Electric field everywhere for a hollow cylindrical conductor?

AI Thread Summary
For an infinitely long, hollow conducting cylinder with inner radius a and outer radius b, the electric field is zero inside the cylinder and within the shell. Outside the shell, the electric field can be determined using Gauss's law, leading to the formula E = λ / (2π∈r), where λ is the linear charge density and r is the distance from the axis. The charge is effectively concentrated on the outer surface, similar to a spherical conductor. This approach confirms the behavior of the electric field in relation to the hollow conductor's geometry.
Vitani11
Messages
275
Reaction score
3

Homework Statement


An infinitely long, hollow, conducting cylinder has a inner radius a and outer radius b and carries a linear charge density λ along its length. What is the electric field everywhere?

Homework Equations


∫E⋅dA = Qenc/∈

Variables
∈ = permittivity constant
a = inner radius
b = outer radius
λ = linear charge density
E = electric field
r = distance to point of E field
Qenc = enclosed charge

The Attempt at a Solution


For inside (r∠a) and in the shell (a∠r∠b) the electric field is zero. I don't know what to do for outside the shell. I think the charge is concentrated on the outer shell just as for a spherical conductor, is this true? Here is my attempt for outside.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20161202_105816.jpg
    IMG_20161202_105816.jpg
    10.3 KB · Views: 589
Physics news on Phys.org
Use Gauss's law:
∫E⋅dA = Q / ∈

E ⋅ (2πrL) = λ * L / ∈ where L denotes the imaginary Gaussian surface's length.

Therefore,

E = λ / (2π∈r)

I hope this was helpful.
 
  • Like
Likes Vitani11
That is exactly what I did in the picture. Great - thank you!
 
I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top