3. a Thick Walled Neutral, Hollow, Conducting Sphere Surrounds a Fixed Charge +Q at Its Center

A 4 page entry

Seed Question:Consider a solid metallic cube. Imagine that a charge–Q is somehow released in the center of the cube. Assume –Q is in contact with the conductor. What will happen? Explain fully!

Exploration:

1. Find the electric field just above the surface of a conducting sphere with radius R and charge +Q. Apply Gauss’ Law.

2. How does this result compare with what you would get applying Gauss’ Law to a small region near the conducting sphere’s surface?Draw the electric lines of force. Sketch a small “pill bottle” such that the electric field will be either parallel or perpendicular to the walls of your “G-Surf.”

3. A thick walled neutral, hollow, conducting sphere surrounds a fixed charge +Q at its center.

4. Find the electric field a distance r above an infinite line of charge with linear charge density lambda +.

5. Find the electric field outside and between these infinite sheets.Hint: You will need 2 Gaussian surfaces…Which one should you use first?

6. Last one. A hollow conducting sphere with net charge +3Q, surrounds a charge –Q, located at its center.
A) Find the electric field vector at points P1, P2 and P3.

B) Find the charge on the inner surface of the sphere.Show your G-surf!

C) Find the charge on the outer surface of the sphere. All you need is addition for this one…

Big Idea:Applying Gauss’ Law:

Sketch Faraday’s lines of force first, then choose your Gaussian surface to take advantage of the symmetry of the field: choose your surface so that is either // or  to . If is // to it needs to be constant!

Apply

Note that = 0 inside anyconducting material in the static case. If it wasn’t, charge would flow (in about 10-18 s) until it was! may or may not be 0 inside a hollow region of a conductor.

Discussion: ?