Equator and perpendicular bisector

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the terminology confusion surrounding the terms "equator" and "perpendicular bisector" in the context of a charged sphere and line charge. Participants clarify that the term "equatorial line" is incorrectly applied to a line charge, which should instead be referred to as a "perpendicular bisector." The conversation highlights the importance of context and accurate terminology in physics, particularly when discussing electric fields and charge distributions. The original text's use of "equatorial" appears to stem from a translation issue, leading to misunderstandings among forum members.

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EQUATOR.png

The pointed line is equator as well as perpendicular bisector.Right?
 
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It looks like the perpendicular bisector of the triangle. I have never seen the term equator with reference to a triangle.

This question belongs in the math forum.
 
mathman said:
This question belongs in the math forum.
No.Actually I was learning electric field along equatorial line.
 
Equatorial line of what? Of the Earth?
 
nasu said:
Equatorial line of what? Of the Earth?
No.Equatorial line of the attached image.
 
nasu said:
Equatorial line of what? Of the Earth?
bisector..png

look at figure 18.5
 
What is the context?
You may call it equatorial line, if you use some more general meaning of the word.
Is this a translation from another language?

The important thing is what is that line? What properties does it have? And again, context.
 
nasu said:
Is this a translation from another language?

I am sorry but what are you referring to?
 
gracy said:
Equatorial line of the attached image.
That is an unusual use of the word; the author is using some imagery here to relate the sphere to the Earth.

EDIT: see later correction
The problem involves a charged sphere. The equator doesn't relate to the triangle directly, it relates to the positioning of the line charge. Picture the line charge as lying along the equator of the charged spherical shell under consideration. Distance L is marked on that equatorial line. (Assuming I'm understanding it correctly.)
 
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  • #10
Where do you see the reference to a charged sphere? I only see a line of charge.
But it is not clear, the image should show more than it does.
 
  • #11
The figure 18.5 that gracy attached does not refer to a sphere at all. I think the person who wrote the text is a non-native speaker of English (from India, by the looks of it), and therefore made a poor choice of words. Or maybe Indian English does indeed regularly use "equatorial" in this sense.

I think it's clear from the diagram that "equatorial line" here means what American and British English speakers call "perpendicular bisector."
 
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  • #12
I believe jtbell has the right grasp of the situation.

There seem to be are a number of problems with the text. The major one being the use of the word "equatorial" in association with a line charge. I can only find the word equatorial to be defined* in association with a dipole (equal point charges of opposite polarity). I can't find another reference where the word "equatorial" is associated with any other charge distribution, certainly not a line charge because it seems clear that a line charge loses any analogy with Earth and its pair of opposite poles. Perpendicular bisector is the term that should be used.

* http://www.physics4all.org/XII/Ch_1/img_14.gif
 
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