Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 26 - The Electric Field - Conceptual Questions - Page 774: 9

Answer

a) $\frac{1}{2}$ b) $1$ c) $4$

Work Step by Step

We know that the electric field outside a sphere (since in the given 3 cases $r\gt R$) is given by $$E=\dfrac{Q}{4\pi\epsilon_0 r^2}$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [a]}$$ when $Q_f=\frac{1}{2}Q$, but all other variables remain constant, $$\dfrac{E_f}{E_i}=\dfrac{\dfrac{Q_f}{4\pi\epsilon_0 r^2}}{\dfrac{Q}{4\pi\epsilon_0 r^2}}=\dfrac{Q_f}{Q}=\dfrac{\frac{1}{2}Q}{Q}$$ $$\dfrac{E_f}{E_i}=\color{red}{\bf \dfrac{1}{2}}$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ when $R_f=\frac{1}{2}R$, but all other variables remain constant, nothing happens to the electric field outside the sphere at a distance of $r$ since the charge remains constant and $r$ is still constant. $$\dfrac{E_f}{E_i}=\color{red}{\bf 1}$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [c]}$$ when $r_f=\frac{1}{2}r$, but all other variables remain constant, $$\dfrac{E_f}{E_i}=\dfrac{\dfrac{Q}{4\pi\epsilon_0 r_f^2}}{\dfrac{Q}{4\pi\epsilon_0 r^2}}=\dfrac{r^2}{r_f^2}=\dfrac{r^2}{(\frac{1}{2}r)^2} $$ $$\dfrac{E_f}{E_i}=\color{red}{\bf 4}$$
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