How far apart are equipotential surfaces with 10 volt difference?

[BunDa4Th]

Homework Statement

If the electric field at a point in space has a magnitude of 300 volts/meter, about how far apart are the equipotential surfaces that differ by 10 volts?

well, i think that they are 30 meters apart. All I did was

300 volts/meter/10 volts since that will cancel the volts out i believe and leaving me with 300 meter/10 which give 30 meters.

I don't understand this question since my professor decided to skip this portion of the chapter and expect us to know it.

Any help on understanding would be great.

 

[berkeman]

I think your answer and your intuition are correct. They certainly are for parallel plate capacitors. And I think they probably apply here for this spherical situation as well.

 

[hage567]

I don't think your math is correct. Your answer is really saying 30/meter.

 

[Saketh]

300 volts/meter/10 volts since that will cancel the volts out i believe and leaving me with 300 meter/10 which give 30 meters.

Be careful with your units.

EDIT: hage567 beat me to it.

 

[BunDa4Th]

I just realize that. Now i have a problem on doing conversion with this. Can any of you guys give me some pointer on how to understand this since I quiet don't understand it.

I know there is this formula E = Kq/r^2 but I am not sure if that is what i have to use to figure this out.

I have also seek my lab TA for help on this and I still haven't even gotten a response and its been like 2 days.

 

[BunDa4Th]

Okay, i got some help but can anyone double check this to see if its the correct way,

10 volts/ 300vots/meter = .033 meter

 

[nrqed]

Okay, i got some help but can anyone double check this to see if its the correct way,

10 volts/ 300vots/meter = .033 meter

Yes, that is right (assuming a uniform E field...that assumption is needed to answer the question). It's clear that this is correct since if the potential changes by 300 volts over a distance of 1.00 meter, it must take only 1.00 meter/30 to get a change of 10 volts.

 

[BunDa4Th]

Sweet, thanks for checking it.

thanks to everyone who posted here.