2. A thin, nonconducting spherical shell of inner radius and outer radius is centered at the origin, as shown in Figure 1. The material of the shell has a uniform volume charge density throughout the region . A point charge is fixed at the center of the shell. The space inside and outside the shell is vacuum with permittivity . Neglect gravitational interactions unless explicitly stated.
Figure 1. Thin nonconducting spherical shell (inner radius a = 0.10 m, outer radius b = 0.20 m) with a central point charge q = −2.0 μC, showing three spherical Gaussian surfaces at r = 0.05 m, 0.15 m, and 0.30 m.
Figure 2. Bar chart of electric-field magnitude |E| at three radii (0.05 m, 0.15 m, 0.30 m). The r = 0.30 m bar is provided as the reference; students complete the other bars.
In Figure 2, draw bars to represent at and relative to the bar shown at . If , write a "0" in that column. The electric field magnitude at a distance r from the center is |E(r)|. The partially completed bar chart in Figure 2 shows a bar that represents |E| at r = 0.30 m.
Derive an expression for the electric field (including sign/direction using the radial unit vector ) for the region in terms of , , , , , and physical constants, as appropriate. Begin your derivation by writing a fundamental physics principle or an equation from the reference information.
Figure 3. Axes for electric flux Φ_E through a spherical Gaussian surface versus radius r for 0 ≤ r ≤ 0.35 m; sketch must show sign and slope changes at r = a and r = b.
On the axes shown in Figure 3, sketch a graph of the electric flux through a spherical Gaussian surface of radius , for . Your graph must indicate the sign of and any changes in curvature or slope at and .
Indicate whether the magnitude of the particle's initial acceleration is greater than, less than, or equal to . Briefly justify your answer by comparing the magnitudes of the electric and gravitational forces at using and . A small test particle of mass and charge is released from rest at and moves radially under the influence of the electric force from the charge distribution and the gravitational force from Earth. Take downward. At the release point, the radial direction is horizontal, so the gravitational force is perpendicular to the radial electric force. Use the electric field at due to the total enclosed charge at that radius.
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