- #1
Suxxor
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Electrostatics problem
Hello!
The problem I'm trying to get help on is the following:
You have an evenly charged circle with the total charge Q and radius R. There is also a point-charge q located a (thats a symbol, not an article) meters from the center of the circle (the point charge is still inside the circle, but not excactly in the middle of it). Find the force on the point-charge. (Notice, it's in 2D, it is a circle, not a sphere)
Now, that's how I thought to approach: I picked the centre of the circle at O(0;0) and put q to A(a;0), so i had a circle (x-a)^2+y^2=R^2
http://sander.originaal.ee/Diagram1.png
First of all, I exerted the circle's density of charge, so I could later replace dQ in Coulomb's law.
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura.png
Now i put down the Coulomb's law for my case. Because of y-symmetry, dF_y-s obviously compensate each other and the sum of all forces would be the sum of F_x-s. So i derive dF_x by putting down the general case and then multiply it with the ratio of sides of the new-formed triangle (dF,dFy,dFx).So i finally get dF_x.
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura1.png
Now I should replace dl with the function of x and dx, but that is going to be very uncomfortable to do (i tried this at first, but look, how the angle of dl varies around the circle, when you look at dl through q-s eyes). So polar coordinates would help a little:
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura2.png
By integrating over the angle of 2 pi, I get
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura3.png
I bet, you can see the problem now. The integrand is impossible (beyond my abilities) to solve it generally. When i do it numerally, it shows sensible results, but the general solution is what bothers me.
I imagine, there is a niftier general approach. So all the advice is welcome.
I'll hope you are able to help.
---
Alright, the thread didn't come out to be a hit, but could you at least read the problem and guess something about how you think it might be done?
Hello!
The problem I'm trying to get help on is the following:
You have an evenly charged circle with the total charge Q and radius R. There is also a point-charge q located a (thats a symbol, not an article) meters from the center of the circle (the point charge is still inside the circle, but not excactly in the middle of it). Find the force on the point-charge. (Notice, it's in 2D, it is a circle, not a sphere)
Now, that's how I thought to approach: I picked the centre of the circle at O(0;0) and put q to A(a;0), so i had a circle (x-a)^2+y^2=R^2
http://sander.originaal.ee/Diagram1.png
First of all, I exerted the circle's density of charge, so I could later replace dQ in Coulomb's law.
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura.png
Now i put down the Coulomb's law for my case. Because of y-symmetry, dF_y-s obviously compensate each other and the sum of all forces would be the sum of F_x-s. So i derive dF_x by putting down the general case and then multiply it with the ratio of sides of the new-formed triangle (dF,dFy,dFx).So i finally get dF_x.
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura1.png
Now I should replace dl with the function of x and dx, but that is going to be very uncomfortable to do (i tried this at first, but look, how the angle of dl varies around the circle, when you look at dl through q-s eyes). So polar coordinates would help a little:
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura2.png
By integrating over the angle of 2 pi, I get
http://sander.originaal.ee/jura3.png
I bet, you can see the problem now. The integrand is impossible (beyond my abilities) to solve it generally. When i do it numerally, it shows sensible results, but the general solution is what bothers me.
I imagine, there is a niftier general approach. So all the advice is welcome.
I'll hope you are able to help.
---
Alright, the thread didn't come out to be a hit, but could you at least read the problem and guess something about how you think it might be done?
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