Oscillation of a Charged Particle

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a charged particle oscillating in the electric field generated by a charged torus. The original poster describes a scenario with specific parameters, including mass, charge, and dimensions of the torus, and seeks to compute the oscillation time for small deviations from a stable state.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculation of the electric field from the torus and the implications of the shape and dimensions of the torus on the problem. There are questions about the appropriateness of the original poster's approach and the assumptions made regarding the torus's geometry.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the problem's setup. Some guidance has been offered regarding the need to clarify the shape of the torus and its implications for the calculations. There is no explicit consensus yet, as participants are still questioning the assumptions and definitions involved.

Contextual Notes

There is ambiguity regarding the definition of the torus versus a flat ring, and participants are addressing potential misunderstandings about the dimensions and configuration of the charged object in question.

peroAlex
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Homework Statement


At our university we were given this problem: charged ball with mass of ##m = 0.0001 kg## and charge ##Q = -10^{-5} C## is placed on geometric axis of thin torus with inner radius of ##r_{inner} = 0.05 m##, outer radius of ##r_{outer} = 0.1 m## and surface charge density ##\sigma = 10^{-5} C##. Compute oscillation time for small deviation, this is when we only slightly flick the ball from stable state.

Homework Equations


First, I took a look at this article and a PDF presentation.

The Attempt at a Solution


Using the equation for electric field of a charged ring $$ E_z = \frac{Qz}{4 \pi \varepsilon_0 (r^2 + z^2)^{\frac{3}{2}}} $$ I tried obtaining formula for electric field of torus (wider ring) by integration infinitesimal rings from inner to outer radius. Using Symbolab I managed to obtain following equation $$ E_{torus} = \frac{Qz}{4 \pi \varepsilon_0} (\frac{r}{z^3 \sqrt{\frac{r^2}{z^2}+1}})_{r_{inner}} ^ {r_{outer}} $$.

From here on, I'm lost. Can somebody please help me or at least give me some guidance?
 
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Hi
peroAlex said:
Compute oscillation time for small deviation
means you are looking for something like the ##k## in ##\vec F = -k\vec x##. So if ##|\vec F|## is a more complicated function like what you have found it here, you simply want the linear development around the equilibrium position.
 
On 2nd reading I wonder if you are already aware of what I posted and are stuck in working out the electric field expression ?
peroAlex said:
I tried obtaining formula for electric field of torus (wider ring) by integration infinitesimal rings from inner to outer radius. Using Symbolab I managed to obtain following equation
Not clear what you are doing there. The exercise geves that the charge is at the surface and unfiormly distributed. Looks like the pdf assumes a thin torus (yours is fat).
 
I believe we're on the wrong footing here.

My task considers thin torus. Due to the fact that such configuration is composed of filamentary thin rings, I tried integration individual contributions (rings) from inner to outer radius.
 
Guy here (page 23) calls ##a/\rho = 5## fat. With ##a/\rho = 3##, yours is 67% fatter !
Surface charge on the inside is twice as close to the axis as surface charge on the outside !

Or do I have the wrong idea of inner (## r_{\rm inner} = 0.05## m) and outer (## r_{\rm outer} = 0.10## m) radius ?
 
Is the shape really a torus (donut-shaped)? If it is, the dimensions given seem to contradict the description that it's thin. Or is it supposed to be a flat ring of charge with the given inner and outer radii?
 
A washout ?!?

This is a torus
upload_2017-2-9_18-20-28.png


very clear what is meant with a torus in math and physics.

This is a washer (not a very scientific name, but clear enough)
upload_2017-2-9_18-24-3.png
 

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BvU said:
A washout ?!?

This is a torus
View attachment 112812

very clear what is meant with a torus in math and physics.

This is a washer (not a very scientific name, but clear enough)
View attachment 112814
This is the exact shape I was trying to describe. I'm so sorry for ambiguity in definition, English is not m native tongue.
 
Good; makes life easier. Thin disk with a hole in the center it is. I should have been more suspicious when you mentioned a 'wider ring' and called it a torus.
First expression in post #1 (field of charged ring) looks exactly as the one here , but with ##\ Q\ ## instead of ##\ 2\pi\sigma R' dR' , \ \ ## and -- apart from that -- seems OK to me. This you now want to integrate from ##r_{\rm min}## to ##r_{\rm max}## (instead of from ##0## to ##r_{\rm max}## like here) and there you lose me :

peroAlex said:
Using Symbolab I managed to obtain following equation
Using my common sense I got something else. Pretty unpleasant, but the first derivative at ##z=0## is what we are after and that should be fairly decent. (In fact, working out the potential instead of the E-field would have been more economical -- hindsight...)

One reason I don't trust your result is that it diverges for ##z=0## which should not happen. Could you check ?
 

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