The electric field is constant in magnitude and direction for the following arrangement of fixed charges:
-Close to a point charge
-Close to a dipole
-Far from a dipole, i.e., at a distance greater than 10 times the charge seperation distance d of the dipole
-Around the charged parallel plates
-Between the charged parallel plates
well, only one answer is true. Have you studied capacitors yet?
yes and i think that around the charged parallel plates..the electric field charge is zero
so would the answer be between the charged parallel plates?
I can't visualize the question...about the parallel plates..are they one negative and poistive plate..or both positive, both negative charged plates?
To determine if the electric field is constant in magnitude and direction in different arrangements of fixed charges, we need to consider the properties and geometry of each arrangement. Let's go through each case and explain how to determine the constancy of the electric field for each situation:
1. Close to a point charge:
The electric field near a point charge follows an inverse square law, which means its magnitude decreases as you move away from the charge. Furthermore, the electric field lines always point radially outward from a positive charge or inward toward a negative charge. Therefore, the electric field is not constant in magnitude or direction near a point charge.
2. Close to a dipole:
A dipole consists of two equal and opposite charges separated by a small distance. The electric field near a dipole is not constant in magnitude but is fairly constant in direction along the perpendicular bisector of the dipole axis, which passes through the midpoint between the charges. On either side along the axis, the electric field decreases with distance away from the dipole, and the field lines tend to spread out and become less aligned with the dipole axis. Therefore, the electric field is not constant in magnitude but is approximately constant in direction close to a dipole.
3. Far from a dipole:
When you are far from a dipole, at a distance greater than 10 times the charge separation distance (d) of the dipole, the electric field is nearly constant in both magnitude and direction. At a large distance, the individual charges of the dipole start to blend together, and the electric field behaves as if it originates from a single point. The resulting electric field points along the dipole axis and has a magnitude inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the dipole.
4. Around the charged parallel plates:
For charged parallel plates, the electric field between them is constant in magnitude and direction. The field lines are equally spaced and parallel to each other, perpendicular to the surfaces of the plates. This is due to the uniform distribution of charges on the plates, which creates a constant electric field between them.
5. Between the charged parallel plates:
Similar to the previous case, the electric field between two charged parallel plates is constant in magnitude and direction. The field lines are parallel and equally spaced, pointing from the positive plate to the negative plate. The electric field between the plates is uniform because the plates have a constant charge density and are infinitely large.
In summary, the electric field is constant in magnitude and direction for charged parallel plates and between the charged parallel plates. The electric field is also approximately constant in direction close to a dipole when you are far from it, but not constant in magnitude. Finally, the electric field is not constant in magnitude or direction close to a single point charge.