"Potential of Concentric Cylindrical Insulator and Conducting Shell"

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves an infinitely long solid insulating cylinder and a concentric conducting shell, both of which are charged. The original poster seeks to find the potential difference between the outer surface of the conductor and the outer surface of the insulator, using given charge densities and dimensions.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the use of electric field equations and potential calculations, including integrals for determining potential differences. There are attempts to clarify the concept of differential charge elements and their application in the context of the problem.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered guidance on the electric field calculations and potential definitions, while others express confusion about certain mathematical concepts. Multiple interpretations of the problem setup and the relevant equations are being explored.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of confusion regarding the use of differential charge elements and the application of electric field equations. The original poster has indicated a misunderstanding of the mathematical concepts involved, which may affect their approach to the problem.

tylerlu94
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Homework Statement


h6_cylinder.png

An infinitely long solid insulating cylinder of radius a = 2.5 cm is positioned with its symmetry axis along the z-axis as shown. The cylinder is uniformly charged with a charge density ρ = 30 μC/m3. Concentric with the cylinder is a cylindrical conducting shell of inner radius b = 15.3 cm, and outer radius c = 19.3 cm. The conducting shell has a linear charge density λ = -0.32μC/m.d=51cm.

What is V(c) - V(a), the potentital difference between the outer surface of the conductor and the outer surface of the insulator?

Homework Equations



ΔV=-∫E*dr.
E=λ/2ε0

The Attempt at a Solution



ΔV=Vab+Vbc; Eab=λ/2ε0;
Ebc I used flux EA=Qenc/ε0 → E=(Qenc)/2*∏*r*L*ε0 → Vbc=∫(b→c) (Qenc)/(2*∏*r*L*ε0 ) *dr
This is basically how I did it, But I got the wrong answer -4397..Please help me ??
 
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What is the potential of the outer charge distribution? Take a differential charge element ##dq = \lambda ds## to find it.

How about the inner one now? Take a differential charge element ##dq = \rho dV##.
 
Zondrina said:
What is the potential of the outer charge distribution? Take a differential charge element ##dq = \lambda ds## to find it.

How about the inner one now? Take a differential charge element ##dq = \rho dV##.


Hmmmm Sorry I am a little bit confused. What's differential charge element?? I guess haven't learned that in math yet. I only know integral and derivatives.. Can you please explain it in a easier way? Thank you
 
tylerlu94 said:
Hmmmm Sorry I am a little bit confused. What's differential charge element?? I guess haven't learned that in math yet. I only know integral and derivatives.. Can you please explain it in a easier way? Thank you

Wow sorry ignore my last post. I should have read your post more carefully.

What did you compute for the electric field of the inner cylinder? Your formula looks wrong it should be:

##E = \frac{\lambda}{2 \pi \epsilon_0 r}##

I was a bit thrown off by that random point (d,d) I saw in the image.
 
Zondrina said:
Wow sorry ignore my last post. I should have read your post more carefully.

What did you compute for the electric field of the inner cylinder? Your formula looks wrong it should be:

##E = \frac{\lambda}{2 \pi \epsilon_0 r}##

I was a bit thrown off by that random point (d,d) I saw in the image.

hmmm sorry I can't remember. But I think the basic idea of my solution was wrong.. because I basically just made it up... Can you please let me know how would the correct solution be?(or just the basic idea and structure of it )
Thank you!
 
Find the electric field of the infinitely long line of charge at a radial distance ##r## away.

Integrate this uniform field over the path length.
 
Zondrina said:
Find the electric field of the infinitely long line of charge at a radial distance ##r## away.

Integrate this uniform field over the path length.

Just the infinite line? So ignore the field by the shell? but the r starts from the outer surface of the shell though?
 
tylerlu94 said:
Just the infinite line? So ignore the field by the shell? but the r starts from the outer surface of the shell though?

No don't ignore the field of the shell.

What is the electric field due to a charged ring?
 

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