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QPage 139: Q4: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 Gauss's Law Page 139: Q4 Solution: A spherical shell made of plastic, contains a charge Q…

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students mistakenly apply Gauss's law to conclude that any closed surface with a fixed total charge produces zero electric field inside, even after the shape is changed; however, zero interior field holds only for a spherical shell with uniform surface charge or for a conductor where charges redistribute. In a non‑conducting shell that is hammered, the surface charge density becomes non‑uniform, so the interior field is generally not zero.

A spherical shell made of plastic, contains a charge Q distributed uniformly over its surface. What is the electric field inside the shell? If the shell is hammered to deshape it, without altering the charge, will the field inside be changed? What happens if the shell is made of a metal?

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** The field inside the shell is zero. If the shell is deformed, the field inside remains zero (for a uniformly charged shell). If the shell is made of metal, the field inside remains zero regardless of deformation. **Step-by-Step Explanation:** - For a uniformly charged spherical shell (plastic), the field inside is zero by Gauss's law. - If the shell is hammered into a non-spherical shape, the field inside a uniformly charged closed surface is still zero (Gauss's law: no enclosed charge). - For a metal shell, charges redistribute to cancel any external field; the field inside is always zero (electrostatic shielding) .

All Questions in this Chapter

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