Question

A square plate of copper with 50 cm sides has no net charge and is placed in a region of uniform electric field of 80.0 kN/C directed perpendicular to the plate. Find (a) thr charge density at each face of the plate and (b) the total charge on each face.

Answer 1

a) Use Gauss' Law for the surface charge density in coulombs/m^2.

The front and back surfaces will have equal and opposite charge densities, since the net charge is zero.

b) Multiply the answer in a) by the plate area, 0.25 m^2.