Electrostatic Potential of cylindrical surface

In summary, the problem involves a cylindrical surface with a charge density that varies with z, and the task is to find the electrostatic potential at the origin. The equations that could potentially be used are Laplace/Poisson or integrating the charge density over the area. The person is unsure of how to approach the problem and is seeking help with boundary conditions and making sense of the solution.
  • #1
greygasher
1
0

Homework Statement


The figure shows a section of a cylindrical surface, height h and radius R. The curved surface extends from the z-axis to the y-axis only and has a charge density given by σ(z)= σ0z where σ0is some constant. ind the electrostatic potental at a. (a is at the origin)

I'm sorry I'm not sure how to get the picture up here. It's not that complicated, just a cylindrical shell but it's cut in a way that nothing cancels out (as I hope is obvious from the problem description)

Homework Equations


(1) Laplace/Poisson

or

(2)
690ab6aada2735237ee2fba30dc1698b.png


The Attempt at a Solution


I'm really kind of at a loss. I could solve the Laplace for cylindrical coordinates (as that is where our lectures have been heading) but I feel like there's absolutely no symmetry to exploit and it would be way too much work. I would almost just want to find the electric field and integrate to get the potential, but we've never really done (nor can I find much help online with) a varying charge density. So I get stuck with finding the enclosed charge.
If I end up needing to use Laplace, I'd like some help with my boundary conditions and probably making sense of the whole mess. I can follow the derivation alright but the solution is a hair away from being over my head.
 
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  • #2
what about integrating the charge density over the area.
[tex]
V(r)= \int_{a}^{b}\frac{\sigma}{4\pi\epsilon_0r}da
[/tex]
 

1. What is electrostatic potential?

Electrostatic potential is the measure of the electrical potential energy that a charged particle possesses due to its position in an electric field.

2. How is the electrostatic potential of a cylindrical surface calculated?

The electrostatic potential of a cylindrical surface can be calculated using the formula V = kλln(b/a), where V is the potential, k is the Coulomb constant, λ is the surface charge density, and a and b are the inner and outer radii of the cylinder.

3. How does the electrostatic potential change along a cylindrical surface?

The electrostatic potential decreases as you move away from the surface, following an inverse relationship with the distance from the surface. This is because the electric field strength decreases with distance, resulting in a decrease in potential energy.

4. Can the electrostatic potential of a cylindrical surface be negative?

Yes, the electrostatic potential of a cylindrical surface can be negative. This indicates that the surface has a negative charge and the potential energy of a positively charged particle decreases as it moves closer to the surface.

5. What is the significance of the electrostatic potential of a cylindrical surface?

The electrostatic potential of a cylindrical surface is useful in understanding the behavior of charged particles near the surface and can be used to calculate the work done on a charged particle as it moves through the electric field created by the surface.

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