What is the charge density and electric field inside a polarized hydrogen atom?

[yango_17]

Homework Statement

We have a crude model for the polarization of a hydrogen atom, by approximating its 1s orbital with a uniformly charged ball of radius a. What is the (negative) charge density of the electron cloud? What is the electric field inside the cloud, at the point with radius vector r (drawn from the center of the cloud)?

Homework Equations

Equation for charge density
Gauss' Law

The Attempt at a Solution

I was confused as to how to go about setting up the problem. For the charge density I was thinking simply dividing the total charge by the volume of the charged ball. For finding the electric field inside the cloud, I was considering using Gauss' law when a < r.

 

[TSny]

Your thinking is on track. Go for it! (Don't forget the nucleus.)