Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
- Exam
- Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
- Subject
- Physics
- Chapter
- Electric Field and Potential
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] · Physics · Electric Field and Potential
A wire is shaped into a regular hexagon, and a total charge q is...
A wire is shaped into a regular hexagon, and a total charge is uniformly distributed along it. Determine the electric field at the centre. You can answer this without performing any numerical calculations.
Options
- A, where is the side length
- B, where is the side length
- C, where is the side length
- DZero
Correct answer
D. Zero
Step-by-step solution
A regular hexagon is a highly symmetric geometric figure.
Since the charge is uniformly distributed along the wire, each of the six sides of the hexagon has the same linear charge density and produces an electric field of equal magnitude at the centre.
For every side of the hexagon, there is an identical side directly opposite to it. The electric field vectors produced by any pair of opposite sides at the centre are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
Thus, the electric fields from all pairs of opposite sides cancel each other out completely.
Therefore, the net electric field at the centre of the regular hexagon is zero.
Since the charge is uniformly distributed along the wire, each of the six sides of the hexagon has the same linear charge density and produces an electric field of equal magnitude at the centre.
For every side of the hexagon, there is an identical side directly opposite to it. The electric field vectors produced by any pair of opposite sides at the centre are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
Thus, the electric fields from all pairs of opposite sides cancel each other out completely.
Therefore, the net electric field at the centre of the regular hexagon is zero.