Point Charges: Electric Fields and Forces

1. An uneven dipole consists of two point-like ions separated vertically by 10cm and
held in place. The positive ion has a charge of 3.0nC (3.0 × 10−9 𝐶) while the
negative one has a charge of -6.0nC.
a. Solve for the vector electric field at the point indicated, 5.0cm directly to
the right of the positive charge. Give your answer in component form,
𝐸⃗ = (𝐸𝑥 , 𝐸𝑦 ).
b. What would be the vector force on an electron placed at the same point?
Give your answer in component form, 𝐹 = (𝐹𝑥 , 𝐹𝑦 ).
a. From the +3.0nC ion:
𝑘(3𝑛𝐶)
𝐸⃗3𝑛𝐶 = ((0.05𝑚)2 , 0) = (10788,0)

From the -6.0nC ion:

𝑘(−6𝑛𝐶) 𝑘(−6𝑛𝐶)
𝐸⃗−6𝑛𝐶 = ((0.05𝑚)2 +(0.10𝑚)2 cos 𝜃 , (0.05𝑚)2 +(0.10𝑚)2 sin 𝜃)

0.05m 𝐸⃗3𝑛𝐶
𝐸⃗−6𝑛𝐶 = (−1930, −3860)
θ
The net electric field is thus:
𝐸⃗−6𝑛𝐶
⃗𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒕 = ⃗𝑬𝟑𝒏𝑪 + ⃗𝑬−𝟔𝒏𝑪 = (𝟖𝟖𝟓𝟖, −𝟑𝟖𝟔𝟎)𝑵/𝑪
0.10m

b. The force on an electron at the same point would be:

.1
⃗𝑭 = (−𝒆)𝑬
⃗ = (−𝟏. 𝟒𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟓 , 𝟔. 𝟏𝟖 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟔 )𝑵 𝜃 = tan−1 = 63.435°
. 05
Solving for Electric Fields (𝒙𝟎 , 𝒚𝟎 )
2. A charged wire of length L has a total charge of Q evenly
distributed on it and is located on the y-axis with its midpoint r y0 – y
at the origin, as drawn. Set up the integrals that could be
θ
solved to determine the vector electric field
L x0
components, 𝐸⃗ = (𝐸𝑥 , 𝐸𝑦 ) , at the point shown, (𝑥0 , 𝑦0 ).
a. Do NOT attempt to evaluate the integrals.
b. Your integrals should be in terms of fundamental
constants and the givens of the problem (𝐿, 𝑄, 𝑥0 , 𝑦0 )

𝑘𝑄𝑥0 𝐿/2 1
𝐸𝑥 = + ∫ 3 𝑑𝑦
𝐿 −𝐿/2
(𝑥02 + (𝑦0 − 2
𝑦) )2 𝑟 = √𝑥02 + (𝑦0 − 𝑦)2

𝑑𝐸𝑥 = +𝑑𝐸 cos 𝜃

𝑘𝑄 𝑎+𝐿 (𝑦0 − 𝑦)
𝐸𝑦 = + ∫ 3 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝐸𝑦 = +𝑑𝐸 sin 𝜃
𝐿 𝑎
(𝑥02 + (𝑦0 − 2
𝑦) )2 𝑥0
cos 𝜃 =
𝑟
(𝑦0 − 𝑦)
sin 𝜃 =
𝑟
Gauss’ Law
3. A strongly charged cable with a uniform charge per length λ passes
through a sphere of radius 𝑹 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟓𝒎 such that at its closest point to d
the sphere’s center, it is a distance 𝒅 = 𝑹/𝟐. The electric flux through
the surface of the sphere is 𝜱 = 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟐 𝑵𝒎𝟐 /𝑪.
a. What is the linear charge density λ?
b. What is the total charge Q enclosed by the sphere?
𝑅2
a. The length of the wire inside the sphere is: 𝐿 = 2√𝑅 2 − 𝑑2 = 2√𝑅 2 − 4
= 𝑅√3

Gauss’ Law tells us that the flux through the surface is equal to the charge enclosed divided by 𝜺𝟎 :
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝜆𝐿
𝛷= =
𝜀0 𝜀0

𝑁𝑚2 𝜆(0.25𝑚)√3
1012 = →
𝐶 𝐶2
8.85 × 10−12
𝑁𝑚2
𝝀 = 𝟐𝟎. 𝟒𝟒 𝑪/𝒎
b. The total charge enclosed is:
𝑪
𝑸 = 𝝀𝑳 = (𝟐𝟎. 𝟒𝟒 ) (𝟎. 𝟐𝟓𝒎)√𝟑 = 𝟖. 𝟖𝟓𝑪
𝒎
A tremendous amount of charge!

4. A lab apparatus (the Gauss-o-Meter) measures the electric field at all locations on the surface of a cylinder
having a radius of R=5cm and height of h=15cm, as shown in the picture.
Everywhere on the curved part of the surface, the electric field is found to be
constant in magnitude (550 N/C), and to point radially outward. On the flat end
caps, the E-field varies in magnitude, but also always points radially outward.
Calculate the net charge Q enclosed by the lab apparatus.

Gauss’ Law states that:

𝒒𝒆𝒏𝒄
∮ 𝐸⃗ ∗ 𝑑𝐴 =
𝜺𝟎
Since the electric field is radial everywhere, it is parallel to the top and bottom surfaces so this part of the surface
integral vanishes: 𝐸⃗𝑡𝑜𝑝 ∗ 𝑑𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑝 = 𝐸⃗𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 ∗ 𝑑𝐴𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 = 0

Along the side of the cylinder, the E-field is normal to the surface and constant so the surface integral can be evaluated:

∮ 𝐸⃗𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 ∗ 𝑑𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 = |𝐸⃗𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 | ∮ 𝑑𝐴 = |𝐸⃗𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 |(2𝜋𝑅ℎ)

Setting this equal to the right hand side of Gauss’ Law allows us to solve for the enclosed charge:

𝑸 𝑪𝟐
⃗ 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 |(𝟐𝝅𝑹𝒉) =
|𝑬 → 𝑸 = (𝟓𝟓𝟎 𝑵/𝑪)(𝟐𝝅)(𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝒎)(𝟎. 𝟏𝟓𝒎) (𝟖. 𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟐 ) = 𝟐𝟐. 𝟗𝒏𝑪
𝜺𝟎 𝑵𝒎𝟐
Motion of Charged Particles in Electric Fields
5. A futuristic gun uses a strong electric field to accelerate small charged bullets to very fast speeds. The specially
made bullets have a mass of 0.01kg and a hold charge of 0.1C. If the gun accelerates the bullets over a distance
of 0.6m to a speed of 𝒗𝒇 = 𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝒎/𝒔, what must be the strength of the electric field inside the gun? Give your
answer in scientific notation with 2 or 3 significant digits.

The acceleration of the bullet must satisfy the constant acceleration kinematic formula:

𝑣𝑓2
𝑣𝑓2 = 2𝑎∆𝑥 → 𝑎 =
2∆𝑥
The electric field causes an acceleration:
𝐸𝑞
𝑎=
𝑚
Putting these together to solve for the field:
𝟐
𝒗𝟐𝒇 𝒎
(𝟏𝟎𝟒 𝒎/𝒔) (𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝒌𝒈)
𝑬= = = 𝟖. 𝟑𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟔 𝑵/𝑪
𝟐𝒒∆𝒙 𝟐(𝟎. 𝟏𝑪)(𝟎. 𝟔𝒎)

Conductors
6. A solid chunk of copper has a net charge of Q. If the conductor is in electrostatic equilibrium, what are three
known properties about its charge distribution and its electric field?

(1) the electric field is zero at all points within a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium
(2) all excess charge on a charged conductor resides on the exterior surface of the conductor
(3) the electric field right at the surface of the conductor must be perpendicular to the surface
(4) Surface charge density is higher on surfaces with larger curvature and vice versa