Particle traveling towards a plate with an Electric Field

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
1 reply · 3K views
doggydan42
Messages
169
Reaction score
18

Homework Statement


From a distance of 10 cm, a proton is projected with a speed of ##v = 4.0 × 106 \frac{m}{s}## directly at a large, positively charged plate whose charge density is ##\sigma = 2.0 × 10^{-5} \frac{C}{m^2}##. (See below.) (a) Does the proton reach the plate? (b) If not, how far from the plate does it
turn around?

Homework Equations


$$\vec E = \frac{1}{4\pi \varepsilon_0} \int_{Surface} \frac{\sigma}{r^2} \,dA \hat r$$

The Attempt at a Solution


I understand that once you find the electric field, you can multiply by the charge to find the force, than set that equal to ##m\vec a## and solve for a knowing the mass of the proton. Then use kinematics to find how far it will travel.

Though to find the electric field, I am unsure of how to set ##dA##, ## \hat r##, and ##r##. I am also unsure of what to integrate over.

Thank you in advance.
 
Attachments
  • CNX_UPhysics_22_05_Prob19_img.jpg
    CNX_UPhysics_22_05_Prob19_img.jpg
    6.6 KB · Views: 595
Physics news on Phys.org
I strongly suggest using the potential instead of the field.

You need to integrate over the surface charge - or you can use symmetry arguments.