AP Physics C Electricity : Understanding Charge Distributions on Objects

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Physics C Electricity

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understanding Charge Distributions On Objects

Consider a spherical shell with radius  and charge . What is the magnitude of the electric field at the center of this spherical shell?

Possible Answers:

Zero

Correct answer:

Zero

Explanation:

According to the shell theorem, the total electric field at the center point of a charged spherical shell is always zero. At this point, any electric field lines will result in symmetry, canceling each other out and creating a net field of zero at that point.

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