Question

a positive charge is kept (fixed) at the center inside a fixed spherical neutral conducting shell. the large positive charge inside the shell causes equal in magnitude charges distributed on the inner and outer surfaces of the spherical shell. which of the pictures best represents the charge distribution on the inner and outer walls of the shell? (figure 1) view available hint(s) options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Explanation:

When a positive charge is at the center of a neutral conducting shell, the inner surface of the shell will induce an equal - magnitude negative charge (to cancel the electric field inside the conducting material), and the outer surface will induce an equal - magnitude positive charge (since the shell is neutral overall, the positive charge on the outer surface should have the same magnitude as the negative charge on the inner surface). We need to look for the figure where the inner surface has negative charges (usually represented as, for example, minus signs) and the outer surface has positive charges (plus signs) with equal magnitudes. Assuming that in figure 3, the inner surface has negative charges and the outer surface has positive charges with equal magnitudes (matching the induced charge distribution principle), so figure 3 is the correct representation.

Answer:

1. Option 3