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| 184_notes:examples:week5_flux_two_radii [2018/07/24 15:02] – curdemma | 184_notes:examples:week5_flux_two_radii [2018/07/24 15:02] – curdemma |
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| $$\vec{E}=\frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{q}{r^2}\hat{r}$$ | $$\vec{E}=\frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{q}{r^2}\hat{r}$$ |
| * We represent the situation with the following diagram. Note that the circles are indeed spherical shells, not rings as they appear. | * We represent the situation with the following diagram. Note that the circles are indeed spherical shells, not rings as they appear. |
| {{ 184_notes:5_flux_two_radii.png?300 |Point charge and two spherical shells}} | [{{ 184_notes:5_flux_two_radii.png?300 |Point charge and two spherical shells}}] |
| ====Solution==== | ====Solution==== |
| Before we dive into calculations, let's consider how we can simplify the problem by thinking about the nature of the electric field due to a point charge and of the $\text{d}\vec{A}$ vector for a spherical shell. The magnitude of the electric field will be constant along the surface of a given sphere, since the surface is a constant distance away from the point charge. Further, $\vec{E}$ will always be parallel to $\text{d}\vec{A}$ on these spherical shells, since both are directed along the radial direction from the point charge. See below for a visual. A more in-depth discussion of these symmetries can be found in the notes of [[184_notes:eflux_curved#Making_Use_of_Symmetry|using symmetry]] to simplify our flux calculation. | Before we dive into calculations, let's consider how we can simplify the problem by thinking about the nature of the electric field due to a point charge and of the $\text{d}\vec{A}$ vector for a spherical shell. The magnitude of the electric field will be constant along the surface of a given sphere, since the surface is a constant distance away from the point charge. Further, $\vec{E}$ will always be parallel to $\text{d}\vec{A}$ on these spherical shells, since both are directed along the radial direction from the point charge. See below for a visual. A more in-depth discussion of these symmetries can be found in the notes of [[184_notes:eflux_curved#Making_Use_of_Symmetry|using symmetry]] to simplify our flux calculation. |
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| {{ 184_notes:electricflux4.jpg?400 |Area-vectors and E-field-vectors point in same direction}} | [{{ 184_notes:electricflux4.jpg?400 |Area-vectors and E-field-vectors point in same direction}}] |
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| Since the shell is a fixed distance from the point charge, the electric field has constant magnitude on the shell. Since $\vec{E}$ is parallel to $\text{d}\vec{A}$ and has constant magnitude (on the shell), the dot product simplifies substantially: $\vec{E}\bullet \text{d}\vec{A} = E\text{d}A$. We can now rewrite our flux representation: | Since the shell is a fixed distance from the point charge, the electric field has constant magnitude on the shell. Since $\vec{E}$ is parallel to $\text{d}\vec{A}$ and has constant magnitude (on the shell), the dot product simplifies substantially: $\vec{E}\bullet \text{d}\vec{A} = E\text{d}A$. We can now rewrite our flux representation: |