Maximizing Electric Potential on a Uniformly Charged Cone

[patm95]

Homework Statement

I am basically given a cone with uniform volume charge and told to find the area of highest electric potential.

Homework Equations

I want to use the equation: V= q/4piEr

The Attempt at a Solution

I am having trouble finding anything in my book. I am comparing this in my mind to a sphere and wondering if it would be prudent to find the center of mass of the cone and place a point as close to that as possible. I am just unsure if a cone of uniform volume charge is similar to a sphere of uniform volume charge in that it acts like a point charge outside of the volume. I can't seem to find any information on this.

 

[Mindscrape]

You'll want to use dV= dq/(4*pi*E_0*r) so that you can get the potential. Max and mins occur at turning points, when the derivative (or gradient in this case) is zero.

 

[patm95]

Ah. That makes a lot of sense. Thank you!