Metallic Spheres

Consider a system of three concentric metallic spheres with radii R 1 = 10 c m , R 2 = 30 c m R_{1}= 10 cm, R_{2}=30 cm and R 3 = 40 c m R_{3}=40 cm . The inner ( R 1 R_{1} ) and the outer ( R 3 R_{3} ) spheres are grounded (they are connected to a large conductor at zero potential ). The relation between the charge Q of the middle sphere and its potential V is linear Q = C s e l f V . Q= C_{self} V. The coefficient C s e l f C_{self} is called self-capacitance. Determine C s e l f C_{self} in Farads for the middle sphere.

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} m/F


The answer is 1.5E-10.

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2 solutions

Punyak Johri
Feb 23, 2015

We can use the fact that this system can be considered to be two spherical capacitors connected in parallel (1,2 and 2,3), since they are at same potential.

Nishant Sharma
Jan 16, 2014

We start with putting charges on outer and inner surfaces of spheres using the fact that net charge within a conductor is zero. Let outer surface of innermost conductor have charge q q . Then using the above fact we find subsequent charges are q , q , q , q -q,q',-q',q'' ( ( From inside to outside ) ) . Now applying the fact that inner and outer spheres are grounded ( ( i.e. their surface potential is zero ) ) we have the following equations:

q 10 + q q 30 + q q 40 = 0 ( i ) \displaystyle\frac{q}{10}+\displaystyle\frac{q'-q}{30}+\displaystyle\frac{q''-q'}{40}=0\;\;\;---(i)

q q 40 + q 40 = 0 ( i i ) \displaystyle\frac{q''-q'}{40}+\displaystyle\frac{q'}{40}=0\;\;\;---(ii)

From ( i i ) (ii) we have q " = 0 q"=0 , which we could also have got from the fact that charge inside a conductor is zero. Plugging this into ( i ) (i) we have q = q 8 q=\displaystyle\frac{-q'}{8} .

Now charge on middle sphere is Q = q q = 9 q 8 Q=q'-q=\displaystyle\frac{9q'}{8} and it's potential V = k × q 30 × 1 0 2 k × q 40 × 1 0 2 = 10 × k × q 12 V=\displaystyle\frac{k\times\,q'}{30\times10^{-2}}-\displaystyle\frac{k\times\,q'}{40\times10^{-2}}=\displaystyle\frac{10\times\,k\times\,q'}{12} .

So Q V = C s e l f = 1.5 × 1 0 10 . \displaystyle\frac{Q}{V}=C_{self}=\boxed{1.5\times10^{-10}}.

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