Electric Field at S when Charge q is Displaced from O

In summary: AMI am not sure what you are asking specifically...Can you elaborate? Ok so the field outside the conductor would not change if the field inside the conductor is zero? Is that what you are saying?
  • #1
Abhishekdas
208
0

Homework Statement


A charge q is placed at point O (please refer diagram in attachment) in the cavity in a spherical uncharged conductor. Point S is outside. If q is displaced from O towards S(q still remains inside the cavity) then which of the following is correct:
Electric field at S will:
1. increase
2. Decrease
3. First increaseand then decrease
4. will not change



Homework Equations






The Attempt at a Solution



How to do this...please help me to get started...
 

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  • #2
Abhishekdas said:

Homework Statement


A charge q is placed at point O (please refer diagram in attachment) in the cavity in a spherical uncharged conductor. Point S is outside. If q is displaced from O towards S(q still remains inside the cavity) then which of the following is correct:
Electric field at S will:
1. increase
2. Decrease
3. First increaseand then decrease
4. will not change
Can you state the law that applies?

The drawing/question does not make it clear what "the cavity" is. Can you explain further?

AM
 
  • #3
This is the exact question...What exactly is not clear? The cavity they are talking about is inside the spherical conductor completely ...thats it...
 
  • #4
Abhishekdas said:
This is the exact question...What exactly is not clear? The cavity they are talking about is inside the spherical conductor completely ...thats it...
I was interpreting the outer line as a spherical? (ellipsoidal?) conducting shell. I gather that the white part in between the two circles (ellipses) is solid conducting material and the white part inside the inner one is empty. It would help if the drawing showed that.

So what law applies?

AM
 
  • #5
All of them are spheres and you the inner sphere is empty and outside it its solid conducting material...

And i think gauss law applies...not sure though because there is no symetry...will gauss law help...
Basically how to do it?
 
  • #6
Abhishekdas said:
All of them are spheres and you the inner sphere is empty and outside it its solid conducting material...

And i think gauss law applies...not sure though because there is no symetry...will gauss law help...
Basically how to do it?
Gauss' law applies.

I am not clear on the shape of the "spheres". Are they spheres or ellipsoids? The question says spheres but the drawing does not show spheres. It shows non-spherical ellipsoids.

AM
 
  • #7
Let's assume the drawing is wrong and they are perfect spheres. I don't think it really should matter since we are only asked for a qualitative analysis.

What can you say about the field inside the conductor?

What does that say about the charge density on the inside surface of the conductor on a line between O and S as the charge approaches the right side of the cavity?

What does that arrangement of charge on the inside surface do to the charge distribution on the outside surface on a line between O and S?

AM
 
  • #8
Hi...i am really sorry all af them are perfect spheres...actually i drew this using paint so this is what i managed ...
 
  • #9
Andrew Mason said:
What can you say about the field inside the conductor?

What does that say about the charge density on the inside surface of the conductor on a line between O and S as the charge approaches the right side of the cavity?

What does that arrangement of charge on the inside surface do to the charge distribution on the outside surface on a line between O and S?

AM

Field in side the conductor is zero ...But i am not getting what you meant by charge density/distribution on a line between O and S...
 
  • #10
Why would the field outside change if the field inside the conductor is zero?
 

1. What is an electric field?

An electric field is a physical field that is created by electrically charged objects. It is a force field that exists in the space surrounding a charged object and can exert a force on other charged objects within that space.

2. What is the significance of the electric field at point S?

The electric field at point S represents the force that would be exerted on a charged object placed at that point. It is a measure of the strength and direction of the electric field at that particular location.

3. How is the electric field at point S affected when a charge q is displaced from point O?

When a charge q is displaced from point O, the electric field at point S will also be affected. The magnitude of the electric field will decrease as the distance between the two points increases. The direction of the electric field will also change depending on the relative positions of the two points and the sign of the charge q.

4. What is the formula for calculating the electric field at point S when a charge q is displaced from point O?

The electric field at point S can be calculated using the formula E = kq/r^2, where k is the Coulomb's constant, q is the magnitude of the charge, and r is the distance between point O and point S.

5. How does the displacement of charge q affect the direction of the electric field at point S?

The direction of the electric field at point S will depend on the relative positions of point O and point S, as well as the sign of the charge q. If point S is located on the same side as the displaced charge q, the direction of the electric field will be away from point O for a positive charge and towards point O for a negative charge. If point S is located on the opposite side as the displaced charge q, the direction of the electric field will be towards point O for a positive charge and away from point O for a negative charge.

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