Cylindrical Capacitor

Conducting cylinder of radius a and length L surrounded concentrically by conducting

cylindrical shell of inner radius b and equal length.
Assumption: L  b.
: charge per unit length (magnitude) on each cylinder
Q = L: magnitude of charge on each cylinder
Electric field between cylinders: use Gauss law

L
E(r) =
E[2rL] =
0
20 r
Electric potential
between cylinders:
Z r use V (a) = 0
Z r

r
dr
=
E(r)dr =
ln
V (r) =
20 a r
20
a
a
Voltage between cylinders:
b
Q
ln
V V+ V = V (a) V (b) =
20 L a
Capacitance for cylindrical geometry:
20 L
Q
=
C
V
ln(b/a)

+Q
b
a
E

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