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 29 - Potential and Field - Exercises and Problems - Page 864: 42

Answer

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Work Step by Step

We know that the electric field is given by $$E= \dfrac{-dV}{dx} $$ Hence its magnitude is given by $$E=\left| \dfrac{-dV}{dx}\right|$$ So the electric field dots are given by dividing the given potential differences by the separation distance between the two tips [which is 1 mm]. Thus, \begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|} \hline \Delta V\;{(\rm V)}& E\;({\rm V/m})&r\;({\rm m})\\ \hline 0.0347& 34.7& 0.02 \\ \hline 0.0066& 6.6&0.04 \\ \hline 0.0021 & 2.1& 0.06 \\ \hline 0.0012 & 1.2&0.08 \\ \hline 0.0006& 0.6 &0.10 \\ \hline \end{array} And we are given that $$E=\dfrac{C}{r^n}$$ Taking the normal logarithm for both sides; $$\ln(E)=\ln \left[\dfrac{C}{r^n}\right]$$ $$\ln(E)=\ln(C)-n\ln(r)$$ This is a straight line formula $y=mx+b$ where $y=\ln(E)$, $x=\ln(r)$, and $m=-n=\rm slope$, and $b=\ln(C)$ which is the the $y$-intercept. Plug the dots from the table above after adding the algorithm. The slope of the best-fit line is -2.5, as we see below. Thus, $$n=-\rm Slope=-(-2.5)$$ $$n=\color{red}{\bf 2.5}$$ The $y$-intercept of this line is at -6.23. Thus, $$\ln(C)=-6.23$$ $$C=\color{red}{\bf 1.97\times 10^{-3}}\;\rm V\cdot m^{3/2}$$
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