What is the total charge of a solid sphere with given charge density?

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SUMMARY

The total charge of a solid sphere with a given charge density of 14.1 pC/m³, varying linearly with radius, is calculated using the formula q = 14.1 pC/m³ × π × r³. The charge density is defined as ρ = dq/dV, leading to the integration of the volume of a spherical shell to find the total charge. The correct approach involves integrating from x = 0 to x = R, where R is the radius of the sphere, which is 5.6 cm.

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Homework Statement


I am given a charge density for a solid sphere
\rho=14.1\frac{pC}{m^{3}}\frac{r}{R}
The r is the distance from the center of the sphere and R is the radius of the whole thing.

R=5,6cm

Now I am asked for the whole charge contained by the sphere.

Homework Equations



\rho=\frac{dq}{dV}

The Attempt at a Solution


dq=\rho dV
dq=4.1\frac{pC}{m^{3}}\frac{r}{R} dV
I'll just denote the picocoulomb into B
q=\frac{B}{R} \int r dV

Right, here I land. This is from Halliday, second year thing, I bet they don't expect you to do volume integration in spherical coordinates or anything such. I could write it:
dV=\frac{4}{3} \pi dr^{3}?

Pff...

EDIT:

Ok, now I get it I think:
q=\frac{B}{R} \int r dV
is actually
q=B \int dV
q=14.1\frac{pC}{m^{3}} \frac{4}{3} \pi r^{3}

ought to give me the right answer

EDIT:

It does not.
The right answer is given by
q=14.1\frac{pC}{m^{3}} \pi r^{3}

But how do I land that?
 
Last edited:
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just consider a small spherical shell of radius x(<R) and thickness dx

write dq for it (by finding volume of "shell" --- not of sphere of radius x----) and integrate it from x=0 to x=R
 

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