It is known that the potential is given by V = 70 r0.6V. The volume ch...
Understanding the Potential Function
The given potential is V = 70 r^0.6 V. To find the volume charge density (ρ) at r = 0.6 m, we can use Poisson's equation, which relates the electric potential to charge density.
Poisson's Equation
Poisson’s equation states:
∇²V = -ρ/ε₀
Where:
- ∇²V is the Laplacian of the potential,
- ρ is the volume charge density,
- ε₀ is the permittivity of free space.
In spherical coordinates, the Laplacian for a spherically symmetric potential is:
∇²V = (1/r²) * d/dr(r² * dV/dr)
Calculating the Derivatives
1. First Derivative (dV/dr):
- Differentiate V = 70 r^0.6.
- dV/dr = 70 * 0.6 * r^(-0.4) = 42 r^(-0.4).
2. Second Derivative (d²V/dr²):
- Differentiate dV/dr again.
- d²V/dr² = -42 * 0.4 * r^(-1.4) = -16.8 r^(-1.4).
3. Substituting into the Laplacian:
- Now substituting into the Laplacian formula leads to:
- ∇²V = (1/r²) * d/dr(r² * dV/dr)
- Substitute r = 0.6 m into the above expression.
Calculating Charge Density
After performing these calculations, we find:
- ρ = -ε₀ * ∇²V.
Substituting ε₀ and the value of ∇²V will lead to the volume charge density at r = 0.6 m.
Final Result
Upon calculation, the volume charge density is found to be -1.22 nC/m³, which corresponds with option 'D'. This negative sign indicates that the charge density is negative, consistent with the nature of the potential function provided.