- #1
Pushoam
- 962
- 51
We have two conducting spheres of radius r1 and r2 far away from each other. The first sphere has a charge Q. What is the change in electrostatic potential energy when they are connected together?
Before the connection ,
Ube = ##
\frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1} ##
After the connection ,
Uaf = ## \frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1}
\frac{r_1}{r_1+r_2}
##
change in electrostatic potential energy =
Uaf - Ube =
-## \frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1}
\frac{r_2}{r_1+r_2}##
I want to know that where does this energy get lost?
Does it get lost in the form of kinetic energy when the charges move around to redistribute themselves over the two conductors?
But , when again the charges become stationary, where do these K.E. go? Don't they get converted back into electrostatic energy?
Is there any way to know whether Uaf >Ube or Uaf <Ube before doing the calculation?
Before the connection ,
Ube = ##
\frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1} ##
After the connection ,
Uaf = ## \frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1}
\frac{r_1}{r_1+r_2}
##
change in electrostatic potential energy =
Uaf - Ube =
-## \frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1}
\frac{r_2}{r_1+r_2}##
I want to know that where does this energy get lost?
Does it get lost in the form of kinetic energy when the charges move around to redistribute themselves over the two conductors?
But , when again the charges become stationary, where do these K.E. go? Don't they get converted back into electrostatic energy?
Is there any way to know whether Uaf >Ube or Uaf <Ube before doing the calculation?