Electric and magnetic field between concentric, conducting cylinders

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves two long, concentric, conducting cylinders carrying currents in opposite directions and maintaining a potential difference. An electron travels through the space between the cylinders without deviation, and the goal is to find an expression for its velocity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need for no net force acting on the electron, leading to the equation E = -u × B. There are attempts to derive the electric and magnetic fields using Ampere's law and Faraday's law. Questions arise regarding the relationship between electric field and potential difference.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on using Ampere's law to determine the magnetic field, while others are exploring the implications of stationary fields and boundary conditions for the electric and magnetic fields. Multiple interpretations of the problem are being considered.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of the need for boundary conditions at the surfaces of the conductors, and the discussion includes references to standard equations in electrodynamics. The context of household currents is also noted as a relevant approximation.

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Homework Statement

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Two long, concentric, conducting cylinders of radii and b (a<b) each carry a current I in opposite directions and maintain a potential difference V.
An electron with velocity u (parallel to the cylinders) travels undeviated through the space between the two cylinders.
Find an expression for |u|

Homework Equations



F=q(E+u^B)


The Attempt at a Solution



All I've managed is to say that there must be no net force, so
E=-u^B
E=-|u||B|sinθ
I'm not sure how to work out the electric of magnetic field.
 
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Use Faraday's law to find the electric field and the relation between voltage and electric field to find the electric field.

EDIT: Sorry, I meant to say use Ampere's law to find the magnetic field
 
Last edited:
OK so using amperes law I get
B=μI/2πr
Is this right?
And what's the relationship between electric field and potential difference?
 
Your magnetic field is right for the gap between the inner and outer cylinder (coax cable).

To answer your other question, you should think a bit. The equations are those for stationary fields, i.e., (in SI units)
\vec{\nabla} \times \vec{E}=0, \quad \vec{\nabla} \cdot \vec{E}=\rho, \quad \vec{\nabla} \cdot \vec{B}=0, \quad \vec{\nabla} \times \vec{B}=\mu \vec{j}, \quad \vec{j}=\sigma \vec{E}.
This holds in non-relativistic approximations for the movement of the electrons in the, and this is a damn good approximations for all household currents :-)).

In addition you need appropriate boundary conditions for the fields at the surfaces of the conductors. These you should find in any textbook of electrodynamics, e.g., Jackson, Classical electrodynamics.
 

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