WORKSHEET

Electrostatic Potential and

Capacitance
1. What would be the work done if a point charge +q, is taken from a point A to the point B on the circumference of
a circle with another point charge +q at the center?
2. As shown in the figure, a charge +Q is placed at the centre of the dashed circle. Work done in taking another charge
+q from A to B is W1 and from B to C is W2. Which one of the following is correct: W1>W2, W1=W2, W1<W2?

3. A uniform electric field E exists between two charged plates as shown in the figure. What would be the work done
in moving a charge +q along the closed rectangular path ABCDA?

4. A point charge q is placed at O , as shown in figure. Is VA-VB positive, negative or zero, when q is a (i)positive, (ii)
negative charge?

5. Why the electric field inside a dielectric does decreases when it is placed in an external electric field?
6. Sketch a graph to show how the charge Q is acquired by a capacitor of capacitance C varies with increase in potential
difference between its plates.
7. Sketch a graph to show how the capacitance C of a capacitor varies with the charge Q given to it.
8. A spherical shell with radius a and charge Q is expanded to radius b. what is the work done by the electrostatic
force in this process?
9. Justify that the electrostatic potential is constant throughout the volume of a charged conductor and has the same
value on its surface as inside it.

10. The figure shown below shows lines of constant potential in a region in which electric field exists. The values of
the potential are indicated. Out of the points A, B and C, which will be of greatest electric field strength? Give
reason.

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 11. Find the P.E. associated with a charge q if it were present at the point P with respect to the setup of the two charged
spheres as shown in the figure. Here O is the midpoint of the line joining the centers of the spheres.

12. The given graph shows the variation of charge q versus potential difference V for two capacitors C1 and C2. The
two capacitors have same plate separation but the plate area of C2 is double that of C1. Which of the lines in the
graph correspond to C1 and C2 and why?

13. Two parallel plate capacitors of capacitances C1 and C2 such that C1= 2C2 are connected across a battery of V volts
as shown in figure below. Initially the key is kept closed to fully charge the capacitors. The key is now opened and
a dielectric slab of dielectric constant k is inserted in the two capacitors to completely fill the gap between the plates.
Find the ratio of (i) the net capacitance and (ii) the energies stored in the combination, before and after the
introduction of the dielectric slab.

14. A parallel plate capacitor is charged to a potential difference ‘V’ by a d.c. source. The capacitor is then disconnected
from the source. If the distance between the plates is doubled, state with reason how the following will change : (i)
electric field between the plates, (ii) capacitance and (iii) energy stored in the capacitor.
15. A parallel plate capacitor of capacitance C is charged to a potential V by a battery. Without disconnecting the
battery, the distance between the plates is tripled and a dielectric medium of k=10 is introduced between the plates
of the capacitor. Explain giving reasons, how will the following be affected: (i) capacitance, (ii) charge on the
capacitor, (iii) energy density of the capacitor.
16. Two identical plane metallic surfaces A and B are kept parallel to each other in air separated by a distance of 1 cm.
Surface A is given a positive potential 10V and the other surface is earthed.

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 (i) What is the magnitude and direction of the uniform electric field between points Y and Z?
(ii) What is the work done in moving a charge of 20 μC from point X to Y?
17. The electric potential as a function of distance x is shown in the figure. Draw a graph of electric field strength E
as a function of x.

18. The two graphs shown below gives the variation of electrostatic potential V with 1/r (r being the distance of the
field point from the point charge) for two point charges q1 and q2. (i) what are the signs of the two charges, (ii)
which of the two charges has a larger magnitude and why?

19. The electric potential V at any point x, y, z (all in metres) in space is given by V=4x 2 volts. Calculate the electric
field at the point (1m, 0, 2m).
20. A parallel plate capacitor is charged by a battery. When battery remains connected, a dielectric slab is inserted
between the plates. Explain the changes, if any, that occur in the values of (i) charge on the plates, (ii) electric field
between the plates, (iii) potential difference between the plates, (iv) capacitance and (v) energy stored in the
capacitor.
21. Derive an expression for the potential energy of a dipole in a uniform electric field. Discuss the conditions of stable
and unstable equilibrium.
22. Define electrical capacitance of a conductor. On which factors does it depend?
23. Derive an expression for the potential at a point along the axial line of a short dipole.
24. Sketch and explain the equipotential surfaces for: (i) a positive point charge, (ii) two point charges +q and –q
separated by a small distance, (iii) two point charges +q and +q separated by a small distance and (iii) a uniform
electric field.
25. What is a parallel plate capacitor? Derive an expression for its capacitance. On what factors does the capacitance
of a parallel plate capacitor depend?
26. State and prove the important properties of equipotential surfaces.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
27. Three capacitors, each of capacitance C = 3μ F, are connected as shown in the figure. The equivalent capacitance
between points P and S is
a) 3μF b) 9μF c) 1μF d) 6μF

28. A parallel plate capacitor with oil between the plates (dielectric constant of oil,𝜅 = 2) has a capacitance C. If the oil is
removed, then the capacitance of the capacitor becomes:

𝐶
a) b) √2𝐶 c) 2C. d) C/2
√2
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29. The effective capacitance of two capacitors of capacitances C1 and C 2 (with C 2 C 1 ) connected in parallel is times the
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𝐶
effective capacitance when they are connected in series. The ratio 𝐶2 is
1

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 25 5 4
a) 6 b) 3 c) 3 𝑑) 3)2
30. Potential energy of two equal +ve charges 1𝜇 C each held 1 m apart in air is:
a) 9 × 10−3 𝑒𝑉 b) 9 × 10−3 𝐽 c) zero. d) 1 J
31. If a dielectric plate of thickness t is placed between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor of plate distance d, the
capacitance becomes half of the original value. The dielectric constant of the plate will be
2𝑡 𝑡 𝑡
a) 2𝑑+𝑡 b) 𝑑−𝑡 c) 𝑑+𝑡 d) 2t/(2d-t)
32. Three capacitors of 2.0, 3.0 and 6.0𝜇 F are connected in series to a 10 V source. The
charge on the 3.0 𝜇 F:
a) 5𝜇 C b) 10𝜇 C c) 12𝜇 C d) 15𝜇 C
33. What is the effective capacitance between points X and Y?
a) 12𝜇 F b) 24𝜇 F c) 6𝜇 F. d) 18𝜇 F
34. A network of four capacitors of capacitances equal to C1 = C, C 2 = 2C, C 3 = 3C and C 4 = 4C
are connected to a battery as shown in the figure. The ratio of the charges on C 2 and C 4 is:
3 4 7
a) 22 b) 7 c) 4 𝑑) 22/3

DIRECTIONS: for the following questions choose the correct option as given below:
a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true but R is false.
d) A is false but R is true.

35. Assertion (A): Electric field inside a conductor is zero.

Reason (R): The potential at all the points inside a conductor is same.
36. Assertion: Lines of force are perpendicular to the conductor surface.
Reason: The general electric field is perpendicular to the equipotential surface.
37. Assertion: When a capacitor is charged by a battery, both the plates receive charge equal in magnitude, no matter sizes of
plates are identical or not.
Reason: The charge distribution on the plates of a capacitor is in accordance with charge conservation principle.
38. Assertion (A): Positive charge always moves from a higher potential point to a lower potential point.
Reason (R): Electric potential is a vector quantity.
39. Assertion: No work is done in taking a positive charge from one point to other inside a positively charged metallic sphere
while outside the sphere work is done in taking the charge towards the sphere.
Reason: Inside the sphere electric potential is same at each point, but outside it is different for different points.

40. Read the text carefully and answer the questions: For various charge systems, we
represent equipotential surfaces by curves and line of force by full line curves.
Between any two adjacent equipotential surfaces, we assume a constant potential
difference. The equipotential surfaces of a single point charge are concentric spherical
shells with their centres at the point charge. As the lines of force point radially
outwards, so they are perpendicular to the equipotential surfaces at all points.
i) Identify the wrong statement.
a) Equipotential surface due to a single point charge is spherical.

b) Equipotential surface can be constructed for dipoles too.

c) The work done to move a test charge on the equipotential surface is positive.

d) The electric field is normal to the equipotential surface through the point.

ii) Nature of equipotential surface for a point charge is

a) Ellipsoid with charge at foci

b) Plane with charge on the surface

c) Sphere with charge on the surface of the sphere

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 d) Sphere with charge at the centre of the sphere

iii) Spherical equipotential surface is not possible

a) for a point charge b) inside a uniformly charged sphere

c) inside a spherical condenser d) for a dipole

iv) The work done in carrying a charge q once round a circle of radius a with a charge Q at its centre is
𝑞𝑄 𝑞𝑄 𝑞
a) zero b) 4𝜋𝜀 2 c) 4𝜋𝜀 d) 4𝜋𝜀
0𝑎 0𝑎 0𝑎

OR

The work done to move a unit charge along an equipotential surface fromP to Q
𝑄
a) must be defined as− ∫𝑝 𝐸⃗ ⋅ 𝑑𝑙

𝑄
b) both must be defined as− ∫𝑝 𝐸⃗ ⋅ 𝑑𝑙 and is zero are connect

c) can have a non - zero value

d) is zero