How do I find the surface charge of a cylinder?

Thread starter I dun get it
Start date Aug 10, 2010
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Charge Cylinder Surface

In summary, surface charge is the distribution of electric charge on the surface of an object and it is important to measure it on a cylinder because it affects its interactions and behavior. The surface charge of a cylinder can be calculated using the formula Q/A, and it can be affected by the material, surrounding charge, and shape of the cylinder. The surface charge can only be either positive or negative, and it can be experimentally determined using an electrostatic field meter or a Faraday cage to measure the electric field around the cylinder. The surface charge can then be calculated using the formula E=σ/ε0.

Aug 10, 2010

I dun get it

Say the electric field is B and the area was A. How do I use this to find the surface charge?

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Aug 10, 2010

aim1732

Gauss Law.

1. What is surface charge and why is it important to measure it on a cylinder?

Surface charge is the distribution of electric charge on the surface of an object. It is important to measure it on a cylinder because it affects the interactions and behavior of the cylinder with other charged objects and its environment.

2. How do I calculate the surface charge of a cylinder?

The surface charge of a cylinder can be calculated using the formula Q/A, where Q is the total charge on the cylinder and A is the surface area of the cylinder.

3. What factors can affect the surface charge of a cylinder?

The surface charge of a cylinder can be affected by the material of the cylinder, the charge of the surrounding environment, and the shape and size of the cylinder.

4. Can the surface charge of a cylinder be positive and negative at the same time?

No, the surface charge of a cylinder can only be either positive or negative. If there is an imbalance of positive or negative charges on the surface, the surface charge will be either positive or negative, respectively.

5. How can I experimentally determine the surface charge of a cylinder?

To experimentally determine the surface charge of a cylinder, you can use an electrostatic field meter or a Faraday cage to measure the electric field around the cylinder. From the electric field data, you can calculate the surface charge using the formula E=σ/ε0, where E is the electric field, σ is the surface charge, and ε0 is the permittivity of free space.