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Conductors

Keywords: Small Group Activity, Electric Field, Conductors and Insulators, Surface Charge Density, Vector Field

vfconductors.jpg

Highlights of the activity

  1. This small group activity is designed to help students apply the properties of conductors to a complex physical situation.
  2. Students use the properties of conductors to solve a problem involving a metal sphere that has spherical cavities with charges inside (Griffiths Problem 2.36).
  3. Discussion focuses on how the properties of conductors arise because charges are free to move.

Reasons to spend class time on the activity

This activity provides an opportunity for students to apply the properties of conductors to a complex physical situation and to see how all of the properties of conductors arise from the fact that charges are free to move.

Reflections

Instructor's Guide

Student Handouts

vfconductorshand.pdf

vfconductorshand.tex


Authors: Mary Bridget Kustusch
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