1. Why are the families of electric field lines perpendicular to the equipotenti
ID: 1655688 • Letter: 1
Question
1. Why are the families of electric field lines perpendicular to the equipotential lines?2. Why is the surface of a conductor an equipotential surface?
3. The potential difference between the two electrodes is 6V. (a) How many possible equipotential lines can you draw in the space between them? (b) How many equipotential lines do you plan to draw in this lab? (c) How many equipotential points do you plan to locate in order to construct each equipotential line?
1. Why are the families of electric field lines perpendicular to the equipotential lines?
2. Why is the surface of a conductor an equipotential surface?
3. The potential difference between the two electrodes is 6V. (a) How many possible equipotential lines can you draw in the space between them? (b) How many equipotential lines do you plan to draw in this lab? (c) How many equipotential points do you plan to locate in order to construct each equipotential line?
2. Why is the surface of a conductor an equipotential surface?
3. The potential difference between the two electrodes is 6V. (a) How many possible equipotential lines can you draw in the space between them? (b) How many equipotential lines do you plan to draw in this lab? (c) How many equipotential points do you plan to locate in order to construct each equipotential line?
Explanation / Answer
1. electric field E is given by E = -dV/dx
hence, electric field is in the direction of decreasing potential , and minimum distance between two equipotential lines is perpendicular to both of them
hence electric field lines are p[erpendicular to equipotential curves.
2. as charged conductors have no electric field inside them, and the electric field has to be perpendicular to the surface just outside the surface of the conductor because if it is not perpendicular and has a component along trhe direction of conductro, it was cause currents in the conductor which is not tha case, there are no current in electrostatically charged conductir. Hence electric field is perpendicular top the surface and hence the surface is an equipotential surface
3. for potential difference of 6V
a. we can draw infinite number of equipotential lines between them
b. 5 equipotential lines at an interval of 1 V each would be a good estimate
c. 4 -5 equip[otential points per equipotential line are enough for a rough estimate of equipotential line]
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.