How to draw electric field around neutral object, dipole, and charged object

In summary, the homework problem requires the student to sketch electric field lines for three objects: a neutral and grounded object on the left, a negatively charged object on the right, and a polarized object in the middle with a positive side facing right and a negative side facing left. The negatively charged object will have numerous field lines pointing towards it, including some from the positive half of the dipole. The dipole should also have a line or two going from its positive side to its negative side. The neutral object on the left will have field lines ending on it, as it acts as a grounding plane. It is unclear if there should be any field lines between the dipole and the neutral object, or between the dipole and the negatively
  • #1
yalublutebya
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Homework Statement


I'm working on a homework problem which requires me to roughly sketch electric field lines. The object on the left is neutral and grounded, the object on the right was just struck by lightning (and therefore very negatively charged) and I assume that the neutral object in the middle should now be polarized with + to the right and - to the left.

Homework Equations


None.

The Attempt at a Solution


I know that the negatively charged object will have lots of lines pointing towards it (including a few from the positive half of the dipole), and I assume that the dipole should be drawn with a line or two going from its positive side towards it's negative side, but I am unsure what happens around the neutral object on the left. Should there be any lines from the dipole to (or from) the neutral object? Or from the negative object on the right? Each of the objects are conductors, if that makes a difference.
 
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  • #2
The neutral object is likea grounding plane. this means that the field lines will end on it.
 
  • #3


I can provide some guidance on how to draw the electric field around these objects. First, it is important to understand the concept of electric field lines. These lines represent the direction and strength of the electric field at different points in space. They start from positive charges and end at negative charges. In the case of a neutral object, there are no net charges, so there will be no electric field lines coming from or going towards it.

For the negatively charged object on the right, as you correctly stated, there will be many electric field lines pointing towards it. These lines will be closer together near the object, indicating a stronger electric field, and will spread out as they move away from the object, indicating a weaker electric field.

For the dipole in the middle, there will be a few electric field lines going from the positive side towards the negative side. These lines will curve around the dipole, with more lines closer to the dipole and fewer lines as they move away. The neutral object on the left will not have any direct impact on the electric field in this scenario, so there will be no lines connecting it to the dipole or the negatively charged object.

It is also important to note that the electric field lines should never cross each other. If they do, it means that the electric field is pointing in more than one direction at a single point, which is not possible.

In summary, to draw the electric field around these objects, you should start by drawing the electric field lines for the negatively charged object, then add a few lines between the positive and negative sides of the dipole, and finally, leave the neutral object without any electric field lines. Remember to keep the lines evenly spaced and to avoid crossing them. I hope this helps with your homework problem. Good luck!
 

1. How do I draw the electric field around a neutral object?

The electric field around a neutral object is represented by evenly spaced field lines that originate from the object and extend outward in all directions. These field lines indicate the direction and strength of the electric field at any given point. Draw these lines using a ruler or a compass to create evenly spaced lines.

2. What does the electric field look like around a dipole?

A dipole consists of two equal and opposite charges separated by a small distance. The electric field around a dipole is asymmetric and resembles two separate electric fields, one originating from the positive charge and one originating from the negative charge. The field lines curve away from the positive charge and towards the negative charge, creating a dipole pattern.

3. How do I draw the electric field around a charged object?

The electric field around a charged object is represented by field lines that originate from the positive charge and terminate at the negative charge. The density of the field lines is directly proportional to the strength of the electric field. Use a compass to draw the field lines in a radial pattern from the positive charge and towards the negative charge.

4. Can I use color to represent the strength of the electric field?

Yes, you can use color to represent the strength of the electric field. A darker color can be used to show a stronger electric field, while a lighter color can be used to indicate a weaker electric field. This can be useful when drawing complex electric fields with varying strengths at different points.

5. What is the purpose of drawing the electric field around objects?

Drawing the electric field around objects is a way to visually represent the direction and strength of the electric field at different points. This can help in understanding the behavior of charged particles and their interactions with the electric field. It is also useful in predicting the movement of charged particles in an electric field, which has practical applications in fields such as electronics and electromagnetics.

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