Problems 755

9. On the basis of the repulsive nature of the force between how do the electric fields outside these two spheres
like charges and the freedom of motion of charge within a compare? Are the fields identical inside the two spheres?
conductor, explain why excess charge on an isolated con- 12. A common demonstration involves charging a rubber
ductor must reside on its surface. balloon, which is an insulator, by rubbing it on your hair,
10. A person is placed in a large hollow metallic sphere that and touching the balloon to a ceiling or wall, which is also
is insulated from ground. If a large charge is placed on an insulator. The electrical attraction between the charged
the sphere, will the person be harmed upon touching the balloon and the neutral wall results in the balloon sticking
inside of the sphere? Explain what will happen if the to the wall. Imagine now that we have two infinitely large
person also has an initial charge whose sign is opposite flat sheets of insulating material. One is charged and the
that of the charge on the sphere. other is neutral. If these are brought into contact, will an
11. Two solid spheres, both of radius R , carry identical total attractive force exist between them, as there was for the
charges, Q. One sphere is a good conductor while the balloon and the wall?
other is an insulator. If the charge on the insulating sphere 13. You may have heard that one of the safer places to be during
is uniformly distributed throughout its interior volume, a lightning storm is inside a car. Why would this be the case?

PROBLEMS
1, 2, 3  straightforward, intermediate, challenging  full solution available in the Student Solutions Manual and Study Guide
 coached solution with hints available at http://www.pse6.com  computer useful in solving problem
 paired numerical and symbolic problems

Section 24.1 Electric Flux 6. A point charge q is located at the center of a uniform ring
1. An electric field with a magnitude of 3.50 kN/C is applied having linear charge density  and radius a, as shown in
along the x axis. Calculate the electric flux through a rec- Figure P24.6. Determine the total electric flux through a
tangular plane 0.350 m wide and 0.700 m long assuming sphere centered at the point charge and having radius R,
that (a) the plane is parallel to the yz plane; (b) the plane where R  a.
is parallel to the xy plane; (c) the plane contains the y axis,
and its normal makes an angle of 40.0° with the x axis. λ

2. A vertical electric field of magnitude 2.00  104 N/C exists R

above the Earth’s surface on a day when a thunderstorm is a
q
brewing. A car with a rectangular size of 6.00 m by 3.00 m
is traveling along a roadway sloping downward at 10.0°.
Determine the electric flux through the bottom of the car.
3. A 40.0-cm-diameter loop is rotated in a uniform electric field Figure P24.6
until the position of maximum electric flux is found. The 7. A pyramid with horizontal square base, 6.00 m on each
flux in this position is measured to be 5.20  105 N  m2/C. side, and a height of 4.00 m is placed in a vertical electric
What is the magnitude of the electric field? field of 52.0 N/C. Calculate the total electric flux through
4. Consider a closed triangular box resting within a horizon- the pyramid’s four slanted surfaces.
tal electric field of magnitude E  7.80  104 N/C as 8. A cone with base radius R and height h is located on a
shown in Figure P24.4. Calculate the electric flux through horizontal table. A horizontal uniform field E penetrates
(a) the vertical rectangular surface, (b) the slanted the cone, as shown in Figure P24.8. Determine the electric
surface, and (c) the entire surface of the box. flux that enters the left-hand side of the cone.

30 cm

E h
E
60°
10 cm R

Figure P24.4 Figure P24.8

5. A uniform electric field aî  bĵ intersects a surface of area Section 24.2 Gauss’s Law
A. What is the flux through this area if the surface lies 9. The following charges are located inside a submarine:
(a) in the yz plane? (b) in the xz plane? (c) in the xy plane? 5.00 C,  9.00 C, 27.0 C, and  84.0 C. (a) Calculate
756 C HAPTE R 24 • Gauss’s Law

the net electric flux through the hull of the submarine.

(b) Is the number of electric field lines leaving the
submarine greater than, equal to, or less than the number Q
entering it? δ 0
10. The electric field everywhere on the surface of a thin
R
spherical shell of radius 0.750 m is measured to be
890 N/C and points radially toward the center of the
sphere. (a) What is the net charge within the sphere’s
surface? (b) What can you conclude about the nature and
distribution of the charge inside the spherical shell?
11. Four closed surfaces, S 1 through S 4, together with the Figure P24.15
charges  2Q , Q , and Q are sketched in Figure P24.11.
(The colored lines are the intersections of the surfaces
with the page.) Find the electric flux through each 16. In the air over a particular region at an altitude of 500 m
surface. above the ground the electric field is 120 N/C directed
downward. At 600 m above the ground the electric field is
100 N/C downward. What is the average volume charge
S1 density in the layer of air between these two elevations? Is
it positive or negative?
–2Q
S4 S3 17. A point charge Q  5.00 C is located at the center of a
cube of edge L  0.100 m. In addition, six other identical
+Q
point charges having q   1.00 C are positioned sym-
metrically around Q as shown in Figure P24.17. Determine
–Q
the electric flux through one face of the cube.

S2
Figure P24.11
L

12. (a) A point charge q is located a distance d from an infi-

nite plane. Determine the electric flux through the q
plane due to the point charge. (b) What If? A point q q
charge q is located a very small distance from the center
q Q q
of a very large square on the line perpendicular to
L
the square and going through its center. Determine the
approximate electric flux through the square due to the q
point charge. (c) Explain why the answers to parts
(a) and (b) are identical.
13. Calculate the total electric flux through the paraboloidal L
surface due to a uniform electric field of magnitude E 0 in Figure P24.17 Problems 17 and 18.
the direction shown in Figure P24.13.

18. A positive point charge Q is located at the center of a cube

of edge L. In addition, six other identical negative point
r charges q are positioned symmetrically around Q as shown
d in Figure P24.17. Determine the electric flux through one
face of the cube.

E0
Figure P24.13

14. A point charge of 12.0 C is placed at the center of a λ

spherical shell of radius 22.0 cm. What is the total electric d
flux through (a) the surface of the shell and (b) any hemi-
spherical surface of the shell? (c) Do the results depend
on the radius? Explain. R
O
15. A point charge Q is located just above the center
of the flat face of a hemisphere of radius R as shown in
Figure P24.15. What is the electric flux (a) through the
curved surface and (b) through the flat face? Figure P24.19
 Problems 757

19. An infinitely long line charge having a uniform charge per 27. A particle with a charge of  60.0 nC is placed at the
unit length  lies a distance d from point O as shown in center of a nonconducting spherical shell of inner radius
Figure P24.19. Determine the total electric flux through 20.0 cm and outer radius 25.0 cm. The spherical shell
the surface of a sphere of radius R centered at O resulting carries charge with a uniform density of  1.33 C/m3.
from this line charge. Consider both cases, where R  d A proton moves in a circular orbit just outside the
and R  d. spherical shell. Calculate the speed of the proton.
20. An uncharged nonconducting hollow sphere of radius 28. A nonconducting wall carries a uniform charge density of
10.0 cm surrounds a 10.0-C charge located at the origin 8.60 C/cm2. What is the electric field 7.00 cm in front of
of a cartesian coordinate system. A drill with a radius of the wall? Does your result change as the distance from the
1.00 mm is aligned along the z axis, and a hole is drilled in wall is varied?
the sphere. Calculate the electric flux through the hole. 29. Consider a long cylindrical charge distribution of
21. A charge of 170 C is at the center of a cube of edge radius R with a uniform charge density . Find the electric
80.0 cm. (a) Find the total flux through each face of the field at distance r from the axis where r  R.
cube. (b) Find the flux through the whole surface of the 30. A solid plastic sphere of radius 10.0 cm has charge with uni-
cube. (c) What If? Would your answers to parts (a) or form density throughout its volume. The electric field
(b) change if the charge were not at the center? Explain. 5.00 cm from the center is 86.0 kN/C radially inward. Find
22. The line ag in Figure P24.22 is a diagonal of a cube. A the magnitude of the electric field 15.0 cm from the center.
point charge q is located on the extension of line ag, very 31. Consider a thin spherical shell of radius 14.0 cm with a
close to vertex a of the cube. Determine the electric flux total charge of 32.0 C distributed uniformly on its
through each of the sides of the cube which meet at the surface. Find the electric field (a) 10.0 cm and (b) 20.0 cm
point a. from the center of the charge distribution.
32. In nuclear fission, a nucleus of uranium-238, which
d c contains 92 protons, can divide into two smaller spheres,
q each having 46 protons and a radius of 5.90  1015 m.
b
a
What is the magnitude of the repulsive electric force
pushing the two spheres apart?
33. Fill two rubber balloons with air. Suspend both of them
h from the same point and let them hang down on strings of
g
equal length. Rub each with wool or on your hair, so that
they hang apart with a noticeable separation from each
other. Make order-of-magnitude estimates of (a) the force
e f
on each, (b) the charge on each, (c) the field each creates
Figure P24.22 at the center of the other, and (d) the total flux of electric
field created by each balloon. In your solution state the
quantities you take as data and the values you measure or
Section 24.3 Application of Gauss’s Law to Various estimate for them.
Charge Distributions 34. An insulating solid sphere of radius a has a uniform
23. Determine the magnitude of the electric field at the volume charge density and carries a total positive charge
surface of a lead-208 nucleus, which contains 82 protons Q. A spherical gaussian surface of radius r, which shares a
and 126 neutrons. Assume the lead nucleus has a volume common center with the insulating sphere, is inflated
208 times that of one proton, and consider a proton to be starting from r  0. (a) Find an expression for the electric
a sphere of radius 1.20  1015 m. flux passing through the surface of the gaussian sphere as
24. A solid sphere of radius 40.0 cm has a total positive charge a function of r for r  a. (b) Find an expression for the
of 26.0 C uniformly distributed throughout its volume. electric flux for r  a. (c) Plot the flux versus r.
Calculate the magnitude of the electric field (a) 0 cm, 35. A uniformly charged, straight filament 7.00 m in length has
(b) 10.0 cm, (c) 40.0 cm, and (d) 60.0 cm from the center a total positive charge of 2.00 C. An uncharged cardboard
of the sphere. cylinder 2.00 cm in length and 10.0 cm in radius surrounds
25. A 10.0-g piece of Styrofoam carries a net charge of the filament at its center, with the filament as the axis of
 0.700 C and floats above the center of a large horizon- the cylinder. Using reasonable approximations, find (a) the
tal sheet of plastic that has a uniform charge density on its electric field at the surface of the cylinder and (b) the total
surface. What is the charge per unit area on the plastic electric flux through the cylinder.
sheet? 36. An insulating sphere is 8.00 cm in diameter and carries
26. A cylindrical shell of radius 7.00 cm and length 240 cm has a 5.70-C charge uniformly distributed throughout its
its charge uniformly distributed on its curved surface. The interior volume. Calculate the charge enclosed by a
magnitude of the electric field at a point 19.0 cm radially concentric spherical surface with radius (a) r  2.00 cm
outward from its axis (measured from the midpoint of the and (b) r  6.00 cm.
shell) is 36.0 kN/C. Find (a) the net charge on the shell 37. A large flat horizontal sheet of charge has a charge per
and (b) the electric field at a point 4.00 cm from the axis, unit area of 9.00 C/m2. Find the electric field just above
measured radially outward from the midpoint of the shell. the middle of the sheet.
758 C HAPTE R 24 • Gauss’s Law

38. The charge per unit length on a long, straight filament is 48. A conducting spherical shell of radius 15.0 cm carries a
 90.0 C/m. Find the electric field (a) 10.0 cm, net charge of  6.40 C uniformly distributed on its
(b) 20.0 cm, and (c) 100 cm from the filament, where surface. Find the electric field at points (a) just outside the
distances are measured perpendicular to the length of shell and (b) inside the shell.
the filament. 49. A thin square conducting plate 50.0 cm on a side lies
in the xy plane. A total charge of 4.00  108 C is placed
on the plate. Find (a) the charge density on the plate,
(b) the electric field just above the plate, and (c) the
Section 24.4 Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium electric field just below the plate. You may assume that the
39. A long, straight metal rod has a radius of 5.00 cm and a charge density is uniform.
charge per unit length of 30.0 nC/m. Find the electric 50. A conducting spherical shell of inner radius a and outer
field (a) 3.00 cm, (b) 10.0 cm, and (c) 100 cm from the radius b carries a net charge Q. A point charge q is placed
axis of the rod, where distances are measured perpendicu- at the center of this shell. Determine the surface charge
lar to the rod. density on (a) the inner surface of the shell and (b) the
40. On a clear, sunny day, a vertical electric field of about outer surface of the shell.
130 N/C points down over flat ground. What is the surface 51. A hollow conducting sphere is surrounded by a larger
charge density on the ground for these conditions? concentric spherical conducting shell. The inner sphere
41. A very large, thin, flat plate of aluminum of area A has a has charge Q , and the outer shell has net charge  3Q .
total charge Q uniformly distributed over its surfaces. The charges are in electrostatic equilibrium. Using
Assuming the same charge is spread uniformly over the Gauss’s law, find the charges and the electric fields
upper surface of an otherwise identical glass plate, compare everywhere.
the electric fields just above the center of the upper 52. A positive point charge is at a distance R/2 from the center
surface of each plate. of an uncharged thin conducting spherical shell of radius
42. A solid copper sphere of radius 15.0 cm carries a charge of R. Sketch the electric field lines set up by this arrangement
40.0 nC. Find the electric field (a) 12.0 cm, (b) 17.0 cm, both inside and outside the shell.
and (c) 75.0 cm from the center of the sphere. (d) What
If? How would your answers change if the sphere were
hollow? Section 24.5 Formal Derivation of Gauss’s Law
43. A square plate of copper with 50.0-cm sides has no net 53. A sphere of radius R surrounds a point charge Q , located
charge and is placed in a region of uniform electric field at its center. (a) Show that the electric flux through a cir-
of 80.0 kN/C directed perpendicularly to the plate. Find cular cap of half-angle  (Fig. P24.53) is
(a) the charge density of each face of the plate and (b) the
Q
total charge on each face.   (1  cos )
2 0
44. A solid conducting sphere of radius 2.00 cm has a charge
of 8.00 C. A conducting spherical shell of inner radius What is the flux for (b)   90° and (c)   180°?
4.00 cm and outer radius 5.00 cm is concentric with the
solid sphere and has a total charge of 4.00 C. Find the
electric field at (a) r  1.00 cm, (b) r  3.00 cm, (c) r 
4.50 cm, and (d) r  7.00 cm from the center of this
charge configuration.
45. Two identical conducting spheres each having a radius of
θ
0.500 cm are connected by a light 2.00-m-long conduct- R
ing wire. A charge of 60.0 C is placed on one of the con-
ductors. Assume that the surface distribution of charge
Q
on each sphere is uniform. Determine the tension in the
wire.
46. The electric field on the surface of an irregularly shaped
conductor varies from 56.0 kN/C to 28.0 kN/C. Calculate
the local surface charge density at the point on the surface
where the radius of curvature of the surface is (a) greatest Figure P24.53
and (b) smallest.
47. A long, straight wire is surrounded by a hollow metal cylin-
der whose axis coincides with that of the wire. The wire
has a charge per unit length of , and the cylinder has a Additional Problems
net charge per unit length of 2. From this information, 54. A nonuniform electric field is given by the expression
use Gauss’s law to find (a) the charge per unit length on E  ayî  bzĵ  cx k̂, where a, b, and c are constants.
the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder and (b) the Determine the electric flux through a rectangular surface
electric field outside the cylinder, a distance r from the in the xy plane, extending from x  0 to x  w and from
axis. y  0 to y  h.
 Problems 759

55. A solid insulating sphere of radius a carries a net positive 58. For the configuration shown in Figure P24.57, suppose
charge 3Q , uniformly distributed throughout its volume. that a  5.00 cm, b  20.0 cm, and c  25.0 cm. Further-
Concentric with this sphere is a conducting spherical shell more, suppose that the electric field at a point 10.0 cm
with inner radius b and outer radius c, and having a net from the center is measured to be 3.60  103 N/C radially
charge Q , as shown in Figure P24.55. (a) Construct a inward while the electric field at a point 50.0 cm from the
spherical gaussian surface of radius r  c and find the net center is 2.00  102 N/C radially outward. From this infor-
charge enclosed by this surface. (b) What is the direction mation, find (a) the charge on the insulating sphere,
of the electric field at r  c? (c) Find the electric field at (b) the net charge on the hollow conducting sphere, and
r  c. (d) Find the electric field in the region with radius r (c) the charges on the inner and outer surfaces of the
where c  r  b. (e) Construct a spherical gaussian surface hollow conducting sphere.
of radius r, where c  r  b, and find the net charge 59. A particle of mass m and charge q moves at high speed
enclosed by this surface. (f) Construct a spherical gaussian along the x axis. It is initially near x   , and it ends
surface of radius r, where b  r  a, and find the net up near x   . A second charge Q is fixed at the point
charge enclosed by this surface. (g) Find the electric field x  0, y  d. As the moving charge passes the stationary
in the region b  r  a. (h) Construct a spherical gaussian charge, its x component of velocity does not change appre-
surface of radius r  a, and find an expression for the net ciably, but it acquires a small velocity in the y direction.
charge enclosed by this surface, as a function of r. Note Determine the angle through which the moving charge is
that the charge inside this surface is less than 3Q. (i) Find deflected. Suggestion: The integral you encounter in deter-
the electric field in the region r  a. ( j) Determine the mining vy can be evaluated by applying Gauss’s law to a
charge on the inner surface of the conducting shell. long cylinder of radius d, centered on the stationary
(k) Determine the charge on the outer surface of the charge.
conducting shell. (l) Make a plot of the magnitude of the
electric field versus r. 60. Review problem. An early (incorrect) model of the hydro-
gen atom, suggested by J. J. Thomson, proposed that a pos-
–Q itive cloud of charge  e was uniformly distributed
throughout the volume of a sphere of radius R, with the
electron an equal-magnitude negative point charge  e at
3Q the center. (a) Using Gauss’s law, show that the electron
would be in equilibrium at the center and, if displaced
from the center a distance r  R, would experience a
a c restoring force of the form F  Kr, where K is a constant.
(b) Show that K  k e e 2/R 3. (c) Find an expression for the
b
frequency f of simple harmonic oscillations that an
electron of mass me would undergo if displaced a small
Figure P24.55 distance (R) from the center and released. (d) Calculate
a numerical value for R that would result in a frequency of
56. Consider two identical conducting spheres whose surfaces 2.47  1015 Hz, the frequency of the light radiated in the
are separated by a small distance. One sphere is given a most intense line in the hydrogen spectrum.
large net positive charge while the other is given a small
61. An infinitely long cylindrical insulating shell of inner
net positive charge. It is found that the force between
radius a and outer radius b has a uniform volume charge
them is attractive even though both spheres have net
density . A line of uniform linear charge density  is
charges of the same sign. Explain how this is possible.
placed along the axis of the shell. Determine the electric
57. A solid, insulating sphere of radius a has a uniform field everywhere.
charge density  and a total charge Q. Concentric with this
62. Two infinite, nonconducting sheets of charge are parallel
sphere is an uncharged, conducting hollow sphere whose
to each other, as shown in Figure P24.62. The sheet on the
inner and outer radii are b and c, as shown in Figure
left has a uniform surface charge density , and the one
P24.57. (a) Find the magnitude of the electric field in the
regions r  a, a  r  b, b  r  c, and r  c. (b) Deter-
mine the induced charge per unit area on the inner and
outer surfaces of the hollow sphere.

Insulator

Conductor
a

b
c
σ
–σ
Figure P24.57 Problems 57 and 58. Figure P24.62