Electrostatics: cube with 3 charged walls

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the electric field at the center of a cube with three adjacent walls charged at -2nC/m². Two methods are proposed for solving the problem, one using the equation for an infinite plane and vector addition, yielding a field strength of approximately 65 V/m, and the other employing area integration, resulting in a significantly smaller value. Participants emphasize the importance of considering the symmetry and distances from the walls to the center when calculating the electric field. The confusion arises from the differing results of the two methods, prompting a need for clarification on the correct approach. Ultimately, the discussion highlights the complexities of electrostatics and the significance of vector analysis in determining electric fields.
Rimantas B.
Messages
3
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


There is a cube with a side length of 0,2m. Its three adjacent walls bear an area charge of -2nC/m2.
Find the strength of the electric field at the center of the cube.

Homework Equations


E = \frac{\sigma}{2 \varepsilon _{0}}
dE = \frac{\sigma dS}{4 \pi \varepsilon _{0} r^{2}}

The Attempt at a Solution



My problem is that I can think of two methods to solve this and get wildly different results.
First attempt:
The first equation is for an infinite plane. However, the walls of the cube are finite. We could say that each of the walls takes 1/6 of the total field of view, so the field strength of each wall would be E _{1} = \frac{\sigma}{12 \varepsilon _{0}}.
Then, using vector addition, we can reason that E _{total} = \sqrt{3} E_1 as they are all perpendicular to each other.
This gives a total field strength of about 65 V/m.

Second attempt:
We could use an area integral to obtain E_{1}. Because of the symmetry, the components of the field not perpendicular to the walls cancel each other out, therefore we can only care about the perpendicular ones. That gives us
dE = \frac{\sigma cos(\alpha) dS}{4 \pi \varepsilon _{0} r^{2}} = \frac{\sigma d dx dy}{4 \pi \varepsilon _{0} r^{3}}
herein d is the fixed distance in one axis from the wall to the center - that is, \frac{a}{2}=0,1m
Placing the center of the coordinate system in the center of the wall, we can integrate from x=-0,1 to 0,1 and y=-0,1 to 0,1.
Doing this gives a result more than ten times smaller than the previous method.

Which is correct, if any?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Your first method confuses me.

Only three of the walls bear charges, so why should each wall possesses the same E field?
It depends on the distance from any charge.

Each charge produces an electric force. Try making a diagram of the cube, showing where the charges are placed in what directions the forces point.R.
 
I meant, all of the charged walls. The distances from each wall to the center are equal. This is a drawing showing the charged walls.
 

Attachments

  • Charged cube.png
    Charged cube.png
    1.6 KB · Views: 458
It still was incorrect.

Anyway, if those are the charged walls, just they produce E fields.
So just look closely at where the E fields would point and what their strength would be at the centre of the cube.
Remember E is a vector!
 
I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top