Electric Field of Spherical Conductors Connected by Wire

[patm95]

Homework Statement

Two equal sized spherical conductors are connected with a wire. Charge is placed in one conductor. What is the electric field look like?

Homework Equations

E=q/4pi*ep*r^2

The Attempt at a Solution

I think that since these two conductors are connected by a wire, that they would have to share the charge. There would be electric field lines coming out of each sphere and that each sphere would have 1/2 of the total charge that was placed in the first sphere. Is this the correct way to reason this problem? Thanks!

 

[creillyucla]

yup!

 

[zzzoak]

I think you are wright.
It is a vector sum of two spheres.

 

[patm95]

Great! Thanks!

 

[paranormal]

Yes, your reasoning is correct. Since the two spheres are connected by a wire, they are essentially in electrical contact and will share the charge. The electric field lines will originate from the charged sphere and terminate on the other sphere, with the field strength decreasing as you move away from the charged sphere and towards the other sphere. The amount of charge on each sphere will be equal and opposite, leading to a balanced electric field between the two spheres.