Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 23 - Gauss' Law - Problems - Page 684: 81a

Answer

$r = 0.25~R$

Work Step by Step

We can find the magnitude of the electric field a distance $R$ from the center: $\epsilon_0~\Phi = q$ $(\epsilon_0)~(E)(4\pi~R^2) = q$ $E= \frac{q}{4\pi~\epsilon_0~R^2}$ Suppose $r \lt R$ We can find an expression for the enclosed charge: $q_{enc} = \frac{r^3}{R^3}~q$ We can find an expression for the magnitude of the electric field a distance $r$ from the center where $r \lt R$: $\epsilon_0~\Phi = q_{enc}$ $(\epsilon_0)~(E_r)(4\pi~r^2) = \frac{r^3}{R^3}~q$ $(\epsilon_0)~(E_r)(4\pi) = \frac{r}{R^3}~q$ $E_r = \frac{q~r}{4\pi~\epsilon_0~R^3}$ Suppose $E_r = 0.25~E$ We can find an expression for $r$: $E_r = 0.25~E$ $\frac{q~r}{4\pi~\epsilon_0~R^3} = 0.25~\frac{q}{4\pi~\epsilon_0~R^2}$ $\frac{r}{R} = 0.25$ $r = 0.25~R$
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