Insulator's charges

Electricity and Magnetism Level 1

A thin insulator rod is placed between two unlike point charges $+q_1$ and $-q_2$ .

Will the forces acting on the charges change?

Yes. The force acting on

q_1

decreases. No. Forces are not affected. Yes. The force acting on

q_1

increases.

1 solution

Adhiraj Dutta
Aug 15, 2020

Due to polarisation of the insulator rod, $q_1$ charge is acted upon, in addition to $q_2$ , by the polarisation charges induced at the ends $A$ and $B$ .

The attractive force exerted by the negative charge induced at end $A$ will be stronger than the repulsive force exerted by the positive charge induced at the end $B$ $\left( F \propto \dfrac{1}{r^2} \right)$ .

Thus the total force acting on $q_1$ charge will increase.

Source: SS Krotov Problem $3.1$

Insulator's charges

1 solution

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