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IP BIO Electric Catfish The electric catfish (Malapterurs
Chapter 20, Problem 93GP(choose chapter or problem)
Problem 93GP
IP BIO Electric Catfish The electric catfish (Malapterurs electricus) is an aggressive fish, 1.0 m in length, found today in tropical Africa (and depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics). The catfish is capable of generating jolts of electricity up to 350 V by producing a positively charged region of muscle near the head and a negatively charged region near the tail, (a) For the same amount of charge, can the catfish generate a higher voltage by separating the charge from one end of its body to the other, as it does, or from one side of the body to the other? Explain, (b) Estimate the charge generated at each end of a catfish as follows: Treat the catfish as a parallel-plate capacitor with plates of area 1.8 × 10-2 m2, separation 1.0 m, and filled with a dielectric with a dielectric constant K = 95.
Questions & Answers
QUESTION:
Problem 93GP
IP BIO Electric Catfish The electric catfish (Malapterurs electricus) is an aggressive fish, 1.0 m in length, found today in tropical Africa (and depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics). The catfish is capable of generating jolts of electricity up to 350 V by producing a positively charged region of muscle near the head and a negatively charged region near the tail, (a) For the same amount of charge, can the catfish generate a higher voltage by separating the charge from one end of its body to the other, as it does, or from one side of the body to the other? Explain, (b) Estimate the charge generated at each end of a catfish as follows: Treat the catfish as a parallel-plate capacitor with plates of area 1.8 × 10-2 m2, separation 1.0 m, and filled with a dielectric with a dielectric constant K = 95.
ANSWER:
Solution 93 GP:
Step 1 of 2:-
a)
Here, we have to find whether the fish can generate a larger potential difference between the head and the tail by the same amount of charge or not.
We know that, the fish in this situation will behave as a capacitor.
So,
.
As, the area of head and tail are constant, the separation between them could play a vital role in changing the voltage.
So, by bringing its tail near to the head, it can generate a larger potential difference.