ##(\frac dr)^2##.
Sorry I meant charge density.
 

FAQ: A charge inside a ring, small oscillation

What is the physical setup of a charge inside a ring undergoing small oscillations?

The setup involves a charged particle placed at the center of a ring of uniformly distributed charge. The ring creates an electrostatic potential, and the particle can oscillate about its equilibrium position due to small perturbations.

How do you derive the equation of motion for the charge inside the ring?

The equation of motion is derived using Coulomb's law and Newton's second law. By calculating the net electrostatic force on the charge due to the ring and applying F = ma, one can derive a differential equation that describes the oscillatory motion.

What assumptions are made for small oscillations in this system?

For small oscillations, it is assumed that the displacement of the charge from the equilibrium position is small compared to the radius of the ring. This allows for a linear approximation of the restoring force, leading to simple harmonic motion.

What is the frequency of small oscillations for the charge inside the ring?

The frequency of small oscillations can be found by solving the linearized equation of motion. It typically depends on the charge of the particle, the charge distribution of the ring, and the mass of the particle. For a uniformly charged ring, the frequency is derived from the effective spring constant of the electrostatic force.

How does the stability of the equilibrium position change with different parameters?

The stability of the equilibrium position depends on factors such as the charge of the particle, the charge density of the ring, and the geometry of the system. Generally, higher charge densities and smaller perturbations lead to more stable equilibrium positions, ensuring that the oscillations remain small and harmonic.

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