Electric charge can accumulate on an airplane in flight. You mayhave observed needle-shaped metal extensions on the wing tips andtail of an airplane. Their purpose is to allow charge to leak offbefore much of it accumulates. The electric field around the needleis much larger than the field around the body of the airplane andcan become large enough to produce dielectric breakdown of the air,discharging the airplane. To model this process, assume that twocharged spherical conductors are connected by a long conductingwire and a charge of 79.0 µC is placed on the combination. Onesphere, representing the body of the airplane, has a radius of 6.00m, and the other, representing the tip of the needle, has a radiusof 2.00 cm.
(a) What is the electric potential of each sphere? r = 6.00 m:]V
r = 2.00 cm: V
(b) What is the electric field at the surface of eachsphere?
r = 6.00 m: magnitude____________ V/m? direction_________?
r = 2.00 cm: magnitude ____________ V/m? direction________?
