Math Problem Statement

A thin, metallic spherical shell of radius 0.297 m has a total charge of 5.03 × 10⁻⁶ C placed on it. A point charge of 4.65 × 10⁻⁶ C is placed at the center of the shell. What is the electric field magnitude E a distance 0.795 m from the center of the spherical shell? Does the electric field point outward from the center of the sphere or inward?

Solution

Let's solve the problem step by step.

Given:

  • Radius of the spherical shell, r=0.297mr = 0.297 \, \text{m}
  • Charge on the spherical shell, Q=5.03×106CQ = 5.03 \times 10^{-6} \, \text{C}
  • Point charge at the center, q=4.65×106Cq = 4.65 \times 10^{-6} \, \text{C}
  • Distance from the center where we need to find the electric field, r=0.795mr' = 0.795 \, \text{m}

Step 1: Electric field outside the spherical shell

For a spherical shell, the electric field outside behaves as if the total charge were concentrated at the center. Therefore, to calculate the electric field at a point outside the shell, we can use the formula for the electric field due to a point charge:

E=14πϵ0Qtotalr2E = \frac{1}{4 \pi \epsilon_0} \frac{Q_{\text{total}}}{r'^2}

where:

  • Qtotal=Q+qQ_{\text{total}} = Q + q is the total charge
  • rr' is the distance from the center
  • ϵ0=8.854×1012C2/Nm2\epsilon_0 = 8.854 \times 10^{-12} \, \text{C}^2 / \text{Nm}^2 is the permittivity of free space

Step 2: Calculating QtotalQ_{\text{total}}

Qtotal=5.03×106C+4.65×106C=9.68×106CQ_{\text{total}} = 5.03 \times 10^{-6} \, \text{C} + 4.65 \times 10^{-6} \, \text{C} = 9.68 \times 10^{-6} \, \text{C}

Step 3: Substituting into the electric field equation

We substitute the total charge and distance into the formula:

E=14π×8.854×10129.68×106(0.795)2E = \frac{1}{4 \pi \times 8.854 \times 10^{-12}} \frac{9.68 \times 10^{-6}}{(0.795)^2}

I'll compute this now.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Electrostatics
Coulomb's Law
Electric Field of Spherical Shells

Formulas

E = (1 / (4π * ε₀)) * (Q_total / r²)
Q_total = Q_shell + Q_center
ε₀ = 8.854 × 10⁻¹² C² / (N * m²)

Theorems

Gauss's Law for Spherical Symmetry
Superposition Principle of Electric Fields

Suitable Grade Level

University level (Physics, Electromagnetism)