Equipotential Surfaces for Different Charge Configurations: Where to Find Them?

In summary, the conversation was about sketching equipotential surfaces for different charge configurations, including a point charge, spherically symmetric charge distribution, very large plane uniformly-charged sheet, long uniformly-charged cylinder, and electric dipole. The suggested websites for help were http://www.falstad.com/vector3de/ and https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=416703&highlight=sketch, and the importance of field lines being perpendicular to equipotential surfaces was also mentioned.
  • #1
pat666
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Homework Statement


Sketch the equipotential surfaces which result from the following charge configurations:
(a) a point charge
(b) a spherically symmetric charge distribution
(c) a very large, plane, uniformly-charged sheet
(d) a long, uniformly-charged cylinder
(e) an electric dipole.


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


a) and e) I have but the rest I can't find...
Can someone show me a good website or something, I need these for an assignment.
 
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  • #3
wow that app is really cool and helpful - didnt work for me last time (no plugin) -- ill draw them up and post them to check - thanks for that
 

1. What are equipotential lines?

Equipotential lines are imaginary lines that connect points on a surface where the potential is the same. They are used to visualize the electric field and understand the behavior of charged particles in an electric field.

2. How are equipotential lines related to electric fields?

Equipotential lines are always perpendicular to electric field lines at every point. This means that the electric field is always tangent to the equipotential lines. In other words, moving along an equipotential line does not change the potential, so no work is done by the electric field.

3. How do you create equipotential lines?

Equipotential lines are created by drawing a line through points on a surface that have the same potential. This can be done by using a voltmeter to measure the potential at different points and then connecting the points with a line. Alternatively, computer programs can also be used to create equipotential lines.

4. What do the spacing and shape of equipotential lines indicate?

The spacing between equipotential lines represents the strength of the electric field. The closer the lines are to each other, the stronger the electric field is. The shape of the equipotential lines also indicates the direction of the electric field, as they are always perpendicular to the electric field lines.

5. How are equipotential lines useful in practical applications?

Equipotential lines are useful in a variety of practical applications, such as designing electrical circuits and predicting the behavior of charged particles in electric fields. They also help in understanding the distribution of charges on conductors and insulators, and in visualizing electric fields in complex systems.

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