AP-C Electricity & Magnetism

Electric Fields
Learning Guide
Enduring Understanding
The distribution of charge determines the strength and form of the electric field.

Essential Questions
1. Does quantized charge mean quantized electric field?
2. What are the relationships between charge, electric field and electrostatic force?
3. How important is symmetry in the derivation of an electric field?
4. How does the electric flux change as the area changes?

Readings - https://openstax.org/details/books/university-physics-volume-2
Chapters 5 - Omit Section 5.7

Vocabulary
Understand and apply the definitions of the following terms.
1. Charge 13. Grounding 23. Point Charge
2. Charging by Conduction 14. Insulator 24. Polarization
3. Charging by Induction 15. Inversed Squared 25. Positive
4. Conductor Relationship 26. Proton
5. coulomb (unit) 16. Law of Charges 27. Quantized
6. Coulomb's Law 17. l 28. r
7. Electric Field 18. Negative 29. Separation of Charge
8. Electric Field Lines 19. Neutral 30. s
9. Electron 20. Neutron 31. Test Charge
10. Electrostatic Force 21. Non-Uniform 32. Uniform
11. Elementary Charge 22. Permittivity of Free 33. volt (unit)
12. eo Space

Equations
Understand and memorize the equations below along with any equations derived in class.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/Physics_equation_tables.pdf

𝑘𝑞! 𝑞"
𝐹=
𝑟"
𝑭
𝑬=
𝑞

Constants

1 𝑁𝑚"
𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑏# 𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑤 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡, 𝑘 = = 9.0 × 10%
4𝜋𝜀$ 𝐶"

𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒, 𝑒 = 1.6 × 10&!% 𝐶

𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠, 𝑚' = 1.67 × 10&"( 𝑘𝑔

𝑁𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠, 𝑚) = 1.67 × 10&"( 𝑘𝑔

𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠, 𝑚* = 9.11 × 10&+! 𝑘𝑔

 Learning Targets
Charging
1. Students should understand methods of charging, so they can:
(A) Describe the process of charging by induction.
(B) Explain why a neutral conductor is attracted to a charged object.
(C) Describe the process of charging by conduction
Charge and Coulomb’s law
2. Students should understand the concept of electric charge, so they can:
(A) Describe the types of charge and the attraction and repulsion of charges.
(B) Describe polarization and induced charges.
3. Students should understand Coulomb’s law and the principle of superposition, so they can:
(A) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the force on a positive or negative charge due to other
specified point charges.
(B) Analyze the motion of a particle of specified charge and mass under the influence of an electrostatic
force.
Electric field
4. Students should understand the concept of electric field, so they can:
(A) Define it in terms of the force on a test charge.
(B) Describe and calculate the electric field of a single point charge.
(C) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the electric field produced by two or more point charges.
(D) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the force on a positive or negative charge placed in a
specified field.
(E) Interpret an electric field diagram.
(F) Analyze the motion of a particle of specified charge and mass in a uniform electric field.
5. Students should be able to use the principle of superposition to calculate by integration:
(A) The electric field of a straight, uniformly charged wire: end-on, finite and infinite.
(B) The electric field on the axis of a thin ring of charge, or at the center of a circular arc of charge.
(C) The electric field above uniformly charged disk.
(D) The electric field above an uniformly charged infinite sheet.
© The College Board – Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org

Flowcharts and Help Sheets – www.GravityKills.net

 AP-C
Electricity & Magnetism
Electric Fields
Practice Multiple-Choice Test
Multiple Choice
Select the best answer.

1. X and Y are two uncharged metal spheres on insulating stands, and are in contact with each other. A
positively charged rod R is brought close to X as shown in Figure (a).

Sphere Y is now moved away from X, as in Figure (b).

What are the final charge states of X and Y?

a) Both X and Y are neutral.
b) X is positive and Y is neutral.
c) X is neutral and Y is positive.
d) X is negative and Y is positive.
e) Both X and Y are negative.

2. Two identical small charged spheres are a certain distance apart, and each one initially experiences an
electrostatic force of magnitude F due to the other. With time, charge gradually leaks off of both spheres.
When each of the spheres has lost half its initial charge, the magnitude of the electrostatic force will be
a) 1/16 F. c) 1/4 F.
b) 1/8 F. d) 1/2 F.

3. A point charge Q is located a short distance from a point charge 3Q, and no other charges are present. If
the electrical force on Q is F, what is the electrical force on 3Q?
a) F/3
b) F/
c) F
d) F
e) 3F
4. A positive point charge Q is fixed on a very large horizontal frictionless tabletop. A second positive point
charge q is released from rest near the stationary charge and is free to move. Which statement best
describes the motion of q after it is released?
a) Its speed will be greatest just after it is released.
b) Its acceleration is zero just after it is released.
c) As it moves farther and farther from Q, its acceleration will keep increasing.
d) As it moves farther and farther from Q, its speed will decrease.
e) As it moves farther and farther from Q, its speed will keep increasing.

5. A piece of plastic has a net charge of +2.00 μC. How many more protons than electrons does this piece of
plastic have?
a) 1.25 X 1013 c) 2.50 X 1013
19
b) 1.25 X 10 d) 2.50 X 1019

6. In the figure, all the charges are point charges and the charge in the middle is Q = -3.1 nC. For what
charge q1 will charge q2 be in static equilibrium?

a) 12 nC c) 3.1 nC
b) 6.2 nC d) 25 nC

7. What is the minimum magnitude of an electric field that balances the weight of a plastic sphere of mass 6.4
g that has been charged to -3.0 nC?
a) 2.1 X 107 N/C c) 4.5 X 106 N/C
6
b) 2.4 X 10 N/C d) 6.4 X 106 N/C

8. A point charge Q of mass 8.50 g hangs from the horizontal ceiling by a light 25.0-cm thread. When a
horizontal electric field of magnitude 1750 N/C is turned on, the charge hangs away from the vertical as
shown in the figure. The magnitude of Q is closest to

a) 27.5 µC.
b) 47.6 µC.
c) 55.0 µC.
d) 3.0 µC.
e) 3.5 µC.
9. The figure shows two unequal point charges, q and Q, of opposite sign. Charge Q has greater magnitude
than charge q. In which of the regions X, Y, Z will there be a point at which the net electric field due to
these two charges is zero?

a) only regions X and Z

b) only region X
c) only region Y
d) only region Z
e) all three regions

10. Two point charges Q1 and Q2 of equal magnitudes and opposite signs are positioned as shown in the
figure. Which of the arrows best represents the net electric field at point P due to these two charges?

a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D
e) The field is equal to zero at point P.

11. The figure shows three electric charges labeled Q1, Q2, Q3, and some electric field lines in the region
surrounding the charges. What are the signs of the three charges?

a) Q1 is positive, Q2 is negative, Q3 is positive.

b) Q1 is negative, Q2 is positive, Q3 is negative.
c) Q1 is positive, Q2 is positive, Q3 is negative.
d) All three charges are negative.
e) All three charges are positive.
12. An electron is initially moving to the right when it enters a uniform electric field directed upwards. Which
trajectory shown below will the electron follow?

a) trajectory W
b) trajectory X
c) trajectory Y
d) trajectory Z

13. Two point charges of +20.0 μC and -8.00 μC are separated by a distance of 20.0 cm. What is the
magnitude of electric field due to these charges at a point midway between them?
a) 25.2 X 106 N/C directed toward the negative charge
b) 25.2 X 106 N/C directed toward the positive charge
c) 25.2 X 105 N/C directed toward the negative charge
d) 25.2 X 105 N/C directed toward the positive charge
e) 25.2 X 104 N/C directed toward the negative charge

14. A very long wire carries a uniform linear charge density of 7.0 nC/m. What is the electric field strength 16.0
m from the center of the wire at a point on the wire's perpendicular bisector?
a) 7.9 N/C c) 0.49 N/C
b) 3.9 N/C d) 0.031 N/C

15. In the figure, a ring 0.71 m in radius carries a charge of + 580 nC uniformly distributed over it. A point
charge Q is placed at the center of the ring. The electric field is equal to zero at field point P, which is on
the axis of the ring, and 0.73 m from its center. The point charge Q is closest to

a) -210 nC
b) -300 nC
c) -420 nC
d) 210 nC
e) 300 nC
16. Two identical small charged spheres are a certain distance apart, and each one initially experiences an
electrostatic force of magnitude F due to the other. With time, charge gradually leaks off of both spheres.
When each of the spheres has lost half its initial charge, the magnitude of the electrostatic force will be
a) 1/16 F.
b) 1/8 F.
c) 1/4 F.
d) 1/2 F.

17. When two point charges are a distance d part, the electric force that each one feels from the other has
magnitude F. In order to make this force twice as strong, the distance would have to be changed to
a) 2d.
b) d.
c) d/
d) d/2.
e) d/4.

18. A point charge Q is located a short distance from a point charge 3Q, and no other charges are present. If
the electrical force on Q is F, what is the electrical force on 3Q?
a) F/3
b) F/
c) F
d) F
e) 3F

19. One very small uniformly charged plastic ball is located directly above another such charge in a test tube
as shown in the figure. The balls are in equilibrium a distance d apart. If the charge on each ball is doubled,
the distance between the balls in the test tube would become

a) d.
b) 2d.
c) 4d.
d) 8d.
20. The figure shows two tiny 5.0-g spheres suspended from two very thin 1.0-m-long threads. The spheres
repel each other after being charged to +91 nC and hang at rest as shown. What is the angle θ? (k =
1/4πε0 = 8.99 × 109 N · m2/C2)

a) 4.1°
b) 8.2°
c) 12°
d) 16°

21. In the figure, a small spherical insulator of mass 6.00 × 10-2 kg and charge +0.400 μC is hung by a thin wire
of negligible mass. A charge of -0.220 μC is held 0.290 m away from the sphere and directly to the right of
it, so the wire makes an angle θ with the vertical, as shown. What is the angle θ? (k = 1/4πε0 = 8.99 × 109
N · m2/C2)

a) 0.917°
b) 1.10°
c) 1.30°
d) 1.50°
e) 1.70°

22. Two large, flat, horizontally oriented plates are parallel to each other, a distance d apart. Half way between
the two plates the electric field has magnitude E. If the separation of the plates is reduced to d/2 what is the
magnitude of the electric field half way between the plates?
a) 4E
b) 2E
c) E
d) 0
e) E/2
23. Two very large parallel sheets a distance d apart have their centers directly opposite each other. The
sheets carry equal but opposite uniform surface charge densities. A point charge that is placed near the
middle of the sheets a distance d/2 from each of them feels an electrical force F due to the sheets. If this
charge is now moved closer to one of the sheets so that it is a distance d/4 from that sheet, what force will
feel?
a) 4F
b) 2F
c) F
d) F/2
e) F/4

24. Two point charges, Q1 = -1.0 μC and Q2 = + 4.0 μC, are placed as shown in the figure.
(k = 1/4πε0 = 8.99 × 109 N · m2/C2) The y component of the electric field, at the origin O, is closest to

a) 6.0 × 10-3 N/C.

b) -6.0 × 10-3 N/C.
c) 3.8 × 10-3 N/C.
d) -3.8 × 10-3 N/C.
e) 7.1 × 10-3 N/C.

25. A pair of charged conducting plates produces a uniform field of 12,000 N/C, directed to the right, between
the plates. The separation of the plates is 40 mm. An electron is projected from plate A, directly toward
plate B, with an initial velocity of vo = 2.0 × 107 m/s, as shown in the figure. (e = 1.60 × 10-19 C, ε0 = 8.85 ×
10-12 C2/N · m2, mel = 9.11 × 10-31 kg) The velocity of the electron as it strikes plate B is closest to

a) 1.2 × 107 m/s.

b) 1.5 × 107 m/s.
c) 1.8 × 107 m/s.
d) 2.1 × 107 m/s.
e) 2.4 × 107 m/s.
26. The figure below demonstrates charging by

a) grounding.
b) induction.
c) polarization.
d) contact.

27. A positive charge that is in an electric field E experiences a force that is

a) perpendicular to E.
b) zero if the speed is zero.
c) in the direction opposite to E.
d) in the same direction as E.
e) None of these is correct.

28. An object is determined to have a negative charge of 160 nC. You can conclude that the object has
approximately
a) 109 excess electrons
b) 1010 excess electrons
c) 1011 excess electrons
d) 1012 excess electrons
e) 1013 excess electrons

29. Particle A has twice as much charge as particle B. Compared to the force on particle A, the force on
particle B is
a) half as much.
b) four times as much.
c) two times as much.
d) the same.
e) one-fourth as much

30. Consider three identical metal spheres, A, B, and C. Sphere A carries a charge of -2.0 µC; sphere B
carries a charge of -6.0 µC; and sphere C carries a charge of +6.0 µC. Spheres A and B are touched
together and then separated. Spheres B and C are then touched and separated. What’s the charge on
sphere C?
a) +2 µC
b) +1 µC
c) zero
d) -1 µC
e) -2 µC
31. In Frame 1, two identical conducting spheres, A and B, carry equal amounts of excess charge that have
the same sign. The spheres are separated by a distance d; and sphere A exerts an electrostatic force on
sphere B that has a magnitude F. A third sphere, C, which is handled only by an insulating rod, is
introduced in Frame 2. Sphere C is identical to A and B except that it is initially uncharged. Sphere C is
touched first to sphere A, in Frame 2, and then to sphere B, in Frame 3, and is finally removed in Frame 4.
Determine the magnitude of the electrostatic force that sphere A exerts on sphere B in Frame 4.

a) F/2
b) F/3
c) 3F/4
d) 3F/8
e) zero

32. The point P is on the axis of a ring of charge, and all vectors shown lie in the yz plane. The negatively
charged ring lies in the xz plane. The vector that correctly represents the direction of the electric field at
this point is

a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5
33. The following configurations of electric charges are located at the vertices of an equilateral triangle. Point P
is equidistant from the charges. In which configuration is the electric field at P pointed at the midpoint
between two of the charges?
a) c) e)

b) d)

34. The following configurations of electric charges are located at the vertices of an equilateral triangle. Point P
is equidistant from the charges. In which configuration is the electric field at P equal to zero?
a) c) e)

b) d)

35. Choose which of the units below is equivalent to those of the coulombic force constant, k.
a)

b)

c)

d)

Answers
1. D 10. A 19. B 28. D
2. C 11. A 20. A 29. D
3. C 12. D 21. A 30. B
4. E 13. A 22. C 31. D
5. A 14. A 23. C 32. A
6. A 15. A 24. A 33. A
7. A 16. C 25. B 34. C
8. A 17. C 26. C 35. C
9. B 18. C 27. D
 AP-C
Electricity & Magnetism
Electric Fields
Test and QUEST Breakdown
Test Breakdown QUEST Breakdown
Multiple-Choice Test Charge #1-11
• 25 AP Level and Style Questions Point Charges #12-27
Free Response Test Continuous Charge #28-45
• 2-3 Free Response Level and Style Questions

Multiple-Choice Questions
Practice multiple-choice questions with answers are available on the Learning Guide.

Free Response Problems

One or more of the free response problems below, in part or in whole, will be integrate into the Free Response
test. In addition, one or more free response problems will be selected from past AP exam problems, QUEST,
in-class activities or class notes.

Two Charges
Two positive charges are placed along the x-axes a distance X
from the origin.
a) Find an expression for the electric field for any point
along the +y-axis in terms of the given variables and y.
b) Where along the +y-axis for values of y > 0 is the
electric field a maximum?
c) Sketch a graph of the electric field, E(y).
d) Find an expression for the force required to hold a -Q
charge at the origin.
e) Evaluate your expression from part “a” when y >>X.

Moving Electron
An electron with an initial horizontal velocity, vo, enters a region of uniform electric field, Eo, of width W. The
electric field is oriented vertically. Develop expressions for the following quantities in terms of vo, Eo, W and
fundamental constants. Ignore gravitational effects
a) Find the time it takes the electron to exit the electric field.
b) Find the acceleration of the electron while in the electric field.
c) Find the vertical displacement of the electron when it exits the electric field?
d) Find the electron’s speed when it exits the electric field?
e) Draw a detailed illustration of:
• the electric field,
• the path of the electron while in electric field, and
• the path of the electron after it exits the electric field.
Derivation

Derive the electric field for one of the 8 possible derivations described on the next page.

Draw a NEAT and DETAILED sketch. Label the axes and Draw your sketch inside this box.
when relevant identify x, y, z, r, R, dq, dx, dy, dz, dr, dE,
q, l, s and any other variables used in the derivation of
the electric field.

Seven Steps

! %& !
Begin with 𝐸 = ∫ OR 𝐸 = ∫
"#$! '" "#$!
Point charge Ring or Line

1. What’s dq?
!
𝐸=∫
"#$! &"

2. What’s r?
!
𝐸=∫
"#$!

3. Are there any components? Circle YES or NO.

!
If yes, 𝐸=∫
"#$!

4. Is the integral expressed in terms of one variable? 5. Write your expression with limits.
Circle YES or NO.
Write the final expression with limits
If no, show detailed work manipulating your express
to arrive at just one variable.
1
𝐸=%
4𝜋𝜀'

6. Integrate and evaluate your expression. Show all your

work.

Write the final expression in terms of one variable 7. Write the final expression for the electric field.

!
𝐸=∫ 𝐸=
"#$!
Roll Set Up Description Derivation
A finite long straight line with Derive the electric field at point P, a distance r
1 Finite Line of
Charge
a uniform positive charge l
distributed along its length.
(r > L) along the line of charge.

An infinitely long straight line Derive the electric field at point P, a distance r
2 Infinite Line
of Charge
with a uniform positive charge
l distributed along its length.
above the line of charge.

A finite long straight line with Derive the RADIAL electric field at point P, a
3 Finite Line of
Charge
a uniform positive charge l
distributed along its length.
distance r above the center of a line of charge.

A finite long straight line with Derive the PARALLEL electric field at point P, a
4 Finite Line of
Charge
a uniform positive charge l
distributed along its length.
distance r above the center of a line of charge.

A thin ring of radius R with a Derive the electric field along central axis at
uniform positive charge l point P, a distance z from the plane of the ring.
5 Ring of
Charge distributed along its
circumference.
A thin arc of radius R with a Derive the electric field at the center of the arc.
6 Arc of
Charge
uniform positive charge l
distributed along its length.
A thin disk of radius R with a Derive the electric field along central axis at
uniform positive charge s point P, a distance z from the plane of the disk.

7 Disk of
Charge
over its area.
You don’t have to derive the electric field
for a ring.

An infinitely plane with a Derive the electric field at point P, a distance D

uniform positive charge above the line of charge.
s over its area. .

8 Infinite Sheet
You don’t have to derive the electric field
for an infinite line.

You may NOT derive using a disk that

becomes infinitely big.