/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 157 A thin spherical conducting shel... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

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A thin spherical conducting shell of radius \(R\) has a charge \(q\). Another charge \(Q\) is placed at the centre of the shell. The electrostatic potential at a point \(P\) at a distance \(R / 2\) from the centre of the shell is [2003] (A) \(\frac{2 Q}{4 \pi \varepsilon_{0} R}\) (B) \(\frac{2 Q}{4 \pi \varepsilon_{0} R}-\frac{2 q}{4 \pi \varepsilon_{0} R}\) (C) \(\frac{2 Q}{4 \pi \varepsilon_{0} R}+\frac{q}{4 \pi \varepsilon_{0} R}\) (D) \(\frac{(q+Q)}{4 \pi \varepsilon_{0}} \frac{2}{R}\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
The short answer to the problem is: The electrostatic potential at point P is given by V_total = \(\frac{2Q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}+\frac{q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}\).

Step by step solution

01

Determine the potential at point P due to charge Q

To find the potential at the point P due to charge Q, use the formula V = kQ/r. Here, the charge is Q, distance r is R/2, and k = 1/(4πε₀). Plugging the values, we get: V_Q = \(\frac{Q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0} (R/2)} = \frac{2Q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}\)
02

Determine the potential at point P due to charge q

Since the charge q is uniformly distributed across the conducting spherical shell, the potential inside the shell will be constant, making the potential at point P: V_q = \(\frac{q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}\)
03

Determine the total electrostatic potential at point P

The total electrostatic potential at point P is the sum of the potentials due to charges q and Q. Adding the potentials found in step 1 and step 2, we get: V_total = V_Q + V_q = \(\frac{2Q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R} + \frac{q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}\) Simplifying the expression, we get: V_total = \(\frac{2Q + q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}\) Comparing this with the given options, we find it matches with option (C). Therefore, the electrostatic potential at point P is: V_total = \(\frac{2Q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}+\frac{q}{4\pi \varepsilon_{0}R}\)

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Spherical Conducting Shell
A spherical conducting shell is a key concept in electrostatics, often encountered in problems involving electric charges and fields. Imagine a hollow ball made of a conductive material like metal. This shell can carry charge on its surface, and due to its symmetrical shape, the charge distributes itself uniformly over the outer surface. An important property of such conductive shells is that the electric field inside a charged, conducting shell is zero. This results in the electric potential being constant throughout the interior space of the shell, including at its inner surface.

When an external charge is placed inside such a shell, it does not affect the charge distribution on the outside surface. The reverse is also true; charges outside the shell do not influence the charges within. This concept is vital in understanding how to protect sensitive electronic equipment from external electric fields by using a Faraday cage, which is based on the principles of a conducting shell.
Point Charge
The idea of a point charge is a simplification used in physics that refers to an idealized charge of infinitesimal size that is completely characterized by its magnitude. A point charge is a useful concept, as it allows us to calculate electric fields and potentials in various configurations by using Coulomb's law.

In the context of the problem at hand, we consider a point charge Q placed at the center of the spherical conducting shell. The electric potential caused by this point charge at any given radius can be calculated using the formula V = kQ/r, where V is the electric potential, k is Coulomb's constant, Q is the charge, and r is the radial distance from the charge to the point of interest. The simplicity of using point charges helps students to dive into more complex problems involving charge distributions without getting bogged down by complexities at the start.
Electric Potential Due to Charge Distribution
When discussing electric potential due to charge distribution, we're referring to the work needed to move a unit positive charge from a reference point (usually taken at infinity) to a specific point in space, in the presence of a static electric field. This concept is crucial in electrostatics because it helps us to understand and calculate the influence of various charge configurations on nearby points in space.

In our problem, charge distribution consists of a point charge at the center of a spherical shell and the shell itself, which is uniformly charged. The potential at any point inside the shell due to the shell's charge is the same and can be found as if all the charge were concentrated at the center. This is due to the shell’s spherical symmetry and is backed by Gauss's law. The total electric potential at a point is therefore the sum of potentials due to each charge distribution affecting that point.

It is crucial to add the potentials due to individual charges algebraically, taking care to consider the signs of the charges, to find the total electric potential at a specific point in the field.

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