Consider a circular loop that is uniformly charged and has a radius a 2. Find the position along the positive z-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system where the electric field is maximum if the ring was assumed to be placed in xy plane at the origin :
- a
- a/2
- 0
- a/ 2
Answer
(1) a
Solution
Field on the axis of a charged ring of radius R:
E = kQz (R2 + z2 )3/2
For maximum E: dEdz = 0
(R2 + z2 ) - 3z2 = 0
z = R 2
z = a 2 2 = a
Answer: (1)