Method of Images: Conducting Sphere

A point charge outside a perfectly conducting sphere, solved by replacing the conductor with image charges inside the sphere. The boundary color shows the actual induced surface charge density on the conductor.

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R = 1,   k = 1/(4πε0) = 1
q' = -(R/d)q,   x' = R2/d
V = q/|r - d xhat| + q'/|r - x' xhat| + Q0/r
Q0 = R Vs,   σ/ε0 = Er(R,θ)

Potential, field, and image charges

Preparing plot

Potential Equipotential Field vectors Surface charge Image charge