Two positively charged metal spheres with different radii are electrically, conductively connected so that their electric potential is the same. Which of the following statements are correct?
Note:
The charge density equals
for
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The outside electric field of a sphere follows frow Gauss' law ∮ E ⋅ A ⇒ E = E ⋅ 4 π r 2 = ε 0 Q = 4 π ε 0 1 r 2 Q since the field E ( r ) = E ( r ) r has spherical symmetry. Therefore, the electric potential equals ϕ ( r ) = ∫ r ∞ E ⋅ d r ′ = ∫ r ∞ E ( r ′ ) d r ′ = 4 π ε 0 1 r Q Since ϕ 1 = ϕ 2 for both spheres it follows Q 2 Q 1 E 2 E 1 σ 2 σ 1 = r 2 r 1 = r 1 r 2 = r 1 r 2 or Q i or E i or σ i ∝ r i ∝ r i 1 ∝ r i 1 Therefore, Q 1 > Q 2 , E 1 < E 2 and σ 1 < σ 2