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Today in Physics 217: The Method of Images
Today in Physics 217: The Method of Images
=
z
only “the” solution, because
solutions of electrostatics
q
problems are unique.
d
The solution for the images is only the same as that for the
conductor, in the region outside the conductor! In
particular, the field is still zero, and the potential constant,
inside the conductor. Remember that the image charge
doesn’t really exist.
In particular, the potential energy of the
charge+conductor arrangement is quite different from the
charge-image charge combination, because the field is
finite for the latter in locations where the field of the
former is zero. (Got it?)
Remind yourself of these facts by noting, in every image
solution, that you can calculate the induced charge on the
surface of the grounded conductor.
R 2
R4
d ′ = R 2 + z′2 − 2 Rz′ cosθ = R2 + 2 − 2 R cosθ
Z Z
9 October 2002 Physics 217, Fall 2002 11
Potential for a point charge and a grounded sphere
(continued)
The potential should come out to be zero there, and sure enough,
R
q q′ q − q
VP′ = + = + Z
d d′ R 2 + Z 2 − 2 RZ cosθ 4
R2
2 R
R + 2 − 2R cosθ
Z Z
R
q −q
= + Z
R 2 + Z 2 − 2 RZ cosθ 2 R2 R4
R + 2 − 2R cosθ
Z Z
q q
= − =0
2 2 2 2
R + Z − 2 RZ cosθ R + Z − 2 RZ cosθ
Thus the potential outside the grounded sphere is given by the
superposition of the potential of the charge q and the image charge q’.
q Z2 − R2
=
(R )
R 2 2 3 /2
+ Z − 2 RZ cosθ
1 ∂V q Z2 − R2
σ =− =−
(R )
4π ∂r 4π R 2 2 3 /2
r =R + Z − 2 RZ cosθ
9 October 2002 Physics 217, Fall 2002 14
Potential for a point charge and a grounded sphere
(continued)
From this we get the total charge induced on the grounded sphere:
q
( ) ∫0 sin θ dθ
π
∫
Q = σ R sin θ dθ dφ = − R Z 2 − R 2
2
(R )
2 2 2 3 /2
+ Z − 2 RZ cosθ
π
1
−
2
q 2
(
=− R Z −R
2
) ZR
R 2 + Z 2 − 2 RZ cosθ
0
q Z2 − R2 1 1 R Goes to zero as Z
= − = − q
2 Z R + Z R−Z Z goes to infinity.
R
q− q 2
qq ′ Z ZRq
Fqq′ = ˆ=
z zˆ = − zˆ
( )
2 2 2
( Z − z′ ) R2 Z2 − R2
Z −
Z
and then the work to bring q in from infinity:
Z
Z Z zRq 2 − Rq 2 1 Rq 2
W = ∫ − Fqq′ ⋅ dl = ∫ dz = =−
∞ ∞
( z2 − R )
2 2 (
2 z2 − R 2 )∞ 2 Z2 − R2