Question

Imagine a scenario where you have a neutral conductor, and you have to physically add electrons to it one at a time. The first electron you add happens very easily, but the second electron requires more work. In your initial discussion post, answer the following questions:

• Why would this be the case in this scenario?

• What happens to the work needed to add the third, fourth, fifth, and so on, electrons?

• Suppose you were putting marbles in a box one at a time. How is the amount of work required to add marbles to a box similar to and different from the amount of work required to add electrons to a conductor?

Answer 1

● After the first electron is added it creates a potential on the surface of the conductor and after that when the second electron is added work has to be done against this potential (as force is repelling) . Hence ,more work needs to be done as compared to what was required to add the first electron.

●Now for every extra electron added, the potential on the conductor rises and hence the work done to add the subsequent electron is more than the previous one.

● In case of adding marbles work done in adding extra marble has to done in the same direction of the force (as attractive gravitational force) . Hence for every subsequent marble addition there is more attractive potential and hence less work from external agency is required .