Calculate the field within a hole on a charged sphere

In summary, the question asks for the electric field at the center of a uniformly-charged negative hollow sphere with a positive circular piece of charged shell on the outside. The circular piece creates an electric field of the same magnitude but opposite direction on the two faces, which would cancel out with the field of the sphere. The remaining field would extend radially and have the same magnitude in any point on the disk. Therefore, the total field at the center would be the sum of the field from the disk and the field from the sphere.
  • #1
Aesteus
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0

Homework Statement



If you have a uniformly-charged negative hollow sphere of charge, with a positive circular piece of charged shell superimposed on the outside, what is the electric field in the center of the circular piece? Also what part of the field going through the piece's center is locally generated?

Homework Equations



EA=q/ε ... E=(q/ε)*1/(4*pi*r^2)

The Attempt at a Solution



I assume that none of the field will be locally generated, because the circular-positive piece will totally cancel out with the field of the sphere. I'm not sure where to go from there though, as I would think the remaining sphere's field would extend radially.
 
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  • #2
Hint:

The circular piece creates the same magnitude, but opposite direction electric field on the two faces. The rest of the sphere would create the same field in these infinitesimally separated points.

What is the total field inside the charged sphere?
 
  • #3
Alright so I'm guessing that because the fields point in opposite directions, they superimpose on each other, and because the circular-charged regions are essentially flat that we can treat them as planes of charge. Thus the field going through the disk is essentially the same at any arbitrary point such that the field through its center is E=E(disk)+E(sphere). What do you think?
 
Last edited:

1. What is the formula for calculating the field within a hole on a charged sphere?

The formula for calculating the field within a hole on a charged sphere is: E = kQ/r^2, where E is the electric field, k is Coulomb's constant (9x10^9 Nm^2/C^2), Q is the charge of the sphere, and r is the distance from the center of the hole to the point where the field is being calculated.

2. How do I determine the direction of the electric field within the hole on a charged sphere?

The direction of the electric field within the hole on a charged sphere is determined by the direction of the force that would be experienced by a positive test charge placed at that point. If the force would be repulsive, the electric field is pointing away from the sphere. If the force would be attractive, the electric field is pointing towards the sphere.

3. Can the electric field within the hole on a charged sphere ever be zero?

Yes, it is possible for the electric field within the hole on a charged sphere to be zero. This occurs at the center of the sphere, where the distance from any point on the sphere's surface to the center is zero. Therefore, the electric field would be E = kQ/0, which is undefined. However, as you approach the center of the sphere, the electric field becomes smaller and smaller, approaching zero.

4. How does the size of the hole on a charged sphere affect the electric field within the hole?

The size of the hole on a charged sphere does not have a direct effect on the electric field within the hole. The electric field is primarily determined by the charge and distance from the center of the hole to the point where the field is being calculated. However, as the size of the hole increases, the electric field at the edges of the hole may be slightly different than at the center, due to the distribution of charge on the sphere's surface.

5. Is there a limit to the strength of the electric field within the hole on a charged sphere?

Yes, there is a limit to the strength of the electric field within the hole on a charged sphere. This limit is determined by the charge of the sphere and the distance from the center of the hole. As you get closer to the sphere, the electric field becomes stronger, but it will never reach an infinite value. The electric field is also limited by the breakdown strength of the material surrounding the sphere, as very strong fields can cause the material to break down and conduct electricity.

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