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Gauss\'s law applied to spherical conducting shells... The figure shows a spheri

ID: 1262490 • Letter: G

Question

Gauss's law applied to spherical conducting shells...

The figure shows a spherical conducting shell, inner radius a, and outer radius b, with a point charge +Q inside. In case (1) the point charge is at the center of the shell, and in case (2) it is off-center. In each case, describe the electric field in the three regions, r < a, a < r < b, and r > b.

Gauss's law applied to spherical conducting shells... The figure shows a spherical conducting shell, inner radius a, and outer radius b, with a point charge +Q inside. In case (1) the point charge is at the center of the shell, and in case (2) it is off-center. In each case, describe the electric field in the three regions, r

Explanation / Answer

For CASE 1:

r < a:

E = kQ/r^2


a < r < b:

E = 0 inside the conductor.


r > b:

E = kQ/r^2

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For CASE 2:

Due to lack of symmetry here, we can only describe.


r < a:

There is nonzero electric field here as we can do a Gaussian surface enclosing the point charge.


a < r < b:

There is 0 magnetic field here, as it is inside a conductor.


r > b:

There is non zero electric field here as we can do a Gaussian surface enclosing the point charge.