Change in electrostatic potential energy of two spheres

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the change in electrostatic potential energy when two conducting spheres are connected together. Participants explore the implications of this energy change, including the redistribution of charge and the fate of energy lost during the process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant calculates the initial and final electrostatic potential energy of the spheres and questions where the lost energy goes during charge redistribution.
  • Another participant suggests that the energy of each sphere must be included in the calculations, indicating that this adds complexity to the problem.
  • A participant reiterates the need to include the energy of each sphere and mentions that they have done so.
  • There is a query about whether the lost energy during charge redistribution is converted back into electrostatic energy once the charges become stationary.
  • One participant proposes that the lost energy ends up as waste heat when the system transitions from a higher energy stable configuration to a lower energy stable configuration, although the details of this process may be complicated.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the calculations required to determine the change in energy and the fate of the lost energy, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without a consensus.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the complexity of including the energy of each sphere in the calculations and the unresolved nature of how kinetic energy is transformed during the redistribution of charge.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying electrostatics, particularly in understanding energy transformations in systems of charged conductors.

Pushoam
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We have two conducting spheres of radius r1 and r2 far away from each other. The first sphere has a charge Q. What is the change in electrostatic potential energy when they are connected together?
Before the connection ,
Ube = ##
\frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1} ##
After the connection ,
Uaf = ## \frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1}
\frac{r_1}{r_1+r_2}
##
change in electrostatic potential energy =
Uaf - Ube =
-## \frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1}
\frac{r_2}{r_1+r_2}##
I want to know that where does this energy get lost?
Does it get lost in the form of kinetic energy when the charges move around to redistribute themselves over the two conductors?
But , when again the charges become stationary, where do these K.E. go? Don't they get converted back into electrostatic energy?
Is there any way to know whether Uaf >Ube or Uaf <Ube before doing the calculation?
 
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You have to include energy of each sphere, which is a rather complicated calculation.
 
Meir Achuz said:
You have to include energy of each sphere, which is a rather complicated calculation
I have included energy of each sphere.
 
Pushoam said:
Does it get lost in the form of kinetic energy when the charges move around to redistribute themselves over the two conductors?
But , when again the charges become stationary, where do these K.E. go?
It ends up as waste heat. Working out the details of how this happens may be fairly complicated, but when a closed system moves from a higher energy stable configuration to a lower energy stable configuration, the missing energy ends up as heat.
 

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