Calculating Charge at the Center of a Spherical Shell has me stumped

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the charge at the center of a spherical shell, with references to Gauss's Law and the behavior of electric fields in relation to enclosed charges. Participants are exploring the implications of charge distribution and symmetry in electric fields.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss drawing Gaussian surfaces to analyze the charge distribution, questioning the implications of enclosed charges and the symmetry of the electric field. There are attempts to relate the charge at the center to the charge on the surface of the shell and to clarify the integration of equations provided in the problem.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants offering hints and suggestions regarding the application of Gauss's Law. There are multiple interpretations being explored, particularly concerning the relationship between the charge at the center and the charge on the shell. Some participants are questioning assumptions about the charge distribution and its implications.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working with a scanned document that outlines the problem and relevant equations, which may contain specific constraints or details that are not fully articulated in the discussion. The nature of the homework problem suggests that assumptions about charge distribution and symmetry are critical to the analysis.

Physicsman69
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Edit: Forgot to type "stumped" at the end of the title

1. Homework Statement

Instead of typing it out, a link to a scanned document of the problem is here: http://imgur.com/Be3jSLp.

Homework Equations


The equations to use are stated in the problem here: http://imgur.com/Be3jSLp

The Attempt at a Solution


For 3.a: Wouldn't you have to draw a gaussian sphere around the outer edge of the sphere, which would yield an enclosed charge of Q_o? Then after that, wouldn't you draw another one inside the conducting shell, resulting in an enclosed charge of zero? Therefore, wouldn't the charge at the center be -Q_o?

For 3.b: Using the equation given, I don't know exactly how to integrate the equation after you substitute in the E value given in the beginning of the problem.

Any advice?
 
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Physicsman69 said:
Edit: Forgot to type "stumped" at the end of the title

1. Homework Statement

Instead of typing it out, a link to a scanned document of the problem is here: http://imgur.com/Be3jSLp.

Homework Equations


The equations to use are stated in the problem here: http://imgur.com/Be3jSLp

The Attempt at a Solution


For 3.a: Wouldn't you have to draw a gaussian sphere around the outer edge of the sphere, which would yield an enclosed charge of Q_o? Then after that, wouldn't you draw another one inside the conducting shell, resulting in an enclosed charge of zero? Therefore, wouldn't the charge at the center be -Q_o?

For 3.b: Using the equation given, I don't know exactly how to integrate the equation after you substitute in the E value given in the beginning of the problem.

Any advice?
Here's the image:
upload_2015-12-4_16-5-30.png


Have you tried applying Gauss's Law ?
 
Hi Physicsman69:

I suggest you keep the following hints in mind:
1. The total field is radially symmetric.
2. The field out side of the sphere at radius r is exactly the same as if the total charge inside
Q0 + q0
was at the center.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Buzz
 
Have you tried applying Gauss's Law ?

Yes, you can draw a gaussian surface outside of the sphere which would yield $$E4\pi r^2 = Q_0/\epsilon$$

And, then a gaussian surface drawn inside the conducting shell would yield $$E4\pi r^2 = 0/\epsilon$$

Wouldn't this mean the charge in the center equals $$-Q_0$$ To offset the positive charge on the surface of the shell?

I suggest you keep the following hints in mind:
1. The total field is radially symmetric.
2. The field out side of the sphere at radius r is exactly the same as if the total charge inside
Q0 + q0
was at the center.

Being that it is radially symmetric, the integral for Gauss' law would yield: $$E4\pi r^2$$ That is what you are implying right?

And for #2 are you saying that the unknown charge at the center, q0, would have to be opposite and equal of Q0?
 
Wait, for:

Buzz Bloom said:
Hi Physicsman69:

I suggest you keep the following hints in mind:
1. The total field is radially symmetric.
2. The field out side of the sphere at radius r is exactly the same as if the total charge inside
Q0 + q0
was at the center.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Buzz

For #2, this would mean that q0 would be actually be zero, correct? A charge uniformly distributed over the surface, can act like a charge concentrated at the center, therefore Q0 + q0 = Q0, so q0 = 0?
 
Just make a spherical net around that spherical shell and shrink it to just a point at the centre carrying unaltered total of charge.

Edit
Maybe it's right to call it Gauss's net?
 
azizlwl said:
Just make a spherical net around that spherical shell and shrink it to just a point at the centre carrying unaltered total of charge.
A gaussian surface just around the point at the center wouldn't yield anything. The charge at the center is unknown.
 
Gauss's Law
dQ=D.dA
For spherical surface,
Q=DA, where D=εE.
Where Q is net charge at the center.
 
Physicsman69 said:
Yes, you can draw a gaussian surface outside of the sphere which would yield $$E4\pi r^2 = Q_0/\epsilon$$
The total charge enclosed is Q0 + q0, is it not?

And, then a gaussian surface drawn inside the conducting shell would yield $$E4\pi r^2 = 0/\epsilon$$Wouldn't this mean the charge in the center equals $$-Q_0$$ To offset the positive charge on the surface of the shell?

Being that it is radially symmetric, the integral for Gauss' law would yield: $$E4\pi r^2$$ That is what you are implying right?

And for #2 are you saying that the unknown charge at the center, q0, would have to be opposite and equal of Q0?
 

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