Understanding the Electric Field in a Circular Arrangement of Charges

  • Thread starter Thread starter electromania
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Field
AI Thread Summary
Arranging an infinite number of charges in a circle does not result in a zero electric field everywhere within that circle. Unlike a uniform spherical shell of charge, the electric field inside a circular arrangement of charges is not uniformly zero. In a conducting material, however, the electric field is zero due to the charges redistributing on the outer surface. This redistribution occurs because the electric field within the conducting material must be zero under electrostatic conditions. Therefore, while the electric field is zero inside the conductor, it is not zero within the circle formed by the charges.
electromania
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
If you arrange infinite amount of charges in a circle, will the electric field anywhere within the circle be zero?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
electromania said:
If you arrange infinite amount of charges in a circle, will the electric field anywhere within the circle be zero?
No. The field within a uniform circle of charge is not zero everywhere, as it would be within a uniform spherical shell of charge.
 
But why is the electric field in a circular conductor always zero, aren't the charges arranged in the same way?
 
electromania said:
But why is the electric field in a circular conductor always zero,
Under electrostatic conditions, the field within the conducting material itself will be zero, no matter what the shape of the conductor.
aren't the charges arranged in the same way?
Say you have a conducting wire in the shape of a circle, which you charge. The charge will arrange itself on the outer surface of the conductor such that the electric field within the material will be zero. But inside the circle is not part of the conducting material. The field within the circle will not necessarily be zero.
 

Thread 'Off resonance driving of a MW/RF cavity'

Hello! Let's say I have a cavity resonant at 10 GHz with a Q factor of 1000. Given the Lorentzian shape of the cavity, I can also drive the cavity at, say 100 MHz. Of course the response will be very very weak, but non-zero given that the Loretzian shape never really reaches zero. I am trying to understand how are the magnetic and electric field distributions of the field at 100 MHz relative to the ones at 10 GHz? In particular, if inside the cavity I have some structure, such as 2 plates...
View full post »

Similar threads

B Curious about the uniform electric field between metal plates
Replies
8
Views
1K
B Electric Field Direction: Are We Assuming a Universal Positive Frame?
Replies
20
Views
1K
I Does a time varying magnetic field in vacuum produce electric field or not?
Replies
7
Views
1K
I Magnetic field when the area of the plates of a capacitor increases
Replies
7
Views
1K
B How Does the Electric Field of a Moving Charge Appear?
Replies
29
Views
2K
B Understanding the electric field
Replies
16
Views
1K
I Electret with circular electric field
Replies
1
Views
880
B Electric Field Inside a Hollow Sphere
Replies
5
Views
1K
B Can charges move without a field? How charges redistribute without it?
Replies
16
Views
1K
B A Magnetic Misconception on Divergence 0/Closed Field Lines?
Replies
3
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top