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JEE Advanced 2022 Paper 1 · Physics · Electrostatics · medium

A solid conducting sphere of radius a carries charge +Q. It is surrounded by a concentric thick conducting shell of inner radius b and outer radius c…

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A solid conducting sphere of radius aa carries charge +Q+Q. It is surrounded by a concentric thick conducting shell of inner radius bb and outer radius cc (a<b<ca<b<c) which is initially neutral and isolated. Let k=1/4πε0k=1/4\pi\varepsilon_0. Choose the correct option(s).
  1. A. The charge on the inner surface of the shell is −Q-Q.
  2. B. The charge on the outer surface of the shell is +Q+Q.
  3. C. The potential of the inner sphere is kQ(1a−1b+1c)kQ\left(\dfrac1a-\dfrac1b+\dfrac1c\right).
  4. D. If the shell is now earthed, the potential of the inner sphere becomes kQ(1a−1c)kQ\left(\dfrac1a-\dfrac1c\right).
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Answer: A, B, C

Field inside the conductor of the shell must vanish, so induced charge on the inner surface is −Q-Q and, since the shell is neutral and isolated, +Q+Q appears on the outer surface: (A) and (B) are true. Potential of the sphere is the sum of contributions from all spherical surfaces: k(Qa−Qb+Qc)k\left(\dfrac Qa-\dfrac Qb+\dfrac Qc\right), so (C) is true. On earthing, the outer charge flows away, the outer surface is at zero potential and the sphere's potential becomes kQ(1a−1b)kQ\left(\dfrac1a-\dfrac1b\right), not with cc; (D) is false.
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