Electric Field due to Charged Sphere

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the electric field due to a charged sphere using the formula for electric field strength: E = 1/(4πEpsilonNaught) * q/r². The user determined the net charge to be -8.34 microcoulombs, treating the sphere and the point charge as a single point charge due to the observation point being outside the sphere's radius. However, the user encountered discrepancies in their final answer, indicating a potential misunderstanding in the application of the formula or assumptions made during the calculation.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electric field concepts and formulas
  • Familiarity with Coulomb's law
  • Knowledge of the properties of charged spheres
  • Basic algebra for manipulating equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Review the derivation of the electric field due to a uniformly charged sphere
  • Study the implications of Gauss's Law in electrostatics
  • Learn about the significance of Epsilon Naught in electric field calculations
  • Practice problems involving electric fields from point charges and spherical charge distributions
USEFUL FOR

Students studying electromagnetism, physics educators, and anyone involved in solving electrostatic problems related to charged objects.

tomizzo
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Homework Statement



Refer to the attached photo for the problem statement.


Homework Equations



Electric Field Strength = 1/(4*pi*EpsilonNaught)*q/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution



So, I need to find the charge magnitude of q. Because the electric field strength is given at a point greater than the radius of the sphere, that should allow me to treat the entire sphere and point charge as a single point charge.

Using the above formula, I get the net charge to be -8.34 micro coulombs. I take this number and then subtract the charge from the sphere and should be getting the correct answer. However, I'm getting an answer not listed. Am I making an incorrect assumption somewhere?
 

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