Electrostatics

JEE Main level, single correct, medium

150 of 311

Question 150 of 311

Two charged conducting spheres S1S_1 and S2S_2 of radii 88 cm and 1818 cm are connected to each other by a wire. After equilibrium is established, the ratio of electric fields on S1S_1 and S2S_2 spheres are ES1E_{S_1} and ES2E_{S_2} respectively. The value of ES1ES2\dfrac{E_{S_1}}{E_{S_2}} is _______.

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Answer: (D) 94\dfrac{9}{4}

When two conducting spheres are connected by a wire, charge flows until their potentials become equal.

V1=V2V_1 = V_2

kQ1R1=kQ2R2\dfrac{k Q_1}{R_1} = \dfrac{k Q_2}{R_2}

The electric field on the surface of a conducting sphere is given by
E=kQR2E = \dfrac{k Q}{R^2}, which can be written as E=VRE = \dfrac{V}{R}.

Since
V1=V2V_1 = V_2, we have:

ES1R1=ES2R2E_{S_1} R_1 = E_{S_2} R_2

ES1ES2=R2R1\dfrac{E_{S_1}}{E_{S_2}} = \dfrac{R_2}{R_1}

Given
R1=8R_1 = 8 cm and R2=18R_2 = 18 cm:

ES1ES2=188=94\dfrac{E_{S_1}}{E_{S_2}} = \dfrac{18}{8} = \dfrac{9}{4}

Answer:
94\dfrac{9}{4}

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