Two charges 2 μC and –2 μC are placed at points A and B 6 cm apart. (a) Identify an equipotential surface of the system. (b) What is the direction of the electric field at every point on this surface?
Given that two charges 2 μ C and − 2 μ C at point A and B are located 6 cm apart.
(a)
An equipotential surface is a surface with a constant value of potential at all points on the surface.
The potential at a point is given as,
V = q 4 π ε 0 r
where, the point charge is q , permittivity of free space is ε 0 and the distance from the point charge to the point is r .
Both charges are equal and opposite so, the total potential at the centre of the line joining the two charges is zero.
Thus, equipotential surface is the plane passing through the midpoint of the line joining A and B .
(b)
The direction of electric field at every point on the surface is normal to the plane in the direction of AB .
Given that two charges
(a)
An equipotential surface is a surface with a constant value of potential at all points on the surface.
The potential at a point is given as,
where, the point charge is
Both charges are equal and opposite so, the total potential at the centre of the line joining the two charges is zero.
Thus, equipotential surface is the plane passing through the midpoint of the line joining
(b)
The direction of electric field at every point on the surface is normal to the plane in the direction of
