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प्रश्न
The top of the atmosphere is at about 400 kV with respect to the surface of the earth, corresponding to an electric field that decreases with altitude. Near the surface of the earth, the field is about 100 Vm−1. Why then do we not get an electric shock as we step out of our house into the open? (Assume the house to be a steel cage so there is no field inside!)
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उत्तर
We do not get an electric shock as we step out of our house because the original equipotential surfaces of open-air change, keeping our body and the ground at the same potential.
संबंधित प्रश्न
Define an equipotential surface.
Draw a sketch of equipotential surfaces due to a single charge (-q), depicting the electric field lines due to the charge
Two charges 2 μC and −2 µC are placed at points A and B 6 cm apart.
- Identify an equipotential surface of the system.
- What is the direction of the electric field at every point on this surface?
A man fixes outside his house one evening a two metre high insulating slab carrying on its top a large aluminium sheet of area 1 m2. Will he get an electric shock if he touches the metal sheet next morning?
The discharging current in the atmosphere due to the small conductivity of air is known to be 1800 A on an average over the globe. Why then does the atmosphere not discharge itself completely in due course and become electrically neutral? In other words, what keeps the atmosphere charged?
What are the forms of energy into which the electrical energy of the atmosphere is dissipated during a lightning?
(Hint: The earth has an electric field of about 100 Vm−1 at its surface in the downward direction, corresponding to a surface charge density = −10−9 C m−2. Due to the slight conductivity of the atmosphere up to about 50 km (beyond which it is good conductor), about + 1800 C is pumped every second into the earth as a whole. The earth, however, does not get discharged since thunderstorms and lightning occurring continually all over the globe pump an equal amount of negative charge on the earth.)
What is the geometrical shape of equipotential surfaces due to a single isolated charge?
Two identical point charges, q each, are kept 2m apart in the air. A third point charge Q of unknown magnitude and sign is placed on the line joining the charges such that the system remains in equilibrium. Find the position and nature of Q.
Draw the equipotential surfaces due to an electric dipole.
Depict the equipotential surface due to
(i) an electric dipole,
(ii) two identical positive charges separated by a distance.
Assertion: Electric field is discontinuous across the surface of a spherical charged shell.
Reason: Electric potential is continuous across the surface of a spherical charged shell.
- The potential at all the points on an equipotential surface is same.
- Equipotential surfaces never intersect each other.
- Work done in moving a charge from one point to other on an equipotential surface is zero.
Equipotential surfaces ______.
Which of the following is NOT the property of equipotential surface?
Draw equipotential surfaces for (i) an electric dipole and (ii) two identical positive charges placed near each other.
