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Two spherical cavities, of radii aand b,are hollowed out from the

interior of a (neutral) conducting sphere of radius(Fig. 2.49). At the center of

each cavity a point charge is placed-call these charges qaand qb.

(a) Find the surface charge densities σa,σbandσR

(b) What is the field outside the conductor?

(c) What is the field within each cavity?

(d) What is the force on qaand qb?

(e) Which of these answers would change if a third charge,qc ,were brought near

the conductor?

Short Answer

Expert verified

(a)The surface charge density on the surface of the cavity of radius a isσa=-qa4Ï€²¹a .

The surface charge density on the surface of the cavity of radius bisσb=qb4Ï€²ú2 .

The surface charge density on the surface of the conducting sphere isσR=qa+qb4Ï€¸é2 .

(b)The formula for the electric field outside the conductor is,E=qa+qb4πε0r2rÁåœ .

(c)The electric fields with in each cavity are Ea=qa4πε0r2rÁåœaand Eb=qb4πε0r2rÁåœb.

(d)The force onqaandrole="math" localid="1657953801922" qbare zero.

(e)Part (b) answer would change if a third charge,qc ,were brought near the conductor.

Step by step solution

01

Determine the expression for the electric field and surface charge density.

Write the expression for the electric field due to a point charge is,

E=q4ττε0r2rÁåœ

Here,q is the point charge,ε0 is the permittivity of the free space, andr is the distance from the point charge to the field point.

02

Determine the surface charge densities

(a)

Write the expression for the surface area of the cavity of radius is,

A=4Ï€²¹2

Write the formula for the surface charge density on the surface of the cavity of radius is,

σa=-qaA

Here,σais the surface charge density of radius a,A is the surface area andqais the surface charge of the cavity of radius .

Substitute4Ï€²¹2forAin above equation.

σa=-qa4Ï€²¹2

Hence, the surface charge density on the surface of the cavity of radius .

Now, write the expression for the surface area of the cavity of radiusbis,

A=4Ï€²ú2

Write the formula for the surface charge density on the surface of the cavity of radiusbis,

σb=-qbA

Here, σbis the surface charge density of radius b, Ais the surface area and qb is the surface charge of the cavity of radius b .

Substitute 4Ï€²ú2for A in above equation.

σb=-qb4Ï€²ú2

Hence, the surface charge density on the surface of the cavity of radius b is.

σb=-qb4Ï€²ú2

The total charge generated on the cavity as a result of electrostatic induction is equal to and opposite to the charge inside the cavity.

qinduced=-qa=-qb

Total charge appears on the surface of the conducting sphere due to induction. It is given by,

qinduced=qa+qb

Write the expression for the surface area of the conducting sphere of radiusRis,

A=4Ï€¸é2

Now, write the formula for the surface charge density on the surface of the conducting sphere is,

σR=qa+qbA

Substitute4Ï€²ú2 for A in above equation.

role="math" localid="1657955172242" σR=qa+qb4Ï€¸é2

Thus, the surface charge density on the surface of the conducting sphere isσR=qa+qb4Ï€¸é2 .

03

Determine the field outside the conductor

b)

Write the expression for the total charge appears on the surface of the conducting sphere due to induction. It is given by,

qinduced=qa+qb

Thus, the formula for the electric field outside the conductor is,

E=qa+qb4πε0rrrÁåœ

Here, E is the electric field andε0 is the permittivity for free space.

04

Determine the field within each cavity

c)

Let’s consider that qa is the charge within the cavity of radius a. Thus, the electric field in cavity of radius a is,

Ea=qa4πε0r2rÁåœa

Let’s consider that qbis the charge within the cavity of radius b. Thus, the electric field in cavity of radiusb is,

Eb=qb4πε0r2rbÁåœ

Here,raÁåœ,rbÁåœare the unit vectors from center of cavity of a,brespectively.

Thus, the electric fields with in each cavity are role="math" localid="1657955861460" Ea=qa4πε0r2raÁåœandEb=qb4πε0r2rbÁåœ.

05

Determine the force on qa and qb

d)

Consider the charges qaand qbboth only sense the electric field from -qaand -qbtheir inner shells, and the electric field from these smeared charges cancels out because it pulls with the same force in all directions, so the charges feel no force in any direction.

Hence, the force onqa andqb are zero.

06

Determine answer of (e)

e)

Part (a) shows that the results for σaand σbdo not change when a third charge σcis brought closer to the conductor. This is due to the absence of an electric field within the hollow conductor. Because of charge conservation, the result for σRin section (a) will alter when a third chargeσcis brought closer to the conductor.

Because of charge conservation, the result for σRwill change when a third charge σcis brought closer to the conductor. Because the electric field in portion (b) is affected by the surface charge density σRof the conducting sphere. As a result, when the third charge σCis brought closer to the conductor. Then the result for the electric field outside the conductor in section (b) changes.

When a third charge σcis brought closer to the conductor, the results for Eaand Ebdo not change in part (c). This is due to the fact that the charges qaand qbdo not change.

When a third chargeqc is brought closer to the conductor, the result for force on each charge does not change in section (d). This is due to the charges experiencing no force in either direction.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Find the net force that the southern hemisphere of a uniformly charged solid sphere exerts on the northern hemisphere. Express your answer in terms of the radius R and the total charge Q.

We know that the charge on a conductor goes to the surface, but just

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