Tutoring Notes – PHYS 241 – Chapter 22
As shown, two parallel rings have their central
axes along a common line. Ring 1 has uniform
⃗𝑬𝟐 ⃗𝑬𝟏
charge 𝒒𝟏 = +𝟔𝝁𝑪 and radius 𝑹 = 𝟏𝟎 𝒄𝒎; ring 2
has uniform charge 𝒒𝟐 = +𝟐𝟎 𝝁𝑪 and the same
radius 𝑹. The rings are separated by distance 𝒅 =
𝟑𝟎 𝒄𝒎.
a) Calculate the net electric field vector at the
point 𝑷.
b) If a charge 𝒒𝟎 = −𝟖 𝒏𝑪 is placed at the point 𝑷, calculate the net electric
force on it.
Detailed Solution:
a) The total electric field is given by:
⃗Enet = ⃗E1 + ⃗E2
Using the magnitude of the electric field equation:
𝑘𝑄1 𝑥1 𝑘𝑄2 𝑥2
⃗ 1| =
|E 3/2
⃗ 2| =
and |E 3/2
(𝑥1 2 +𝑅1 2 ) (𝑥2 2 +𝑅2 2 )
We have all the quantities except for the distance (that we will call x) from the rings to
observation location P. We are given that the distance between the rings is 0.3m and
point P is R=0.1 m away from ring one, therefore 𝑥1 = 0.1 𝑚. The remaining length
between the two rings is 𝑥2 = 0.3 − 0.1 = 0.2 𝑚
We plug in the numbers for each charge:
𝑘𝑄1 𝑥1 (9 × 109 )(6 × 10−6 )(0.1)
⃗ 1| =
|E = = 1.91 × 106 𝑁/𝐶
3/2 (0.12 + 0.12 )3/2
(𝑥1 2 + 𝑅1 2 )
And
(9 × 109 )(20 × 10−6 )(0.2)
⃗ 2| =
|E 3 = 3.22 × 106 𝑁/𝐶
(0.22 + 0.12 )2
⃗ 1 , we have a positive
For the direction of the field, we use the arrows drawn. For E
charge, therefore the field is away from the charge, arrow is pointing to the right, in the
+x direction, represented by î.
For ⃗E2 , we also have a positive charge, therefore the field is away from the charge, arrow
is pointing to the left, in the -x direction, represented by −î.
⃗E1 = |E
⃗ 1 |E
̂1 = 1.91 × 106 î 𝑁/𝐶
𝑁
⃗ 2 = |E
E ⃗ 2 |E
̂2 = 3.22 × 106 (−î) = −3.22 × 106 î 𝑁/𝐶
𝐶
Therefore, the total is:
⃗Enet = ⃗E1 + ⃗E2 = 1.91 × 106 î − 3.22 × 106 î = −1.31 × 106 𝑖̂ 𝑁/𝐶
b) To find the net force, knowing the net field, we can use the formula:
⃗Fnet = q0 ⃗Enet = −8 × 10−9 × − 1.31 × 106 𝑖̂ = 1.05 × 10−2 𝑖̂ 𝑁
Example 22-9
𝑁
An electric field is given by 𝐸⃗ = + (200 ) 𝑘̂ throughout the region 𝑧 > 0 and by
𝐶
𝑁
𝐸⃗ = −(200 )𝑘̂ throughout the region 𝑧 < 0. An imaginary soup-can-shaped
𝐶
surface that has a length equal to 20 cm and a radius R equal to 5.00 cm has its
center at the origin and its axis along the 𝑧 axis, so that one end is at 𝑧 =
+10 𝑐𝑚 and the other is at 𝑧 = −10 𝑐𝑚.
(a) What is the net outward flux through the closed surface?
(b) What is the net charge inside the closed surface?
Detailed Solution:
a) To be able to calculate the flux, we need to define divide the total area into smaller
pieces where electric field is constant with respect to the surface. Soup can shape
has 3 distinct areas, the disks on each side (right and left) and a rectangle in the
middle (the curved surface).
We will calculate each of these surfaces and add to find the total flux through the
closed surface.
b) The total flux is related to the total charge inside, according to Gauss’s Law. Using
the law, we find that the total charge inside is:
Question 7
The following figure shows two concentric thin spherical
shells: sphere-A of 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝐴 = 5 𝑐𝑚 and a total charge
𝑄𝐴 = +5 𝑛𝐶; sphere-B of radius 𝑟𝐵 = 9 𝑐𝑚 and a total
charge 𝑄𝐵 = −25 𝑛𝐶.
a) What is the net electric flux through the spherical surface of radius 𝑟 = 12 𝑐𝑚
encompassing the two charges 𝑄𝐴 and 𝑄𝐵 ?
b) Use Gauss’s Law to find the electric field at a distance 𝑟 = 12 𝑐𝑚 from the center
of the spheres.
c) What is the electric field at 𝑟 = 8 𝑐𝑚 from the center of the spheres?
d) What is the electric field at 𝑟 = 3 𝑐𝑚 from the center of the spheres?
Detailed Solution:
𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑
a) The electric flux is given by the equation: 𝜙 =
𝜀0
The spherical surface of radius 𝑟 = 12 𝑐𝑚 (the red sphere)
is bigger than the spheres A and B.
Therefore, the two charges 𝑄𝐴 and 𝑄𝐵 are inside the above-
mentioned spherical surface.
Thus: 𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝑄𝐴 + 𝑄𝐵 = +5 𝑛𝐶 + (−25 𝑛𝐶 ) = −20 𝑛𝐶
𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 −20×10−9
The electric flux: 𝜙 = = = −2.26 × 103 (𝑁. 𝑚2 /𝐶).
𝜀0 8.85×10−12
b) Using Gauss’s law, the magnitude of the electric field can be found using:
|𝜙|
|𝜙| = 𝐸 × 𝐴; so 𝐸 =
𝐴
where A is the area of the red sphere: 𝐴 = 4𝜋𝑟 2
|𝜙| 2.26×103
Thus, 𝐸 = = = 1.248 × 104 (𝑁/𝐶).
𝐴 4𝜋×0.122
c) Applying Gauss’s law, if we combine the steps
used in parts a) and b), we could find the equation
of the electric field as follow:
𝑄
𝐸 = 𝑘 𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 ; where r is the distance between
𝑟2
the center and the location where we need to find
the electric field, and 𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 is the charge
enclosed inside a spherical surface of radius r.
The spherical surface of radius 𝑟 = 8 𝑐𝑚 (the blue sphere) is bigger than sphere A
but smaller than sphere B.
Therefore, only charges 𝑄𝐴 is inside the above-mentioned spherical surface, and
𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝑄𝐴
𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑄𝐴 5×10−9
Thus: 𝐸 = 𝑘 =𝑘 = 9 × 109 × = 7.03 × 103 (𝑁/𝐶)
𝑟2 𝑟2 0.082
d) Following the same method used in part c), the spherical
surface of radius 𝑟 = 3 𝑐𝑚 (the green sphere) is smaller
than both spheres A and B.
Therefore, none of the charges is inside the above-
mentioned spherical surface, and 𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 0 (𝐶).
𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑
Thus: 𝐸 = 𝑘 = 0 (𝑁/𝐶)
𝑟2