Asked in KMU Centralized Admission Test 2020 2020Moderate

Consider a neutral conducting sphere. A positive point charge is placed outside the shpere. The net charge on the sphere is then.

Correct answer: B. Zero

  • A. Negative and uniform over the surface of the sphere
  • B. Zero
  • C. Negative and at the point on the sphere closest to the point charge
  • D. Negative and distributed non-uniformly over the enitre surface of the sphere

Explanation

If a positive point charge is placed outside a neutral conducting sphere, the net charge on the sphere will still be neutral. The positive charge outside the sphere does not directly affect the charge distribution on the sphere. The charges inside the conductor redistribute themselves in such a way that the electric field inside the conductor is zero, resulting in no net charge on the sphere. So, the sphere remains neutral.

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About Electric Field

An electric field is the force experienced per unit positive test charge, with the field of a point charge given by E = kQ/r² and directed away from positive charges or toward negative charges. Questions involve field lines, superposition and force on a charge, while electric field must be distinguished from electric potential.

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