# Tag Info

8

If you're trying to simulate a 2D solution of the Laplace equation (which is the only unambiguous reading of your post as currently stated; if that's not what you're doing then you should clarify your question with exactly what it is you're doing and how), then your code is wrong. The reason is that your results don't obey the maximum principle: a harmonic ...

4

I believe the answer to your question lies in the Gauss theorem itself $$\oint \textbf{E}d\textbf{S} \sim Q$$ and the symmetry of the system, which defines the shape of equipotential surfaces. In case of a point charge there is a rotational symmetry about any axis going through the charge, so the equipotential surfaces are spheres whose area is ...

4

I don't like the "you can't get away" explanation. There is a simple explanation with field lines: In all three cases, the field lines are straight lines from the point charge to infinity. You can easily calculate the density of the field lines for each object. For a point charge, the "number" of field lines through any sphere around the point charge is ...

3

The principle of relativity: The laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference. Since the Lorentz force is a valid law of physics, it will not change when we pass from one reference frame to another. First frame, wire is moving. There is no $\mathbf E$ field. Lorentz force $\mathbf F = q\mathbf v\times\mathbf B$. Apparently, you were OK ...

2

If electrons obeyed classical mechanics, they would rearrange in a new configuration in order to maximize the distance between them. They would not stay still because of thermal motion, as pointed out by CuriousOne, but on average they will still maximize this distance. However, electrons don't obey classical mechanics, but quantum mechanics. The behavior ...

1

"Does it have to do with the attraction or repulsion between unlike and like charges?" Yes. The electric field always goes out from positive charges and in towards negative charges. The magnitude of the electric field of the +10e charge is independent of the test charge. $$E=\frac{Q}{4\pi\epsilon r^2}$$ However, the direction ...

1

Electrons in metals have states which people call Bloch states. If we want to describe these states we should bear in mind that electrons have wave like behavior. Bloch states are a subset of the many infinite wave states which electrons can have in general. They're such that when an electron is in a Bloch state, it somehow fills everywhere in the metal. If ...

1

When you put +ve charge on a conductor, you are really removing the same amount of -ve charge, because only the electrons move. Gauss' Law assumes that charge is infinitely divisible, and can be spread uniformly throughout a volume or over a surface. This is a good approximation when the charge is on the order of $1 \mu C$, corresponding to about $10^{13}$ ...

1

For an INFINITE parallel plate capacitor, the electric field has the same value everywhere between the 2 plates. An intuitive reason for that is: suppose you have a small test charge +q at a distance $x$ away from the +ve plate and a distance $d-x$ away from the -ve plate. The +ve plate will repel the charge and the -ve plate will attract it. Now if the ...

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