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 28 - The Electric Potential - Exercises and Problems - Page 837: 68

Answer

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Work Step by Step

We know that the potential at any point is the superposition of the potentials due to all charges. So the potential at point $\rm p$ due to the $dq$, in the figure below, is given by $$dV=\dfrac{1}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)}\dfrac{dq}{r}$$ where $r$, from the geometry of the figure below, is given by $\sqrt{x^2+z^2}$ $$dV=\dfrac{1}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)}\dfrac{dq}{\sqrt{x^2+z^2}}\tag 1$$ Let's assume that the linear charge density of this rod is $\lambda$ which is given by $$\lambda=\dfrac{Q}{L}=\dfrac{dq}{dx}$$ where $dq$ is the charge of the small black segment in the figure below and $dx$ is its length. Thus, $$dq=\dfrac{Qdx}{L}\tag 2$$ Plug $dq$ from (2) into (1), $$dV=\dfrac{Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{x^2+z^2}} $$ So the net electric potential at point $\rm p$ is given by $$V_{\rm p}=\int dV=\int_{-L/2}^{L/2}\dfrac{Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{x^2+z^2}} $$ $$V_{\rm p} =\dfrac{Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\int_{-L/2}^{L/2}\dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{x^2+z^2}} $$ Due to the symmetry, we can integrate from $0$ to $L/2$ and multiply by 2. $$V_{\rm p} =\dfrac{2Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\int_{0}^{L/2}\dfrac{dx}{\sqrt{x^2+z^2}}$$ $$V_{\rm p} =\dfrac{2Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\ln(x+\sqrt{x^2+z^2})\bigg|_{0}^{L/2} $$ $$V_{\rm p} =\dfrac{2Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\ln\left[\dfrac{\frac{L}{2}+\sqrt{\left(\frac{L}{2}\right)^2+z^2}}{0+\sqrt{0^2+z^2}}\right]$$ $$V_{\rm p} =\dfrac{2Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\ln\left[\dfrac{\frac{L}{2}+\sqrt{\left(\frac{L}{2}\right)^2+z^2}}{z}\right]$$ $$\boxed{V_{\rm p} =\dfrac{2Q}{(4\pi \epsilon_0)L}\;\ln\left[ \frac{L}{2z}+\sqrt{\left(\frac{L}{2z}\right)^2+1} \right]}$$
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