Calculating Electric Field in Water-Filled Container: What is the Best Method?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the electric field generated by a charge above a water-filled container, with particular attention to the differing electrostatic constants in air and water.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the method of images, questioning its applicability to the scenario, particularly regarding the assumptions about the boundary conditions. Others suggest using Gauss' Law and trigonometry to analyze the problem.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants raising questions about the assumptions involved in the method of images and considering alternative approaches. Some guidance has been offered regarding potential methods, but no consensus has been reached on the best approach.

Contextual Notes

There is an indication of homework constraints, as some participants express concern about the nature of the problem and its treatment in educational contexts.

LuGoBi
This is killing me. I have an electrical charge in the air and below it I have a container filled with water. How do I calculate the electric field generated by the charge on the bottom of the cointainer? Bear in mind the electrostatic constant in water is different than from air.
 
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Assuming the surface of the water is like an infinite plane, this is a standard image problem treated in most textbooks.
 
pam said:
Assuming the surface of the water is like an infinite plane, this is a standard image problem treated in most textbooks.

Could you ellaborate, then?
 
I can't go through the whole method of images.
You may have to look at a book.
 
smells like homework?
 
Excuses me, pam (or others), but doesn't the method of images require that the boundary region be a (grounded) perfect conductor?

Treating the problem in a brute-force manner (Gauss' Law, Cartesian coordinates), this doesn't sound TOO bad. You just need to invoke some pretty clever trigonometry to account for the surface of the water.
 

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