Question

A thin, horizontal, 10-cm-diameter copper plate is charged to -2.8 nc. Assume that the electrons are uniformly distributed on the surface. Determine the surface charge density on the copper plate, considering the uniform distribution of electrons. Provide the necessary steps and formulas for the calculation.

Answer 1

The surface charge density on the copper plate is approximately -7.13 µC/m².

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the surface charge density on the copper plate, we need to use the formula:

Surface charge density (σ) = Total charge (Q) / Surface area (A)

Given that the copper plate is 10 cm in diameter, we can calculate the surface area using the formula:
Surface area (A) = πr² = 3.14(0.05³)

Plugging the values into the formula, we get:
σ = -2.8 nc / (3.14(0.05³))

Simplifying the equation gives us:
σ = -2.8 nc / 0.0003925

Therefore, the surface charge density on the copper plate is approximately -7.13 µC/m².