Re: Confused by a derivation.

[Michael Edmiston <edmiston@BLUFFTON.EDU>]

Bob Sciamanda says:

> I suggest you do the general problem of three
> (or more) parallel conducting plates carrying arbitrary net charges Qi.
> Use only Gauss' law and the constraint of zero field inside conductors -
> find the charge density on each plate face.   This was discussed to death
> some time ago on this list.

I say... that is not the problem we're solving here.  Given a parallel plate
capacitor and using nothing but Gauss' Law, can you calculate the field
inside the gap.  If so, what assumptions are you making?

I don't find it helpful, when trying to understand one problem, for someone
to tell me to go solve a different problem, unless that different problem
provides necessary information for the current problem... in which case it
actually becomes part of the current problem.  So, Bob, are you telling me
that solving a three or more plate problem in general is necessary before I
can solve the two plate problem?  If so, you have proved my point that the
parallel-plate capacitor by itself is a bit tricky.


Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.              Phone/voice-mail:       419-358-3270
Professor of Chemistry & Physics        FAX:                    419-358-3323
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Bluffton College
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