A spherical conductor has a charge Q. What is the electric potential inside the
Practice Questions
Q1
A spherical conductor has a charge Q. What is the electric potential inside the conductor?
0
Q/(4πε₀r)
Q/(4πε₀R)
Constant throughout
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A spherical conductor has a charge Q. What is the electric potential inside the conductor?
Step 1: Understand that a spherical conductor is a type of object that can hold electric charge evenly distributed on its surface.
Step 2: Know that when a conductor is charged, the electric field inside the conductor is zero. This means there is no change in electric potential inside.
Step 3: Recognize that the electric potential at any point inside the conductor is the same as the electric potential at the surface of the conductor.
Step 4: Calculate the electric potential at the surface of the conductor using the formula: V = Q / (4πε₀R), where Q is the charge, ε₀ is the permittivity of free space, and R is the radius of the sphere.
Step 5: Conclude that since the potential inside is constant and equal to the surface potential, the electric potential inside the conductor is also V = Q / (4πε₀R).
Electric Potential in Conductors – The electric potential inside a conductor is constant and equal to the potential on its surface due to the redistribution of charge.
Spherical Symmetry – For a spherical conductor, the electric field inside is zero, leading to a uniform potential throughout the interior.
Gauss's Law – Understanding Gauss's Law helps in determining the electric field and potential around symmetric charge distributions.