A solid conducting sphere of radius 10 cm is given a total charge of 2 C . What is the electric potential at a point located 5 cm from the centre of the sphere? (Take 1 4 ₀ = 9 10^9 N m ^2 C ⁻² )

Step-by-step solution

For a solid conducting sphere, all the given charge resides on its outer surface. Electrostatically, it behaves exactly like a thin spherical shell. The electric field inside the conducting sphere is zero, which means the electric potential is constant everywhere inside the sphere and is equal to the potential on its surface. Therefore, the potential at r = 5 cm (which is inside the sphere) is determined by the radius of the sphere R , not the internal distance r : V = 1 4 ₀ Q R Substituting the given values ( R =