Interaction between a point charge and a ring

A point charge q = + 1 μ C q=+1~\mu\mbox{C} with mass M = 3 g M=3~\mbox{g} is placed at the center of a thin ring of radius R = 10 cm R=10~\mbox{cm} , mass m = 6 g m=6~\mbox{g} , and charge Q = 5 μ C Q=5 \mu\mbox{C} . Initially, the system is at rest in equilibrium. Then, the point charge is given a push so that it acquires a small velocity v 0 \vec{v}_{0} in the plane of the ring. Determine the minimum time τ \tau in seconds after which the point charge will be at the center of the ring again. Assume that the charge in the ring is distributed uniformly. The following expansion might be useful: 1 1 + x 2 R 2 2 x R cos ( θ ) 1 + cos ( θ ) x R 1 3 cos 2 ( θ ) 2 x 2 R 2 \frac{1}{\sqrt{1+\frac{x^{2}}{R^{2}}-2 \frac{x}{R}\cos(\theta)}}\approx 1+\cos(\theta) \frac{x}{R}-\frac{1-3 \cos^{2}(\theta)}{2}\frac{x^{2}}{R^{2}} for x R x \ll R .

Details and assumptions

  • k = 1 4 π ϵ 0 = 9 × 1 0 9 m/F . k=\frac{1}{4\pi \epsilon_{0}}= 9\times 10^{9}~\mbox{m/F}.

  • Neglect gravitational forces.

  • The ring is free to move.


The answer is 0.0296.

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2 solutions

Anish Puthuraya
Feb 2, 2014

It is a fairly interesting problem, so I will try to be as clear as I can.

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\bullet At a general position x \displaystyle x (very small),
Consider a Gaussian surface, which is a cylinder of height 2 \displaystyle 2\ell and radius x \displaystyle x .
\bullet Let E E represent the Electric Field at the curved surface of the cylinder ( E \displaystyle E ) is constant as x \displaystyle x is small)

\bullet Let E E' represent the Electric Field at the two flat surfaces of the cylinder ( E \displaystyle E' ) is constant as x \displaystyle x is small)

Considering the total Flux through the two flat surfaces of the cylinder,
ϕ 1 = 2 × ( E × π x 2 ) \displaystyle\phi_1 = 2\times (E'\times\pi x^2)

As we know,
E = k Q ( R 2 + 2 ) 3 2 k Q R 3 \displaystyle E' = \frac{kQ\ell}{(R^2+\ell^2)^{\frac{3}{2}}} \approx \frac{kQ\ell}{R^3}

Hence,

ϕ 1 = 2 π k Q x 2 R 3 \displaystyle\phi_1 = \frac{2\pi kQx^2}{R^3} \ell

Considering the total flux through the curved surface of the cylinder,
ϕ 2 = E × 2 π x ( 2 l ) \displaystyle\phi_2 = E\times 2\pi x(2l)

ϕ 2 = E × ( 4 π x l ) \displaystyle\phi_2 = E\times(4\pi xl)

Using Gauss's Law ,

ϕ 1 + ϕ 2 = q i n s i d e ϵ o = 0 \displaystyle \phi_1+\phi_2 = \frac{q_{inside}}{\epsilon_o} = 0 (Since there is no charge inside the Gaussian surface)

Hence, 2 π k Q x 2 R 3 = E × ( 4 π x l ) \displaystyle\frac{2\pi kQx^2}{R^3} \ell = -E\times(4\pi xl)

E = k Q 2 R 3 x \displaystyle\Rightarrow |E| = \frac{kQ}{2R^3} x

F = q E = k Q q 2 R 3 x = K x \displaystyle F = qE = \frac{kQq}{2R^3} x = Kx (say)

Thus,
K = k Q q 2 R 3 \displaystyle K = \frac{kQq}{2R^3}

Using the concept of Reduced Mass ,
Reduced Mass = μ = M m M + m \displaystyle = \mu = \frac{Mm}{M+m}

It is clear that,
a = K μ x = w 2 x \displaystyle a = \frac{K}{\mu} x = w^2 x

Thus,
w = K μ = 2 M m R 3 K Q q ( M + m ) \displaystyle w = \sqrt{\frac{K}{\mu}} = \sqrt{\frac{2MmR^3}{KQq(M+m)}}

T = 2 π w = 2 π 2 M m R 3 K Q q ( M + m ) \Rightarrow\displaystyle T = \frac{2\pi}{w} = 2\pi\sqrt{\frac{2MmR^3}{KQq(M+m)}}

The problem clearly asks us to find out T 2 \displaystyle\frac{T}{2} , thus,
T = T 2 = π 2 M m R 3 K Q q ( M + m ) 0.0296 s e c \displaystyle T' = \frac{T}{2} = \pi\sqrt{\frac{2MmR^3}{KQq(M+m)}} \approx\boxed{0.0296sec}

Near the ending,
I haven't mentioned that the oscillations are simple harmonic, and what follows apply only to these oscillations.

EDIT: Also, there is typo . In the end, I have written the value of w w as the inverse of what it should be.
Hence, Actual w = K Q q ( M + m ) 2 M m R 3 \displaystyle w = \sqrt{\frac{KQq(M+m)}{2MmR^3}}
What follows after that, is correct..

Anish Puthuraya - 7 years, 4 months ago

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Dude i really appreciate ur thinking.. Quite good :) Can u help me wid one question dat was posted on brilliant itself long ago(i guess abt 11months ago)? Can i mail u or should i type it in here??

Chandramouli Chowdhury - 7 years, 4 months ago

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It would be better if you mail me, so that I won't have to post a solution in the comments section.
Or, just post the link to the problem here and I'll attempt it and post a solution there itself. [email protected].

Anish Puthuraya - 7 years, 4 months ago

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@Anish Puthuraya K; thx i'll be mailing u soon enough..

Chandramouli Chowdhury - 7 years, 4 months ago

Just to be clear, while using reduced mass (mu)*a=kx , a is( a relative), right?

Atri Dutta - 6 years, 1 month ago

why did u use reduced mass concept? pls explain.

Ashutosh Sharma - 3 years, 5 months ago

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Because both the ring and the particle are movable Like a 2 block-spring system

Suhas Sheikh - 3 years ago
Tran Dinh Duy Vu
May 20, 2014

In the reference frame fixed to the system's centre of mass O, with x is the distance between point charge and centre of the ring, the distance from O to point charge: d {1}=x\frac{m}{M+m} centre of the ring: d {2}= x\frac{M}{M+m} Thus kinetic energy of each object is given by: K {1}= \frac{1}{2}M(d' {1})^ =\frac{1}{2}\frac{Mm^2}{(M+m)^2}x'^2 K {2} = \frac{1}{2}m(d' {1})^ =\frac{1}{2}\frac{mM^2}{(M+m)^2}x'^2 Interaction energy of system: (p is the linear charge density) W=\int\limits 0^{2\pi}{\frac{kqpRd\theta}{\sqrt{R^2+x^2-2Rxcos\theta}} =\int\limits 0^{2\pi}kqp (1+cos\theta\frac{x}{R}+ \frac{1+3cos^2\theta}{2}\frac{x^2}{R^2})d\theta = kqp(2\pi + \frac{\pi}{2}\frac{x^2}{R^2}) Law of energy conservation: W+K {1}+K {2} =const take derivative: \frac{kqp\pi}{R^2}x+\frac{Mm}{M+m}x''=0 the required time is half a revolution \tau=\pi\sqrt{\frac{mMR^2}{kqp(M+m)\pi}}=\pi\sqrt{\frac{2MmR^3}{kqQ(M+m)}}=0.0296s

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