E field outside of two non conductive shells?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jdub129
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Field Outside
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 reply · 2K views
jdub129
Messages
1
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



Two non conductive shells surround each other, with radius r1, r2 and charges q1, q2 respectively.
Find electric fields for E(r < r1), E(r1 < r < r2), E(r > r2)

r1 is the inner shell, r2 is the outer shell (r1 < r2)

Homework Equations



I'm using gauss' law

flux = E * A = q_enclosed / epsilon_not

The Attempt at a Solution



E(r < r1) = 0
E(r1 < r < r2) = q1 / 4 * pi * episolon_not * r^2

I'm confused on E(r > r2), what is the charged enclosed for two surrounding non conductive shells?
Would I add up the charge from both (q1 + q2)? or would it only be the charge on the outer shell q2?

I don't know what is significant about the shells being "non conductive" vs "conductive" what is the difference?

please respond.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
q1 + q2

No difference with conductive shells.