A uniformly charged sphere of radius R has a total charge Q. What is the electri
Practice Questions
Q1
A uniformly charged sphere of radius R has a total charge Q. What is the electric field at a point outside the sphere (r > R)?
0
Q/(4πε₀r²)
Q/(4πε₀R²)
Q/(4πε₀R)
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A uniformly charged sphere of radius R has a total charge Q. What is the electric field at a point outside the sphere (r > R)?
Correct Answer: E = Q/(4πε₀r²)
Step 1: Understand that we have a sphere with a total charge Q and radius R.
Step 2: Identify the point where we want to find the electric field, which is outside the sphere (r > R).
Step 3: Recall that for a uniformly charged sphere, the electric field outside the sphere acts as if all the charge is concentrated at the center of the sphere.
Step 4: Use the formula for the electric field due to a point charge, which is E = k * Q / r², where k = 1/(4πε₀).
Step 5: Substitute k into the formula to get E = Q / (4πε₀r²).
Step 6: Conclude that the electric field at a point outside the sphere is given by E = Q / (4πε₀r²).
Electric Field of a Charged Sphere – The electric field outside a uniformly charged sphere can be calculated using Gauss's law, treating the sphere as a point charge located at its center.