Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable

In summary: There are two separate regions where r > b that you should consider. First, the region inside the outer conducting sheet: b < r < c. Points in this region are inside the conducting material of the sheet. So, deducing E and D in this region is easy.The other region is r > c which consists of all points outside the cable. Here you can use your Gaussian surface and calculate the electric fields. Note that in this region, the electric fields are zero at the point r>c because the charges on the two surfaces cancel each other out.
  • #1
jendrix
122
4

Homework Statement



I have attached the problem

Homework Equations



E*A = Qenc/ E0

The Attempt at a Solution



At the moment I am looking at the problem more conceptually and seeing what is happening at each point and I wanted to know If I was on the right track.

r<a

As all charge would reside on the outside of the inner conductor there would be no electric field

a<r<R

The electric field would be q/(2pi*r*E1*E0)

R<r<b

The electric field would be q/(2pi*r*E2*E0)

b<r<c

This is the part that has me puzzled , I thought the inner conductor charge(q) and outer conductor charge (-q) would cancel each other , so there would be no field present? Is this part mean to represent the outer rubber shielding of a coaxial cable?

c<r

Would the electric field also be zero outside of the cable due to the two charges cancelling?Thanks
 

Attachments

  • ex3.jpg
    ex3.jpg
    53.2 KB · Views: 937
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
OK for the fields you've derived so far.

jendrix said:

Homework Statement


b<r<c

This is the part that has me puzzled , I thought the inner conductor charge(q) and outer conductor charge (-q) would cancel each other , so there would be no field present? Is this part mean to represent the outer rubber shielding of a coaxial cable?
For b<r<c you are inside the outer conductor.

c<r

Would the electric field also be zero outside of the cable due to the two charges cancelling?
No, I don't think so. Can you see why the net charge of the system is not zero? [EDIT: The field might indeed be zero outside! To get the field outside of the cable use the same method you used for inside.]
 
Last edited:
  • #3
TSny said:
OK for the fields you've derived so far.For b<r<c you are inside the outer conductor.
No, I don't think so. Can you see why the net charge of the system is not zero?

Do the charges not cancel as at any point beyond b you will be at two different distances from the respective charges , hence the electric fields will have a different magnitude?

For b<r<c would you add the two electric fields?
 
  • #4
jendrix said:
Do the charges not cancel as at any point beyond b you will be at two different distances from the respective charges , hence the electric fields will have a different magnitude?
The two conductors have equal and opposite charge. But there could be some induced charge at certain locations of the dielectric. I haven't worked it out.
Actually, for the field outside the outer conductor, I now think that the field might be zero. I'll try to find time to work on it. But I think you should think about any induced charges in the dielectrics.
For b<r<c would you add the two electric fields?
For b<r<c you are inside the outer conducting sheet. What do you know about E inside a conductor?
 
  • #5
OK, you don't need to worry about the values of the induced charge on the surfaces of the dielectrics in order to answer the questions. You have already worked out the fields inside the dielectrics. You just need to find the field outside the outer conductor. You should be able to do this using the same method that you used for the other regions.
 
  • #6
TSny said:
OK, you don't need to worry about the values of the induced charge on the surfaces of the dielectrics in order to answer the questions. You have already worked out the fields inside the dielectrics. You just need to find the field outside the outer conductor. You should be able to do this using the same method that you used for the other regions.

Thanks , I have managed to solve the numerical parts as like you say , they are concerned with the fields in the dialectrics.I have checked the answers and the electric fields are shown to be 0 at the point r>b but I don't understand why this would be the case , is it as simple as drawing a Gaussian surface at r=c and saying the enclosed charge would be +q and -q therefore 0?
 
  • #7
jendrix said:
Thanks , I have managed to solve the numerical parts as like you say , they are concerned with the fields in the dialectrics.I have checked the answers and the electric fields are shown to be 0 at the point r>b but I don't understand why this would be the case , is it as simple as drawing a Gaussian surface at r=c and saying the enclosed charge would be +q and -q therefore 0?
There are two separate regions where r > b that you should consider. First, the region inside the outer conducting sheet: b < r < c. Points in this region are inside the conducting material of the sheet. So, deducing E and D in this region is easy.

The other region is r > c which consists of all points outside the cable. Here you can use your Gaussian surface and use the fact that the total charge enclosed is zero. Note that there are induced charges on the surfaces of the dielectrics as well as the "free" charge q and -q on the conductors. But, the total induced charge must be zero because the net charge of the dielectrics is zero.
 
  • #8
TSny said:
There are two separate regions where r > b that you should consider. First, the region inside the outer conducting sheet: b < r < c. Points in this region are inside the conducting material of the sheet. So, deducing E and D in this region is easy.

The other region is r > c which consists of all points outside the cable. Here you can use your Gaussian surface and use the fact that the total charge enclosed is zero. Note that there are induced charges on the surfaces of the dielectrics as well as the "free" charge q and -q on the conductors. But, the total induced charge must be zero because the net charge of the dielectrics is zero.

Could you expand on the first part ,where b < r < c , what is the significance of points in this region being inside the conducting sheet?

Thanks
 
  • #11
OK, you are very welcome.
 

What is Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable?

Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable states that the electric field between the inner and outer conductors of a coaxial cable is directly proportional to the surface charge density at the inner conductor and inversely proportional to the distance between the two conductors.

How is Gauss' Law applied to a coaxial cable?

In order to apply Gauss' Law to a coaxial cable, the electric field must be calculated at a point between the inner and outer conductors. This can be done by finding the surface charge density at the inner conductor and the distance between the two conductors.

What are the assumptions made in Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable?

The assumptions made in Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable include: the cable must be infinitely long, the conductors are perfect conductors, and there are no external charges present.

What is the significance of Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable?

Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable is important for understanding the behavior of electric fields in coaxial cables. It allows us to calculate the electric field between the two conductors, which is crucial for the proper functioning of the cable.

How does Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable relate to the concept of flux?

Gauss' Law for a coaxial cable is essentially a special case of Gauss' Law for electric fields. It relates to the concept of flux by stating that the electric flux through a closed surface between the two conductors is equal to the charge enclosed by that surface divided by the permittivity of the medium.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
637
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
17
Views
324
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
830
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
307
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
4K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
26
Views
472
Back
Top