Two large, thin metal plates are parallel and close to each other. On their inner faces, the plates have surfa

Question

Two large, thin metal plates are parallel and close to each other. On their inner faces, the plates have surface charge densities of opposite signs and of magnitude $17.0 	imes 10^{-22} \, 	ext{C/m}^2$. The electric field between the plates is:

Accepted Answer

For two large, parallel, thin metal plates with surface charge densities of opposite signs ($\sigma$ and $-\sigma$), the electric field in the outer regions is zero. In the inner region between the plates, the electric fields due to both plates add up because they point in the same direction (away from positive, towards negative).

The magnitude of the field is given by $E = \frac{\sigma}{2\varepsilon_0} + \frac{\sigma}{2\varepsilon_0} = \frac{\sigma}{\varepsilon_0}$.

Given:
$\sigma = 17.0 	imes 10^{-22} \, 	ext{C/m}^2$
$\varepsilon_0 = 8.854 	imes 10^{-12} \, 	ext{C}^2	ext{N}^{-1}	ext{m}^{-2}$

Calculation:
$E = \frac{17.0 	imes 10^{-22}}{8.854 	imes 10^{-12}}$
$E \approx 1.92 	imes 10^{-10} \, 	ext{N/C}$.
(See NCERT Physics Class 12, Exercise 1.24).

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