Example 2.

1
(a) Calculate the potential at a point P due to a charge of 4 x 10C
located 9 cm away.
(b) Hence obtain the work done in bringing a charge of 2 x 10*c
from infinity to the point P. Does the answer depend on the path
along which the charge is brought?
Solution

(a) V=-gx10° Nm2 c2,4x10"C

0.09 m
=4 x l0*V

(b) W= qV= 2 x 10"C x 4 x 10v

= 8 x 1oJ EXAMPLE
No, work done will be path independent. Any arbitrary infinítesimal
path can be resolved into two perpendicular displacements: One along
r and another perpendicular to r. The work done corresponding to
the later will be zero.
Example 2.2 Two charges 3 x 1o C and -2 x 10 C are located
15 cm apart. At what point on the line joining the two charges is the
electric potential zero? Take the potential at infinity to be zero.
Solution Let us take the originO at the location ofthe positive charge.
The line joining the two charges is taken to be the x-axis: the negative
charge is taken to be on the right side of the origin (Fig. 2.7).
A

3 x10c 15 cm -2 x10 "C

FIGURE2.7

Let P be the required point on the x-axis where the potentlal is zero.
If x is the x-coordinate of P., obviously x must be positive. (There is no
possibility of potentials due to the two charges adding up to zero for
x<0.) If xlies between O and A., we have
1 3x10* 2x10-%
4nE,x102 (15-x)x10
where x is in cm. That is.
3 2
-0
x 15-x
which gives x = 9 cm.
If x lles on the extended line OA, the required condition is
3 2
which gives
X = 45 cm EXAMPLE2.2
Thus, electric potential is zero at 9 cm and 45 cm away from the
positive charge on the side of the negatíve charge. Note that the
formula for potential used in the calculation required choosing
potential to be zero at infiníty.

Example 2.3 Flgures 2.8 (a) and (b) show the fleld lines of a positive
and negative point charge respectively.

(a (b)

FIGURE 2.8

(a) Give the signs of the potential difflerence V, - V; V,- V

(b) Give the sign of the potential energy difference of a small negative
charge between the points g and P: A and B.
(c) Give the sign of the work done by the field in moving a small
posittve charge from g to P.
(d) Glve the sign of the work done by the external agency in moving
a small negative charge from B to A.
(e) Does the kinetic energy of a small negative charge increase or
decrease in going from B to A?
Solution
(a) As V«;V,> Vo Thus, (V,- V) is positive. Also V, is less negative
r

than V,. Thus, V, > V, or (V- V) is positive.

(b) A small negative charge will be attracted towards posittve charge.
The negative charge moves from higher potential energy to lower
potentlal energy. Therefore the sign of potential energy difference
of a small negative charge between g and P is positive.
Similarly, (P.E.), > (P.E.J, and hence sign of potential energy
differences is positive.
(c) In moving a small positive charge from 9 to P, work has to be
done by an external agency against the electric field. Therefore,
work done by the field is negative. ExAMPLE
2.3
(d) In moving a small negative charge from B to A work has to be
done by the exterrnal agency. It is positive.
(e) Due to force of repulsion on the negative charge, velocity decreases
and hence the kinetic energy decreases in going from B to A.
Examp 2.4 Four charges are arranged at the corners of a square
ABCD of side d, as shown In Fig. 2.15.(a) Find the work requlred to
put together thls arrangement. (b) Acharge qo Is brought to the centre
E of the square, the four charges belng held îxed at its corners. How
much extra work ls needed to do this?
+4
A B

FIGURE2.15

Solution
(a) Since the work done depends on the fnal arrangement of the
charges, and not on how they are put together, we caleulate work
needed for one way of puttíng the charges at A, B. C and D. Suppose,
first the charge +q ts brought to A, and then the charges -q. tq.
caleghtt
-q are to B, C and D, respecttvely. The total work needed can
be in steps:
(4) Work needed to bring charge tq to A when no charge is present
elsewhere: this is zero.
(1) Work needed to bring -g to B when +q Is at A. This is glven by
(charge at B) x (electrostatic potential at B due to charge +q at A)

(11) Work needed to bring charge +q to C when +q Is at Aand -q is at

B. This is given by (charge at C) x (potential at C due to charges
at A and B)

= +9| -9
4ne,d/2 *ARE,d)
(iv) Work needed to brtng -q to Dwhen +q at A,-q at B. and +q at c.
This is glven by (charge at D) x (potentlal at D due to charges at A,
B and C)

E
2.
 Add the work done in steps ). (). (u) and (iv). The total work
required is

- 4nE,d
4-)
The work done depends only on the arrangement of the charges, and
not how they are assembled. By deftnition, this is the total
electrostatic energy of the charges.
(Students may try calculating same workfenergy by takingthecharges
energy
other order they desire and convince themselves that
ExAMPLE Inwillanyremain
2.4 the same.)
(b) The extra work necessary to bring a charge q, to the polnt E when
the four charges are at A, B, C and D is q, x (electrostatic potential at
E due to the charges at A, B, C and D). The electrostatic potenttalthatat
E ls clearly zero since potential due to A and C ls cancelled by
due to B and D., Hence, no work Is requlred to bring any charge to
point E.
Example
(a) Det 2.5 ExAMPLE
2.5
Determine the electrostatic potential energy of a system consisting
of two charges 7 AC and -22 C((and with no extermal field) placed
at (-9 cm, 0, 0) and cm. 0. 0) respectively.
(b) How much work ts required to separate the two charges Infinitely
away from each other?

2024-25
 (c) Suppose that the same system of charges Is now placed in an
external electric Aeld E A(1/: A=9x 10° NCc' m'. What would
the electrostatic energy f the configuration be?
Solution

(a) U9949x10" x7x-2)x10*071

4RE, r 0.18

(b) W= U, - U, 0-U= 0-(-0.7) = 0.7 J.

(c) The mutual Interactlon energy of the two charges remains
unchanged. In additlon, there is the energy of Interaction of the
two charges with the external electric field. We find.
2.5
ExAMPLE -2uC
g,v() +q,V()-Aamo.09m
and the net electrostatic energy is
+TuC
,V(g) +q,V(r,) -A -2uC 0.7J
0.09 m 0.09 m
= 70-20-0.7 =49.3J
Example 2.6 A molecule of a substance has a permanent electric
dípole moment of magnitude 10*C m. A mole of this substance is
polarised (at low temperature) by applying a strong electrostatic field
of magnitude 10° Vm. The direction of the ficld is suddenly changed
by an angle of 60°. Estimate the heat released by the substance in
allgning its dipoles along the new direction of the field. For simplicity.
assume 100% polarisation of the sample.
Solution Here, dipole noment of each molecules = 102 c m
As l mole of the substance contains 6 x 10 molecules,
total dipole moment of all the molecules, p 6 x 10 x 10 C m
=6 % 10Cm
Inittal potentlal energy, U, = -pE cos =-6x10x10 cos 0 = 6J ExAMPLE2.6
Final potential energy (when =60). U,=-6x 10x 10 cos 60 =-3 J
Change tn potentlal energy =-3J-6J) =3 J
So, there is loss tn potentlal energy. This must be the energy released
by the substance in the form of heat in aligning its dipoles.
 Example 2.7
(a) A comb run through one's dry hatr attracts small blts of paper.
What happens if the hair is wet or if it is a rainy day? (Remember.
a paper does not conduct electricity.)
(b) Ordinary rubber is an insulator. But special rubber tyres of
aircraft are made slightly conducting. Why is this necessary?
(c) Vehicles carrying inflammable materlals usually have metallic
ropes touching the ground during motion. Whyn
(d) A bird perches on a bare high power line, and nothing happens
2.7
ExaMPE to the bird. A man standing on the ground touches the same line
and gets a fatal shock. Why?
Solution
(a) This is because the comb gets charged by friction. The molecules
in the paper gets polarised by the charged comb, resulting in a
net force of attraction. If the hair is wet, or if it is rainy day, friction
between hair and the comb reduces. The comb does not get
charged and thus it will not attract small bits of paper.
(b) To enable them conduct charge (produced by friction) to theExAMPLE2.7
ground; as too much of static electricity accumulated may result
In spark and result in fire.
(c) Reason stmilar to (b).
(d) Current passes only when there ls difference in potentlal.
 Example 2.8 A slab of material of dielectric constant K has the same
area as the plates of a paraliel-plate capacitor but has a thickness
(3/4)d, where d is the separatlon of the plates. How Is the capacitance
changed when the slab is inserted between the plates?
Solution Let E, = V/d be the electric field between the plates when
there Is no dielectric and he potentlal difference is Vo. If the dielectrlc
Is now inserted. the clectric leld In the dielectrie will be E E/K.
The potenttal diference will then be e d

4K
The potential difference decreases by the factor (K+ 3)/4K while the
charge , on the plates remair unchanged. The capacitance ExwM2.8
thus increases

VK+3 V, K+3
Example 2.9 A network of four 10 uF capacitors is connected to a 500 V
supply, as shown in Fig. 2.29. Determine (a) the equivalent capacitance
of the network and (b) the charge on each capacitor. (Note, the charge on
a capactor is the charge on the plate with higher potential, equal and
opposite to the charge on the plate with lower potential.)
+9 -9

-Q:
C,
+9.4*

+0-o
500 V
FIGURE 2.29

Solution
la) In the given network. C,. C, and C, are connected in series. The
effective capacitance of1these three capacitors is given by

For C, = G= C= 10 uF, C'= (10/3) uF. The network has C' and C,
Conneeted n parallel. Thus, the equtvalent capacitanceC of the
co
is

C- C+ C,=(10
(3 F =13.3uF
(b) Clearly, from the figure, the charge on each of the capacitors, C,.
C, and C, is the same, say 9. Let the charge on C, be g. Now, since
the potential difference across AB is Q/C,. across BC is Q/C, across
CD is Q/C. we have

9,9,9500V
Also, 9'IC, = 500 V.
ExAMPLE
2.9
This glves for the given value of the capacitances,
9=500 VxO,,F=1.7x10°C and
Q'= 500 Vx10uF= 5.0 x 10C
Example 2.10 (a) A 900 pF capacitor is charged by 100 V battery
(Fig. 2.31(a)]. How much electrostatic energy is stored by the capacitor?
(b) The capacitor is disconnected from the battery and connected to
another 900 pF capacitor [Fig. 2.31(b)]. What is the electrostatic
energy stored by the system?
+9 -9

100 V

la

(b)

FIGURE 2.31

Solution

(a) The charge on the capacitor is

Q= CV= 900 x 1o-12 Fx 100 V = 9 x 10 C
The energy stored by the capacitor is
= (1/2) Ccv² = (1/2) gv ExAMPLE10
2.
= (1/2) x9 x 10cx 100 V = 4.5 x 10J
(b) In the steady situatlon, the two capacitors have their positive
plates at the same potential, and their negative plates at the
same potential. Let the common potential difference be V'. The
 charge on each capacitor is then g'= CV. By charge conservation,
9 -9/2. This implies V = V/2. The total energy of the system is

2.10
ExAMPLE
-2x+ov-ov -225 x10*J
Thus in going from (a) to (b). though no charge is lost; the final
energy is only half the initial energy. Where has the remaining energy
gon?
There is a transient period before the system settles to the
situation (b). During this period, a transient current Aows from
the first capacitor to the second. Energy is lost during this time in
the form of heat and electromagnetic radiation.