In the figure a proton is a distance d/2 directly above the center of a square of side d. What is the magnitude of the electric flux through the square? (Hint: Think of the square as one face of a cube with edge d.)

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In the figure a proton is a distance d/2 directly above the center of a square of side d. What is the magnitude of the electric flux through the square? (Hint: Think of the square as one face of a cube with edge d.)

 

### Electric Field Due to a Point Charge Above a Conducting Plane

In this diagram, we explore the concept of electric fields due to a point charge above a conducting plane. Here, we have a positively charged particle (indicated with a '+' symbol) positioned above an infinite conducting plane. The essential details of the diagram are as follows:

1. **Point Charge**: The charge is depicted hovering at a distance \(d/2\) directly above the center of the plane.
2. **Distance Indicators**: The distance from the point charge to the plane is labeled \(d/2\).
3. **Conducting Plane**: The plane surface is shown to be infinitely large with a depiction of dimension \(d\), emphasizing its boundlessness in the context.

#### Explanation:

The charge creates an electric field around itself. When a conducting plane is introduced, the field lines are modified due to the induced charges on its surface. The conducting plane responds to the electric field of the point charge by redistributing its own charges such that the net electric field inside the conductor remains zero.

- **Induced Surface Charges**: Due to the presence of the point charge, negative charges will accumulate on the surface of the plane directly below the positive charge (closer to the plane) and positive charges will accumulate as far from the charge as possible.
- **Field Interaction**: The field lines from the positive charge will terminate on the induced negative charges on the plane, effectively altering the field configuration.

This setup is fundamental in studying electrostatics involving conductors, illustrating how conductors affect the distribution and direction of electric fields. It provides insight into methods like the method of images, where the field of a point charge near a conducting plane can be studied by replacing the plane with an opposite charge mirrored at equal distance below the plane.
Transcribed Image Text:### Electric Field Due to a Point Charge Above a Conducting Plane In this diagram, we explore the concept of electric fields due to a point charge above a conducting plane. Here, we have a positively charged particle (indicated with a '+' symbol) positioned above an infinite conducting plane. The essential details of the diagram are as follows: 1. **Point Charge**: The charge is depicted hovering at a distance \(d/2\) directly above the center of the plane. 2. **Distance Indicators**: The distance from the point charge to the plane is labeled \(d/2\). 3. **Conducting Plane**: The plane surface is shown to be infinitely large with a depiction of dimension \(d\), emphasizing its boundlessness in the context. #### Explanation: The charge creates an electric field around itself. When a conducting plane is introduced, the field lines are modified due to the induced charges on its surface. The conducting plane responds to the electric field of the point charge by redistributing its own charges such that the net electric field inside the conductor remains zero. - **Induced Surface Charges**: Due to the presence of the point charge, negative charges will accumulate on the surface of the plane directly below the positive charge (closer to the plane) and positive charges will accumulate as far from the charge as possible. - **Field Interaction**: The field lines from the positive charge will terminate on the induced negative charges on the plane, effectively altering the field configuration. This setup is fundamental in studying electrostatics involving conductors, illustrating how conductors affect the distribution and direction of electric fields. It provides insight into methods like the method of images, where the field of a point charge near a conducting plane can be studied by replacing the plane with an opposite charge mirrored at equal distance below the plane.
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