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Problem21 69

1) The document derives an equation for the restoring force Fq on a charge q placed near a spherical shell of charge Q. It shows that Fq is proportional to the displacement x, making it a simple harmonic oscillator. 2) It then derives an expression for the frequency f of oscillations as a function of the charges q and Q, the permittivity of free space ε0, and the shell radius a. 3) If the charges were placed along the y-axis instead of x, there would be no restoring force and the charge would accelerate away if they had the same sign, as the x-force components would cancel out.

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20 views

Problem21 69

1) The document derives an equation for the restoring force Fq on a charge q placed near a spherical shell of charge Q. It shows that Fq is proportional to the displacement x, making it a simple harmonic oscillator. 2) It then derives an expression for the frequency f of oscillations as a function of the charges q and Q, the permittivity of free space ε0, and the shell radius a. 3) If the charges were placed along the y-axis instead of x, there would be no restoring force and the charge would accelerate away if they had the same sign, as the x-force components would cancel out.

Uploaded by

IENCS
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1 qQ 1 qQ 1 qQ  1 1 

21.69: a)  Fq = − =  − 
4πε 0 ( a + x ) 2 4πε 0 ( a − x) 2 4πε 0 a 2 
 (1 + x a ) 2
(1 − x a)2 

1 qQ x x 1 qQ  x  qQ 
  ⇒ Fq ≈ 2
(1 − 2 . . . − (1 + 2 . . .)) = 2 
− 4  = −  x. But this
3 
4πε 0 a a a 4πε 0 a  a  πε 0 a 
is the equation of a simple harmonic oscillator, so:
qQ 1 qQ kqQ
ω = 2πf = 3
⇒f = = .
mπ ε0 a 2π mπ ε0 a 3 mπ 2 a 3
b) If the charge was placed on the y-axis there would be no restoring force if q and
Q had the same sign. It would move straight out from the origin along the y-axis, since
the x-components of force would cancel.

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