About the uneven sharing of charges

  • Thread starter Thread starter lingling
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Charges
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the phenomenon of charge sharing among conductors, specifically highlighting that larger conductors, made of the same material, receive more charge during the process. This is analogous to capacitors, where larger capacitors can store more charge at the same voltage. The redistribution of charge occurs until both conductors reach the same potential difference, resulting in smaller conductors, characterized by reduced surface area or sharper curvature, acquiring less charge. This behavior is fundamentally linked to the energy required to push charge onto a conductor.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electrostatics and charge distribution
  • Familiarity with capacitor theory and characteristics
  • Knowledge of potential difference and electric fields
  • Basic principles of energy transfer in electrical systems
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of electrostatics and charge distribution in conductors
  • Explore the relationship between capacitance and surface area in capacitors
  • Study the effects of conductor shape on charge accumulation
  • Investigate energy transfer mechanisms in electrical systems
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, electrical engineers, and anyone interested in understanding charge distribution and electrostatic principles in conductors.

lingling
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Can anyone explain why in the charge sharing processes, more charges are given to the larger conductors made of the same material?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The process is similar to charging up a capacitor. Larger capacitors can store more charge for the same voltage than smaller capacitors. Energy is involved in pushing charge onto a conductor. In this process work is done which manifest as a raised potential difference (with respect to ground say) over the conductor. What happens therefore is that the charge will redistribute between the two conductors until they are both at the same potential. The conductor with the smaller surface area (or sharper curvature) will therefore take on less charge than the larger one to get to the same potential difference.
 

Similar threads

Charge conservation for 3 parallel charged plates
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
2K
Electric field external to Conducting Hollow Sphere with charge inside
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
5K
Uneven charge distribution on a conductor
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
3K
Induced charge on a conducting sphere sliced by a plane
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
Point charge with very thin metal sheet along a spherical surface
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
2K
What Are the Assumptions and Calculations for Sheet of Charge Theory?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Charge on inner/outer surfaces of two large parallel conducting plates
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
I Thought I Understood Gauss' Law (Sheets)
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
3K
Why Does Positive Charge Exert Elec. Field Beyond Neg. Charge?
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
2K
Can a dipole be modeled as a point charge?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
1K