Chapter 16: Q6Q (page 443)
Contrast the net charge on a conductor to the “free charges” in the conductor.
The net charge equals the sum of all positive and negative charges in the conductor.
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A point charge is surrounded by a spherical gaussian surface of radius r. If the sphere is replaced by a cube of side r, will \({\phi _{\rm{E}}}\) be larger, smaller, or the same? Explain.
(I) What is the magnitude of the force a\({\bf{ + 25}}\;{\bf{\mu C}}\)charge exerts on a\({\bf{ + 2}}{\bf{.5}}\;{\bf{mC}}\)charge 16 cm away?
Measurements indicate that there is an electric field surrounding the Earth. Its magnitude is about 150 N/C at the Earth’s surface and points inward toward the Earth’s center. What is the magnitude of the electric charge on the Earth? Is it positive or negative? (Hint: The electric field outside a uniformly charged sphere is the same as if all the charge were concentrated at its center.)
(II) Calculate the electric field at one corner of a square 1.22 m on a side if the other three corners are occupied by \({\bf{3}}{\bf{.25 \times 1}}{{\bf{0}}^{{\bf{ - 6}}}}\;{\bf{C}}\) charges.
Assume that the two opposite charges in Fig. 16–32a are 12.0 cm apart. Consider the magnitude of the electric field 2.5 cm from the positive charge. On which side of this charge—top, bottom, left, or right—is the electric field the strongest? The weakest? Explain.
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