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 radiusR and the total charge Q.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The net force that the southern hemisphere of a uniformly charged solid sphere exerts on the northern hemisphere is14πε03Q16R2 .

Step by step solution

01

Define functions

The charge per unit volume is called as volume charge density of the sphere. It is expressed as,

ρ=QV …… (1)

Here,Qis the charge of the solid sphere,Vis the volume of the solid sphere.

The volume of the sphere is depends on the cube of the radius of the volume. It is expressed as,

V=43ττR3 …… (2)

Substitute the above value inρ=QVand solve.

Thus,

ρ=Q43πR3=3Q4πR3 …… (3)

Here,R is the radius of the sphere.

02

Determine electric field inside the sphere

Assume that, a point r <R ,

Consider the radius of the Gaussian sphere is rthen its volume is expressed as,

v=43πr3 …… (4)

Now, Charge in shell is expressed as,

dQ=ρν

Substitute the values derived from the equations (3) & (4) in the above equation,

dQ=Q43πR343πr3=Qr3r3

By using Gauss’s law, the field from both the spheres can be obtained.

Eda=dQε0

SubstituteQr3R3 fordQ indQε0 forE.da expression.

Eda=Qr3R3ε0E4πr2=Qr3R3ε0E=Q4πε0rR3

Thus, the electric filed inside the sphere isE=Q4πε0rR3.

03

Determine force

Write the expression for the force per unit volume acting on the sphere.

f=ρE …… (4)

Substitute the valuerole="math" localid="1657363835277" Q43πR3for ρandQ43πε0rR3for in equation (4),

role="math" localid="1657364140975" f=Q43πR3Q4πε0rR3=3ε0Q4πε02r

Therefore, the force per unit volume acting on the sphere isf=3ε0Q4πε02r.

Now, consider the infinitesimal volume element in terms of spherical polar coordinates,

dτ=r2sinθdrdθdϕ

By using the symmetry net force in the on the,

fz=fcosθz …… (5)

Integrate the equation (5) over the range of surface area,

dF=0R02π0π/2fcosθdτ …… (6)

Substitute3ε0Q4πR32rfor f and role="math" localid="1657364874652" r2sinθdrdθdϕfor dτin equation (6).

fz=3ε0Q4πR320Rr3dr0π2sinθcosθdθ02πdϕ …… (7)

Let’s assume that,sinθ=tthencosθdθ=dt.

Substitute these values in equation (7), and simplify

role="math" localid="1657365508813" fz=3ε0Q4πR320Rr3dr01tdt02πdϕ=3ε03ε0Q4πR32R44-0t22-02π-0=3ε0Q216π2R16R441222π=14πε03Q216R2

Hence, the force of the northern hemisphere is 14πε03Q216R2.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

All of electrostatics follows from the 1/r2character of Coulomb's law, together with the principle of superposition. An analogous theory can therefore be constructed for Newton's law of universal gravitation. What is the gravitational energy of a sphere, of mass M and radius R, assuming the density is uniform? Use your result to estimate the gravitational energy of the sun (look up the relevant numbers). Note that the energy is negative-masses attract, whereas (like) electric charges repel. As the matter "falls in," to create the sun, its energy is converted into other forms (typically thermal), and it is subsequently released in the form of radiation. The sun radiates at a rate of3.86×1026W; if all this came from gravitational energy, how long would the sun last? [The sun is in fact much older than that, so evidently this is not the source of its power.]

Find the electric field a distance zabove the center of a circular loop of radius r(Fig. 2.9) that carries a uniform line charge λ

Two infinitely long wires running parallel to the x axis carry uniform

charge densities +λand -λ.

(a) Find the potential at any point (x,y,z)using the origin as your reference.

(b) Show that the equipotential surfaces are circular cylinders, and locate the axis

and radius of the cylinder corresponding to a given potential V0.

In a vacuum diode, electrons are "boiled" off a hot cathode, at potential zero, and accelerated across a gap to the anode, which is held at positive potential V0. The cloud of moving electrons within the gap (called space charge) quickly builds up to the point where it reduces the field at the surface of the cathode to zero. From then on, a steady current flows between the plates.

Suppose the plates are large relative to the separation (A>>d2in Fig. 2.55), so

that edge effects can be neglected. Thenlocalid="1657521889714" V,ρand v(the speed of the electrons) are all functions of x alone.

(a) Write Poisson's equation for the region between the plates.

(b) Assuming the electrons start from rest at the cathode, what is their speed at point x, where the potential isV(x)

(c) In the steady state,localid="1657522496305" Iis independent of x. What, then, is the relation between p and v?

(d) Use these three results to obtain a differential equation forV, by eliminatingρandv.

(e) Solve this equation for Vas a function of x,V0and d. Plot V(x), and compare it to the potential without space-charge. Also, findρandvas functions of .

(f) Show that

I=kV03/2

and find the constantK. (Equation 2.56 is called the Child-Langmuir law. It holds for other geometries as well, whenever space-charge limits the current. Notice that the space-charge limited diode is nonlinear-it does not obey Ohm's law.)

Suppose the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor move closer together by an infinitesimal distance, as a result of their mutual attraction.

(a) Use Eq. 2.52 to express the work done by electrostatic forces, in terms of the fieldE, and the area of the plates, A.

(b) Use Eq. 2.46 to express the energy lost by the field in this process.

(This problem is supposed to be easy, but it contains the embryo of an alternative derivation of Eq. 2.52, using conservation of energy.)

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