Electrostatics 2: E-field and Gauss’s Law
Supplemental Instruction
Iowa State University / Leader: / German Parada
Course: / Phys 222
Instructor: / Dr. Soeren Prell
Date: / 02/04/2014

Warm-up Exercises:

1)  A sphere of radius 15cm is observed to have a uniform field just outside its surface of 10 N/C pointing outwards. What can we tell about the charge magnitude and distribution inside the sphere?

2)  Two infinite lines of charge (with linear charge densities of λ1 = 2 mC/m and λ2= -1mC/m) intersects at a 45° angle. Derive an expression for the E-field on a vertical line bisecting the 45° angle as a function of the distance away from the intersection.

3)  A thin charged (-Q) hollow sphere or radius A has been placed inside a thick hollow sphere of radius B (with B > A). Sketch the set up and draw the E-field lines

4)  Two very long uniform lines of charge are parallel and are separated by 0.30 m. Each line of charge has charge per unit length +5.20 μC/m. What magnitude of force does one line of charge exert on a 0.05 m section of the other line of charge?

Problems:

1)  Derive the expression for the E-field for an infinite sheet of charge with surface charge density σ. How would this derivation be different if the sheet was not infinite (i.e. if it was a square with length L?)

2)  a – Calculate the E-field as a function of radial distance for an empty metallic spherical shell with thick walls (think of an egg shell with thick sides) with a total charge of 2Q. The outer radius of the shell is R while its inner radius is 0.75R.

b – Calculate the E-field for a similar object made out of a non-conductive material, same dimensions and charge. You can assume the charge is uniformly distributed.

3)  An infinite rectangular slab of non-conductive material (thickness 2d) has a uniform volume charge density of ρ. Calculate the E-field as a function of the distance from the middle of the slab.

4)  An infinite line of charge (linear charge density λ) has been placed in the center inside a neutral metallic tube with thick walls (ri and ro, inner and outer radii). Sketch a graph of the E-field as a function of the radial distance away from the line of charge.

5)  A solid non-conductive sphere with radius R has a total charge of Q, but the charge is not uniformly distributed. Rather, the volume charge density is a function of the radial distance from the center of the sphere. Determine the E-field inside the sphere if,

a – ρ(r) = αr

b – ρ(r) = β/r

c – ρ(r) = 2γ(1 - r/R)

With constants α, β and γ. How could you calculate those constants?

Conceptual Questions:

1)  Why is it not a good idea to use a cubic Gaussian surface to calculate the E-field generated by an infinite line of charge?

2)  To calculate the E field at the point indicated by the cross, I create the Gaussian surface A and I get a value for the field. However, a friend created the Gaussian surface B and claimed that the E field must be zero at that point. Who is correct?

3)  What would be different in the derivation of the E-field for a line of charge if such line were not infinitely long? Can it be computed easily?