Calculating Electric Potential on an Infinite Charged Plane: A Homework Guide

[ibaraku]

Homework Statement

An infinite plane sheet of charge has uniform surface density
sigma = 1.00nC. What is the separation between equipotential surfaces differing in potential by 10.0V


I just a push in the right direction, thanks

 

[Gear300]

An infinite plane sheet of charge carries uniform electric field through infinite space excluding the sheet itself. Find the electric field; the electric potential should simply be the scalar product of the electric field and displacement (when finding the electric field, note that the Gaussian formula is for closed surfaces rather than open planes, or, by theory, surfaces that receive all electric flux/field lines...that is...if I have the concept right).

 

[baba89]

I am happy to help guide you in your homework. To calculate the electric potential on an infinite charged plane, we can use the formula V = k * sigma, where k is the Coulomb's constant (8.99 * 10^9 Nm^2/C^2) and sigma is the surface charge density in Coulombs per square meter. In this case, sigma is given as 1.00nC, which is equivalent to 1.00 * 10^-9 C/m^2. Plugging these values into the formula, we get V = 8.99 * 10^9 * 1.00 * 10^-9 = 8.99 V/m.

To calculate the separation between equipotential surfaces differing in potential by 10.0V, we can use the formula d = V/deltaV, where d is the separation distance and deltaV is the potential difference. In this case, deltaV is given as 10.0V. Plugging in our calculated V value of 8.99 V/m, we get d = 8.99/10.0 = 0.899 m. Therefore, the separation between the equipotential surfaces is 0.899 meters.

I hope this helps guide you in solving your homework question. Remember to always double check your units and equations to ensure accuracy in your calculations. Good luck!