Question

A uniformly charged, one-dimensional rod of length L has total positive charge Q. Itsleft end is located at x = ????L and its right end is located at x = 0. A separate positivepoint charge q is located at positive position x = x0.Find the magnitude of the force on the point charge by the rod. Evaluate the integral interms of the given variables. (This is basically the problem from the textbook, volume 2,page 584, Chapter 25, Exercise #16., but I've changed the description and variables.)

Answer 1

Answer:

$|\vec{F}| = \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{qQ}{L}(\ln(L+x_0)-\ln(x_0))$

Explanation:

The force on the point charge q exerted by the rod can be found by Coulomb's Law.

$\vec{F} = \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{q_1q_2}{r^2}\^r$

Unfortunately, Coulomb's Law is valid for points charges only, and the rod is not a point charge.

In this case, we have to choose an infinitesimal portion on the rod, which is basically a point, and calculate the force exerted by this point, then integrate this small force (dF) over the entire rod.

We will choose an infinitesimal portion from a distance 'x' from the origin, and the length of this portion will be denoted as 'dx'. The charge of this small portion will be 'dq'.

Applying Coulomb's Law:

$d\vec{F} = \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{qdq}{x + x_0}(\^x)$

The direction of the force on 'q' is to the right, since both charges are positive, and they repel each other.

Now, we have to write 'dq' in term of the known quantities.

$\frac{Q}{L} = \frac{dq}{dx}\\dq = \frac{Qdx}{L}$

Now, substitute this into 'dF':

$d\vec{F} = \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{qQdx}{L(x+x_0)}(\^x)$

Now we can integrate dF over the rod.

$\vec{F} = \int{d\vec{F}} = \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{qQ}{L}\int\limits^{L}_0 {\frac{1}{x+x_0}} \, dx = \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\frac{qQ}{L}(\ln(L+x_0)-\ln(x_0))(\^x)$