Conceptual Electric field question

In summary, the question is asking about the magnitudes of electric fields created by two solid spheres with identical total charges of 2 microcoulombs and radius of 5 cm. Sphere A is a good conductor while Sphere B is an insulator with a uniformly distributed charge throughout its volume. At a radial distance of 6 cm, the electric field of Sphere A is greater than the electric field of Sphere B, which is equal to 0. The same comparison holds true at a radial distance of 4 cm. This comparison is not affected by the spheres being in close proximity to each other.
  • #1
irishbob
22
0

Homework Statement


Two solid spheres, both of radius 5 cm, carry identical total charges of 2 microcoulombs. Sphere A is a good conductor. Sphere B is an insulator, and its charge is distributed uniformly throughout its volume. How do the magnitudes of the electric fields they separately create at a radial distance of 6 cm compare?
A: Ea>Eb=0
B: Ea>Eb>0
C: Ea=Eb>0
D: Ea=Eb=0
E: 0<Ea<Eb
F: 0=Ea<Eb

How do the magnitudes of the electric fields they separately create at radius 4 cm compare? Chose from the same possibilities.

Homework Equations


E=K[tex]\frac{q}{r^2}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


Well I think it's C for both, but for some reason I'm not confident. I just want to make sure I'm understanding the question. So it's only asking about the electric field at a given point 6 (and 4) cm away without them anywhere near each other, meaning their fields are not interacting at all. Is this right?
This isn't for webassign, so I have no way to confirm.
 
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  • #2
irishbob said:
Well I think it's C for both, but for some reason I'm not confident. I just want to make sure I'm understanding the question. So it's only asking about the electric field at a given point 6 (and 4) cm away without them anywhere near each other, meaning their fields are not interacting at all. Is this right?

That's the way I read it.
 
  • #3
Cool, just wanted to make sure. I understand this stuff pretty well conceptually, but I'm awful at interpreting the questions.
 

1. What is an electric field?

An electric field is a physical quantity that describes the influence a source charge has on other charges in its vicinity. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction, and is represented by the symbol E.

2. How is an electric field created?

An electric field is created by an electric charge. Positive charges create electric fields that point away from them, while negative charges create electric fields that point towards them. The strength of the field is determined by the magnitude of the charge and the distance from the charge.

3. How does the direction of an electric field change with distance?

The direction of an electric field changes with distance according to the inverse square law. This means that as distance from the source charge increases, the strength of the field decreases and the field lines become more spread out, resulting in a weaker field in the same direction as the original field.

4. What is the relationship between electric field and electric potential?

The relationship between electric field and electric potential is given by the equation E = -∇V, where E is the electric field, V is the electric potential, and ∇ is the gradient operator. This relationship shows that the electric field is the negative gradient of the electric potential, meaning that the field is perpendicular to the equipotential surfaces.

5. How is the strength of an electric field measured?

The strength of an electric field is measured in units of Newtons per Coulomb (N/C) or Volts per meter (V/m). It can be measured using a device called an electric field meter, which measures the force experienced by a test charge placed in the field. The greater the force experienced, the stronger the electric field is at that point.

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