SI Session #2

September 15th , 2015

Electric Fields and Gausss Law

Electric Field of a Point Charge:
1

~ =
E
Gausss Law:

I
E =

dA
=
E

1.

Two point charges Q and +q produce the net electric field shown at point P. The field points
parallel to the line connecting the two charges.(a) What can you conclude about the sign and
magnitude of Q? (b) If the lower charge were negative instead, would it be possible for the field
to have the direction shown in the figure?

2.

Two point charges are separated by 25.0 cm. Find the net electric field these charges produce
at point A and point B.

3.

A spherical Gaussian surface encloses a point charge q. If the point charge is moved form
the center of the sphere to a point away from the center, does the electric field at a point on the
surface change? Does the total flux through the Gaussian surface change?

4.

With a partner, have one partner calculate the electric field due to a point charge
q = +3C at a point 2 meters away using the equation for the electric field of a point charge.
Have the other partner calculate the electric field due to the same charge using Gausss Law
with a spherical Gaussian surface with a radius of 2 meters centered on the charge. Compare
your answers and methods.

5.

A long coaxial cable (see figure above) carries a uniform volume charge density on the inner
cylinder (radius a), and a uniform surface charge density on the outer cylindrical shell (radius
b). This surface charge is negative and of just the right magnitude so that the cable as a whole
is electrically neutral. Find the electric field in each of the three regions: (i) inside the inner
cylinder (s < a), (ii) between the cylinders (a < s < b), (iii) outside the cable (s > b).