Electric potential question (check my work)

Let me try again.In summary, a beam of electrons with energy 1.20 keV is directed towards a solid copper sphere of radius 1.25cm. To determine the velocity of the electrons in the beam, the equation 1/2mv^2=-qΔV can be used. Using the given mass of an electron and elementary charge, the velocity is calculated to be 2.19 X 10^33 m/s, which is incorrect. The correct value should be much lower. For part b, the charge on the sphere at which it stops further electrons from hitting it is not provided and therefore cannot be determined.
  • #1
AnthroMecha
26
0

Homework Statement



A beam of electrons with energy 1.20 keV (per electron) is directed towards a solid copper sphere of radius 1.25cm.
a) Determine the velocity of the electrons in the beam.
b) The beam continues to send electrons into the sphere until it is charged up enough to repel the electrons. What is the charge on the sphere at which it stops further electrons from hitting it?

Homework Equations



1/2mv^2=-qΔV
mass of an electron=9.12X10^-31kg
elementary charge=1.602X10^-19 C

The Attempt at a Solution



Not sure if I'm going part a right:
.5(9.12X10^-31kg)v=(-1.602X10^-19 C)(1.2KeV)

Solving for v (velocity) I get 2.19 X 10^33 m/s

Does this look right?

Not even sure what to do to answer part b.

Any help is appreciated!
 
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  • #2
Sorry, I have no time to check it fully, but 10^33 if way to much for a speed. It's 10^25 times higher than the speed of light!
 
  • #3
Innoko said:
Sorry, I have no time to check it fully, but 10^33 if way to much for a speed. It's 10^25 times higher than the speed of light!

Yeah, I knew that answer sounded ridiculous.
 

FAQ: Electric potential question (check my work)

What is electric potential?

Electric potential is a measure of the amount of electric potential energy an object has per unit of charge. It is also known as voltage and is measured in volts (V).

How is electric potential calculated?

Electric potential is calculated by dividing the electric potential energy by the amount of charge. So the formula for electric potential is V = PE/Q, where V is the electric potential, PE is the electric potential energy, and Q is the amount of charge.

What is the difference between electric potential and electric potential energy?

Electric potential is a measure of the amount of electric potential energy an object has per unit of charge, while electric potential energy is the amount of energy an object has due to its position in an electric field. Electric potential is a scalar quantity, while electric potential energy is a vector quantity.

What is the unit of measurement for electric potential?

The unit of measurement for electric potential is volts (V). It can also be measured in other units such as joules per coulomb (J/C) or electron volts (eV).

How is electric potential related to electric field?

Electric potential and electric field are closely related. The electric field is the force per unit charge acting on a charged object, while electric potential is the work done per unit charge in moving a charged object from one point to another. The relationship between them is given by E = -ΔV/Δx, where E is the electric field, ΔV is the change in electric potential, and Δx is the distance moved in the direction of the electric field.

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