What is the electric field above a square loop carrying a uniform line charge?

In summary, the conversation discusses solving for the electric field above a square loop carrying a uniform line charge. The solution uses symmetry to cancel out the horizontal components and calculates the vertical component of one edge using the given formula. The integral is then multiplied by 4 to account for all four edges. The conversation also includes a link to the correct forum for further discussion.
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[SOLVED] Electric field of a plate

Homework Statement


Find the electric field a distance z above the center of a square loop (side s) carrying a uniform line charge λ (see Figure 1) - it's problem 2 on this page:

http://teacher.pas.rochester.edu/PHY217/Homework/HomeworkSet3/HomeworkSet3.html

The Attempt at a Solution



Ok, first I use symmetry, so the horizontal components must cancel for the 4 edges. The vertical component of one edge is given by:

[tex]\frac{2}{{4\pi \varepsilon }}\int\limits_{x1 }^{x2 } {\frac{\lambda }{{\left( {x^2 + z^2 } \right)}}} \cos \phi dx[/tex],

where cos(\phi) = z / sqrt(x^2+z^2) so x1 = s/2 and x2=s/sqrt(2) since these are the minimal and maximal values of x.

Pay attention to that I have multiplied with 2, so we find the one whole edge, not just the half of one edge. I integrate, and multiply it all with 4 to give the correct result.

Am I correct?
 
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Physics news on Phys.org

1. What is an electric field of a plate?

The electric field of a plate is a vector field that represents the strength and direction of the force experienced by a charged particle placed in the vicinity of a charged plate.

2. How is the electric field of a plate calculated?

The electric field of a plate can be calculated by dividing the surface charge density of the plate by the permittivity of the medium in which the plate is placed.

3. What is the direction of the electric field of a plate?

The electric field of a plate is always perpendicular to the surface of the plate, pointing away from positively charged plates and towards negatively charged plates.

4. How does the distance from the plate affect the strength of the electric field?

The strength of the electric field of a plate decreases as the distance from the plate increases. This relationship follows an inverse square law, meaning that the electric field strength decreases as the distance squared.

5. What are some real-life applications of the electric field of a plate?

The electric field of a plate has many practical applications, including in capacitors, sensors, and particle accelerators. It is also used in electrostatic precipitators to remove pollutants from industrial emissions.

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