- #1
FallenLeibniz
- 86
- 1
In an example in my book, the author poses the following question: Given two large plates
at a distance d from each other with arbitrary charges Q' and Q" (with Q' on the bottom plate
and Q" on the top plate), how are the charges distributed on the plates? The author lists
the following equations:
##Q_{1u}+Q_{1l}=Q'##
##Q_{2u}+Q_{2l}=Q"##
##\frac{Q_{1u}}{A}+\frac{Q_{2l}}{A}=0##
##\frac{Q_{1l}}{A}-\frac{Q_{2u}}{A}=0##
Where the subscripts designate the side of the plate and A is the area of both plates.
Now the reasoning for the first two equations is obvious. In his explanation of the reasoning
behind the last two equations, he suggests that the charge distributes such as to create an
electric field in the conductor such that it cancels the field from the other plates.
My question is this. The solutions to the questions above suggest that when the plates just
have arbitrary charges, the charge that is on the sides of the plates that do not compose
the gap between them may not necessarily be zero. However, when the plates are connected via
a battery to form a capacitor, those charges on those surfaces must be zero. Why is this so?
P.S.
I would like to note that this scenario is in the context of Electrostatics and that the dimensions
composing A are way larger than the separation distance d.
at a distance d from each other with arbitrary charges Q' and Q" (with Q' on the bottom plate
and Q" on the top plate), how are the charges distributed on the plates? The author lists
the following equations:
##Q_{1u}+Q_{1l}=Q'##
##Q_{2u}+Q_{2l}=Q"##
##\frac{Q_{1u}}{A}+\frac{Q_{2l}}{A}=0##
##\frac{Q_{1l}}{A}-\frac{Q_{2u}}{A}=0##
Where the subscripts designate the side of the plate and A is the area of both plates.
Now the reasoning for the first two equations is obvious. In his explanation of the reasoning
behind the last two equations, he suggests that the charge distributes such as to create an
electric field in the conductor such that it cancels the field from the other plates.
My question is this. The solutions to the questions above suggest that when the plates just
have arbitrary charges, the charge that is on the sides of the plates that do not compose
the gap between them may not necessarily be zero. However, when the plates are connected via
a battery to form a capacitor, those charges on those surfaces must be zero. Why is this so?
P.S.
I would like to note that this scenario is in the context of Electrostatics and that the dimensions
composing A are way larger than the separation distance d.