Understanding Gauss's Law and Electric Field Distributions

  • Thread starter Thread starter PhysicsNewb
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around three problems related to Gauss's Law and electric fields. For the first problem, the only correct statement is that the electric field outside a spherical conductor is the same as that of a uniformly charged nonconducting sphere. In the second problem, the correct answer is that Gauss's law cannot be easily applied to a charged nonconducting cube, not a long straight line of charge. The third problem's correct answers involve adding a point charge +Q at the origin and a point charge -Q at (2R, 0) to double the field strength at point P. The participants engage in clarifying the reasoning behind their answers and the implications of different charge distributions on electric fields.
PhysicsNewb
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Hi, I had three problems to do that are multiple choice, here they are and my answer with them. Please tell me if some are wrong.

1. Spherical conductor of radius R carries char +Q, which statement(s) are correct?

I. Electric field outside the surface of the conductor is the same as the field outside a uniformly charged nonconducting sphere of same radius and charge

II. Electric field inside the surface of the conductor is the same as the field inside a uniformly charged nonconducting sphere of same radius and charge

III. Nonspherical Gaussian surface drawn within the conductor will have a ney electric flux through it

I said that only statement I. was correct.


2. Gauss's law could easily be used to solve for the electric field outside all of the following charge distributions except

A.) charged nonconducting sphere
B.) long straight line of charge
C.) long charged conducting cylinder
D.) charged nonconducting cube
E.) charged nonconducting plane

I chose B. was correct.

3. Uniformly charged nonconducting sphere of radius R, charge +Q, is centered at the origin of a cartesian plane. Field strength at Point P with coordinates (R,0) just outside the surface will double if:

I. Add a point charge +Q at the origin
II. Add a point charge -Q at point (2R, 0)
III. Add a uniformly charged nonconducting sphere with charge -Q and radius 1/2R with its center at the point (2R, O)

I chose I. only as the answer.

Are these right? If not, please help..
 
Physics news on Phys.org
PhysicsNewb said:
1. Spherical conductor of radius R carries char +Q, which statement(s) are correct?

I. Electric field outside the surface of the conductor is the same as the field outside a uniformly charged nonconducting sphere of same radius and charge

II. Electric field inside the surface of the conductor is the same as the field inside a uniformly charged nonconducting sphere of same radius and charge

III. Nonspherical Gaussian surface drawn within the conductor will have a ney electric flux through it

I said that only statement I. was correct.
Right.

2. Gauss's law could easily be used to solve for the electric field outside all of the following charge distributions except

A.) charged nonconducting sphere
B.) long straight line of charge
C.) long charged conducting cylinder
D.) charged nonconducting cube
E.) charged nonconducting plane

I chose B. was correct.
Incorrect. Hint: Which charge distribution lacks a simple symmetry?

3. Uniformly charged nonconducting sphere of radius R, charge +Q, is centered at the origin of a cartesian plane. Field strength at Point P with coordinates (R,0) just outside the surface will double if:

I. Add a point charge +Q at the origin
II. Add a point charge -Q at point (2R, 0)
III. Add a uniformly charged nonconducting sphere with charge -Q and radius 1/2R with its center at the point (2R, O)

I chose I. only as the answer.
Incorrect. Add the contributions from each charge to find the new field at point P.
 
I'm going to revise my answers to make number 2. answer D and number 3 answer's I. and II. I think i worked it right this time.
 
Last edited:
PhysicsNewb said:
I'm going to revise my answers to make number 2. answer D and number 3 answer's I. and II.
For question 3, what's the difference between answers II and III (as far as the field at point P is concerned)?
 
I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top