fiziks

Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics 
 
(n) Other Image Problem
The method just described is not limited to a single point charge; any stationary charge
distribution near a grounded conducting plane can be treated in the same way, by introducing its
mirror image. 

R
R r 
a R'
 q

  q
V 0 b q'
a

Let us examine the completely different configuration, consisting of the point charge q
R
together with another point charge q '   q.
a

R2
Placed at a distance b 
a
to the right of the centre of sphere. No conductor, now-just two point charges. The potential of
1  q q' 
this configuration is V (r , )    
4 0  R R 

where R  r 2  a 2  2ra cos  , R  r 2  b 2  2rb cos 

1  q q' 
 V (r , )    
4 0  r 2  a 2  2ra cos  r 2  b 2  2rb cos  

 
q  1 1 
V (r ,  )    
4 0  r 2  a 2  2ra cos  R 2  (ra / R )2  2ra cos  

Clearly when r  R, V  0
Induced charge
V V V
   0 . In this case  at the point r  R .
n n r
V  r , 
      0
r rR

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 fiziks
Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics 
 
q   a2  
     ( R 2  a 2  2 Ra cos  )3 / 2 ( R  a cos  )  ( R 2  a 2  2 Ra cos  ) 3 / 2   a cos   
4   R 
   
q  a2 
    ( R 2  a 2  2 Ra cos  )3 / 2  R  a cos    a cos  
4  R 
q
 ( )  ( R 2  a 2 )( R 2  a 2  2 Ra cos  )3 / 2
4 R
q
qincluded  q    da  ( R 2  a 2 )  ( R 2  a 2  2 Ra cos  )3 / 2 R 2 sin  d d
4 R

q  1 
q  ( R 2  a 2 )2 R 2   ( R 2  a 2  2 Ra cos  )1/ 2 
4 R  Ra 0

q 2  1 1 
q  (a  R 2 )   
2a  R  a  2 Ra R 2  a 2  2 Ra 
2 2

But a > R (else q would be inside), so R 2  a 2  2 Ra  a  R

q 2  1 1  q q
q  (a  R 2 )      R  q'   R
2a  (a  R) (a  R)  a a
Force
The force on q, due to the sphere, is the same as the force of the image charge q, thus:

1 qq ' 1  R 2 1 1 q 2 Ra
F    q   
4 0 (a  b)2 4 0  a   2 4 0 (a 2  R 2 )2
R2 
a  
 a 

Energy
To bring q in from infinity to a, we do work
a
q2 R a a q2 R  1 1  1 q2 R
W  da      
4 0  (a 2  R 2 )2 4 0  2 (a 2  R 2 )  4 0 2(a 2  R 2 )


1 q2 R
W 
4 0 2(a 2  R 2 )

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