How Does a Dielectric Influence Charge Induction on a Conducting Shell?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the influence of a dielectric on charge induction in a conducting shell surrounding a charged sphere. The dielectric polarizes, creating a charge distribution at its interface with the conducting shell, which affects the electric field and electric displacement field. Despite the conducting shell having no net free charge, the presence of the dielectric and the charged sphere leads to induced charges on the shell's inner surface. The reasoning suggests that the electric flux through a Gaussian surface inside the conducting shell indicates that there is no free charge enclosed, implying that the induced charge must be present on the shell's outer surface. Overall, the interaction between the dielectric and the conducting shell results in a complex charge distribution influenced by the electric fields involved.
Karl86
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Homework Statement


Imagine having a conducting sphere with free charge ##Q## surrounded by a spherical shell filled with a dielectric and then a conducting spherical shell with no free net charge. I want to find out the charge induced on the spherical conducting shell by the sphere or by the dielectric.

Homework Equations


##D=\epsilon_0E + P##

The Attempt at a Solution


The dielectric being polarized, at its interface with the conducting spherical shell there will be a charge distribution ##\sigma## attracted by the bounded surface charge ##\sigma_b## of the dielectric and also by the charged sphere. Thus both the electric field ##E## and the electric displacement field ##D## will be discontinuous. Even though there is no free net charge in the spherical shell. Is this reasoning correct?
In other words, my doubt can be restated: is there some free charge at the inner surface of the spherical shell, even though the conducting shell has no net free charge?
 
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You are on the right track. Consider a spherical concentric Gaussian surface entirely inside the conducting shell.
1. What is the electric flux through the surface?
2. What does the answer to the previous question imply about the free charge enclosed by the surface?
3. What do the answers to the previous two questions imply about the free charge on the outer surface of the conducting shell?
 
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