Explain briefly why the attraction between a point charge and a dipole has a different distance dependence for induced dipoles (1/r5 ) than for permanent dipoles (1/r3 ). (You need not explain either situation in full detail: just explain why there is this difference in their behavior.)

Short Answer

Expert verified

The attraction between a point charge and a dipole has a different distance dependence for induced dipoles (1/r5) than for permanent dipoles (1/r3) due to the difference in the nature of the force exerted by the dipoles.

Step by step solution

01

Attraction between a point charge and different types of dipole

When two opposite charges approach each other, they experience anout of attraction that is given by the Coulomb force, depending on the induced nature of the charge and intensity, the attraction will begin to feel more or less between the charges.

02

Reasons for different behavior 

In the case of the attraction between a charge and the permanent dipole, the distance dependence is represented as 1/r3 , and the attraction between a charge and an induced dipole as 1/r5.

In the case of permanent dipoles, the attractive force is shorter than that of induced dipoles because the distortion that occurs due to the point charge is not permanent and happens for a very short period of time. The dipole will find the previous equilibrium, and the attraction will not be there between the permanent dipole and the point charge. But the induced dipole will remain in the same distorted condition as long as the external influence is there.

Thus, the attraction between a point charge and a dipole has a different distance dependence for induced dipoles (1/r5) than for permanent dipoles (1/r3).

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Most popular questions from this chapter

8 (a) An object can be both charged and polarized. On a negatively charged metal ball, the charge is spread uniformly all over the surface (Figure 14.42). If a positive charge is brought near, the charged ball will polarize. If any of the following quantities is zero, state this explicitly. (1) Draw the approximate final charge distribution on the ball. (2) At the center, draw the electric field due to the external positive charge. (3) At the center, draw the electric field due to the charge on the surface of the ball. (4) At the center, draw the net electric field.

(b) Next, consider a negatively charged plastic pen that is brought near a neutral solid metal cylinder (Figure 14.43). If any of the following quantities is zero, state this explicitly. (1) Show the approximate charge distribution for the metal cylinder. (2) Draw a vector representing the net force exerted by the pen on the metal cylinder, and explain your force vector briefly but completely, including all relevant interactions. (3) At the center, draw the electric field due to the external negative charge. (4) At the center, draw the electric field due to the charge on the surface of the ball. (5) At the center, draw the net electric field.

(c) Replace the solid metal cylinder with a solid plastic cylinder. (1) Show the approximate charge distribution for the plastic cylinder. (2) Draw a vector representing the net force exerted by the pen on the plastic cylinder. (3) Explain your force vector briefly but completely, including all relevant interactions.

Here is a variant of “charging by induction.” Place two uncharged metal objects so as to touch each other, one behind the other. Call them front object and back object. While you hold a charged comb in front of the front object, your partner moves away the back object (handling it through an insulator so as not to discharge it). Now you move the comb away. Explain this process. Use only labeled diagrams in your explanation (no prose!).

Can you charge a piece of plastic by induction? Explain, using diagram. Compare with the amount of charging obtained when you charge a piece of metal by induction.

If the distance between a neutral atom and a point charge is tripled, by what factor does the force on the atom by the point charge change? Express your answer as a ratio: new force/original force.

Figure 14.69 shows a neutral, solid piece of metal placed near two points charges. Copy this diagram.

(a) On your diagram, show the polarization of the piece of metal.

(b) Then, at location A inside the solid piece of metal, carefully draw and label three vectors: (1) E1, the electric field due to -q1; (2) E2, the electric field due to +q2; (3) E3, the electric field due to all of the charges on the metal.

(c) Explain briefly why you drew the vectors the way you did.

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