How Does an Insulating Sphere Affect Electric Field Distribution?

In summary, the conversation discusses a hypothetical situation where a charge distribution is given on an insulating sphere, which differs from a conducting sphere in that charges cannot leave the surface and the electric field may vary within the sphere. The question revolves around the resulting electric field in this scenario.
  • #1
Leeoku
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Homework Statement


[PLAIN]http://lulzimg.com/i23/62babd.jpg


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


im not sure why this is an answer. The first part I noticed is that it is an insulating sphere. Insulator means that all the charges can't leave the sphere. What i do know is that in a conducting sphere, charges go to the surface and the field of any distance inside the sphere is 0. Thus, I'm assuming the insulator has some effect on this..
 
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  • #2
The charge distribution is given, and the question is about the field resulting from that charge distribution.

Leeoku said:
What i do know is that in a conducting sphere, charges go to the surface and the field of any distance inside the sphere is 0.

The charge in this hypothetical situation is spread on a hemisphere, so this is a different situation.
 

1. What is an electric field in a sphere?

The electric field in a sphere is the force per unit charge experienced by a charged particle at any point inside the sphere. It is a vector quantity that describes the strength and direction of the electric force.

2. How is the electric field in a sphere calculated?

The electric field in a sphere can be calculated using the equation E = kQ/r^2, where E is the electric field, k is the Coulomb's constant, Q is the charge of the sphere, and r is the distance from the center of the sphere.

3. How does the electric field vary inside a conducting sphere?

Inside a conducting sphere, the electric field is zero. This is because the charges on the surface of the sphere redistribute themselves in such a way that the electric field produced by them cancels out at any point inside the sphere.

4. What happens to the electric field if the charge of the sphere is doubled?

If the charge of the sphere is doubled, the electric field will also double. This is because the electric field is directly proportional to the charge of the sphere.

5. Can the electric field inside a sphere be negative?

No, the electric field inside a sphere cannot be negative. This is because the electric field is a vector quantity and its direction is always outward from the center of the sphere, regardless of the sign of the charge.

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