dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaElectrostatic internal energy using the method of images
| Authors | Rodolfo A. Diaz, William J. Herrera, J. Virgilio Niño |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0607145 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0607145 |
| DOI | 10.1088/0143-0807/27/6/013 |
| Journal | Eur. J. Phys. 27 (2006) 1391--1398 |
Abstract
For several configurations of charges in the presence of conductors, the method of images permits us to obtain some observables associated with such a configuration by replacing the conductors with some image charges. However, simple inspection shows that the potential energy associated with both systems does not coincide. Nevertheless, it can be shown that for a system of a grounded or neutral conductor and a distribution of charges outside, the external potential energy associated with the real charge distribution embedded in the field generated by the set of image charges is twice the value of the internal potential energy associated with the original system. This assertion is valid for any size and shape of the conductor, and regardless of the configuration of images required. In addition, even in the case in which the conductor is not grounded nor neutral, it is still possible to calculate the internal potential energy of the original configuration through the method of images. These results show that the method of images could also be useful for calculations of the internal potential energy of the original system.
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"abstract": "For several configurations of charges in the presence of conductors, the\nmethod of images permits us to obtain some observables associated with such a\nconfiguration by replacing the conductors with some image charges. However,\nsimple inspection shows that the potential energy associated with both systems\ndoes not coincide. Nevertheless, it can be shown that for a system of a\ngrounded or neutral conductor and a distribution of charges outside, the\nexternal potential energy associated with the real charge distribution embedded\nin the field generated by the set of image charges is twice the value of the\ninternal potential energy associated with the original system. This assertion\nis valid for any size and shape of the conductor, and regardless of the\nconfiguration of images required. In addition, even in the case in which the\nconductor is not grounded nor neutral, it is still possible to calculate the\ninternal potential energy of the original configuration through the method of\nimages. These results show that the method of images could also be useful for\ncalculations of the internal potential energy of the original system.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0607145",
"authors": [
"Rodolfo A. Diaz",
"William J. Herrera",
"J. Virgilio Ni\u00f1o"
],
"categories": [
"physics.class-ph",
"physics.gen-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1088/0143-0807/27/6/013",
"journal_ref": "Eur. J. Phys. 27 (2006) 1391--1398",
"title": "Electrostatic internal energy using the method of images",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0607145"
},
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