a) What can you say about the charge density inside a piece of conducting materi

Question

a) What can you say about the charge density inside a piece of conducting material at electrostatic equilibrium? Justify your answer.

b) Explain why two distinct equipotential surfaces cannot intersect.

c) Explain why equipotential surfaces are perpendicular to the electric field lines.

d) A point charge q=30nC is placed in the cavity of a conducting shell. The shell itself has a total charge of -50nC. Find the charges on the inner and outer surfaces of the shell. Please place a step by step solution/explanation.

Explanation / Answer

part A:
At equilibrium under electrostatic conditions, the electric field at any point within a conducting material is zero

due to this a charge placed inside the cavity experiences no force

part B :

If they corss at a point, the point will have two directional electric field it is impossible.

Electri field lines never intersect each other they will lie along resultant field.

part C: electric potential between two points as work done per charge

along equipotential surface , V is coanstant E = 0

so to have electric force F = E q

so V if it is parallel , E = 0

thus equipotential surfaces are perpendicular to the electric field lines

-------------------------------------

part D :

on inner surface q = -30 nC

on outer suface Q = 50nC - 30nC = 20nC

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.