Two charged spheres of radii 10cm and 15cm are connected by a thin wire. No current will flow, if they have:
Correct answer: C. The same potential
- A. The same charge on each
- B. The same energy
- C. The same potential
- D. The same field on their surface
Explanation
When two conductive spheres are connected by a thin wire, they reach an equilibrium state where their electric potentials are equal. This means no current will flow between them. Option C is correct because having the same potential ensures no potential difference exists, preventing current flow. Option A is incorrect as equal charge distribution does not ensure equal potential due to differing radii. Option B is incorrect as energy equality is not relevant to current flow. Option D is incorrect because having the same electric field does not necessarily equate to the same potential, particularly for different-sized spheres.
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Electrostatics describes forces between charges through Coulomb's law, electric fields and field intensity, then uses electric potential to measure energy per unit charge. Capacitors store charge and electrical energy, with capacitance depending on geometry and dielectric material, not simply on the amount of charge present.
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