Two metallic spheres have radii of 10 cm and 5 cm,respectively.The electric field strength on the surface of each sphere is 3600 N/C.The two spheres are then connected together by a long,thin metal wire.Determine the electric field strength on the surface of 10-cm radius sphere while they are connected.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When two conductive spheres are connected, they reach the same potential. The potential is given by V = kQ/R, where Q is the charge and R is the radius. Since the potential is the same, the charge distribution will adjust such that the electric field E = kQ/R^2 is inversely proportional to the radius. Therefore, the electric field on the larger sphere (10 cm) will be lower than initially, calculated as E = 3600 N/C * (5 cm / 10 cm) = 1800 N/C. However, since the initial field was 3600 N/C on both, the correct field strength on the 10 cm sphere after connection is 3000 N/C.

Two Metallic Spheres Have Radii of 10 Cm and 5