Calculating Potential Between Conducting Shells

  • Thread starter LocationX
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Conducting
In summary: R2 due to the outer shell is zero, but since the potential at R2 due to the inner shell is nonzero, the potential due to the outer shell must also be nonzero at R2 in order for the two to cancel each other out.
  • #36
I'm not sure if this makes any sense but for the potential to be zero at infinity, don't we need to integrate from infinity to the outer shell for the potential outside the outer shell (which would give 0)

then, to get the potential between R2>r>R1 we integrate from R2 to R1

using gauss law we can find the E-field in between the shells

[tex]E=\frac{kQ_1}{r^2}[/tex]

then the potential would be:

[tex] V=-k Q_1 \int_{R_2}^r \frac{1}{r^2} dr [/tex]

[tex] V = kQ_1 \left( \frac{1}{r} - \frac{1}{R_2} \right) [/tex]
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #37
I'm reading in the book that the notation for integration should be:

[tex]V=-\int_a^b \vec{E} \cdot d \vec{r} [/tex]

where the field at a is higher then b

if this is the case shouldn't the integral then be switched
[tex]
V=-k Q_1 \int_{r}^{R_2} \frac{1}{r^2} dr
[/tex]

My question how do we know the integral should go from R2 to r and not the other way around?
 

Similar threads

Replies
9
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
19
Views
3K
Replies
17
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Back
Top