DEVI INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS

Valasaravakkam, Chennai – 87.

KEY FOR WEEKLY TEST

Std : XII (CBSE) PHYSICS Marks : 30
Date : 07.04.2024 Time : 1 Hr.
Section – A (5 x 1 = 5)
1.

1
> (b) For a point charge, E 
r2
E - r graph is a rectangular hyperbola.
2. b) 8 x 106 volt
> (b) Electric potential at the surface of an atomic nucleus,
1 Ze 50 1.6 10−19
V= . = 9 x 109 x = 8 x 106 V
4 0 r 9 10 −15

3. b) zero
> Since, AC = BC, VE = VD
Work done = Q (VE – VD) = zero
4. a) ML2T–3A–1

> V=
W
=

ML2T −2 
= ML2T −3 A−1 
Q AT 
5. b) 4 V
W 18
> VB – VA = = =6
Q 3
VB = 6 + V A = 6 – 2 = 4 V
Section – B (3 x 2 = 6)
6. In Millikan's experiment, an oil drop of mass 4.9×10–14 kg is balanced by applying a
potential difference of 2 kV between the two plates which are 8 mm apart. Calculate the
number of elementary charges on the drop. Take g = 10 ms–2.
mg V
> Eq = mg (or) q = ; But E= (½ mark)
E d
mg mgd 4.9 10−14 10  8 10−3
 q= = = =4.9 x 4 x 10–14+1–3–3 = 19.6 × 10–19 C (½ mark)
(V / d ) V 2 103
But q = ne (½ mark)
−19
q 19.6 10
n= = =12.25  12 (½ mark)
e 1.6 10−19
7. a) An electrostatic field line is a continuous curve. That is, field line cannot have sudden
breaks. Why is it so?
> An electrostatic field line is the path of movement of a positive test charge (qo → 0)
A moving charge experiences a continuous force in an electrostatic field, so an electrostatic
field line is always a continuous curve. (1 mark)
b) Explain why two field lines never cross each other at any point.
> Two electric lines of force can never cross each other because if they cross, there will be
two directions of electric field at the point of intersection; which is impossible. (1 mark)
8. Consider two identical point charges located at points (0,0) and (a,0).
1. Is there a point on the line joining them at which the electric field is zero?
2. Is there a point on the line joining them at which the electric potential is zero?
Justify your answers for each case.
> 1. Yes, electric field will zero at midpoint.
Electric field being a vector quantity, its resultant is zero. (1 mark)
2. No, potential cannot be zero on line joining the charges.
Electric potential being a scalar quantity, the net potential due to two identical charges
cannot be zero and they get added up. (1 mark)
Section – C (3 x 3 = 9)
9. Two identical spheres, having charges of opposite sign attract each other with a force of
0.108 N when separated by 0.5 m. The spheres are connected by a conducting wire, which then
removed, and thereafter they repel each other with a force of 0.036 N. What were the initial
charges on the spheres?
> Let +q1 and –q2 be the initial charges on the two spheres.
qq
(a) When the two spheres attract each other, F = k 1 2 2 (½ mark)
r
qq 0.108 (0.5) 2
0.108 = 9 x 109. 1 2 2  q1q 2 = = 3 x 10 –12 (½ mark)
(0.5) 9 10 9

(b) When the two spheres are connected by the wire, they share the charges equally.
q + (−q2 ) q1 − q2
 Charge on each sphere = 1 =
2 2
Force of repulsion between them is
 q − q2  q1 − q2 
k 1  
F =  2 2 2 
r
9  109  q1 − q2 
2

i.e., 0.036 =  
(0.5)2  2 
0.036  (0.5)  4
2
(q1 − q2 )2 = = 4 x 10–12 or q1 − q2 = 2 x 10–6 …..(i) (½ mark)
9  109
Now (q1 + q2 ) = (q1 − q2 ) + 4 q1q2 = (2 x 10–6)2 + 4 x 3 x 10–12 = 16 x 10–12
2 2

q1 + q2 = 4 x 10–6 ..(ii) (½ mark)

On solving equations (i) and (ii), we get q1 = 3 x 10–6 C (½ mark) and q2 = 10–6 C (½ mark)
Which are the initial charges on the two spheres.
10. Four charges +q, +q, –q, –q are placed respectively at the four corners A, B, C and D of a
square of side ‘a’. Calculate the electric field at the centre of the square.
> Let EA, EB, EC and ED be the electric fields at the centre O of the square due to the charges at
A, B, C and D respectively. Their directions are as shown in figure.

(½ mark)
Since all the charges are of equal magnitude and at the same distance r from the centre O, so
q k .q kq
EA = EB = EC = ED = k. 2 = 2
= 2 2 [ r2 + r2 = a2] (½ mark)
r  a  r
 
 2
Because EA and EC act in the same direction, so their resultant is
2kq 2kq 4kq
E1 = EA + EC = 2 + 2 = 2 (½ mark)
a a a
Similarly, resultant of EB and ED is
4kq
E2 = EB + ED = 2 (½ mark)
a
Now, the resultant of E1 and E2 will be
2 2
 4kq   4kq  q
E= E +E
1
2 2
2 =  2  +  2  = 4 2 k 2 , (½ mark)
 a   a  a
directed parallel to AD or BC, as shown figure.
E 1
cos  = 1 =   = 45
E 2
i.e., the resultant field is inclined at an angle of 45 with AC. (½ mark)
 
11. An electric dipole of dipole moment p is placed in a uniform electric field E . Write the

expression for the torque  experienced by the dipole. Identify two pairs of perpendicular
vectors in the expression. Show diagrammatically the orientation of the dipole in the field for
which the torque is (i) maximum (ii) half the maximum value (iii) zero.
 
> Torque experienced by the electric dipole of dipole moment p in a uniform electric field E is
  
given by  = p x E
The pairs of perpendicular vectors are:
   
1.  and p 2.  and E
 (3 x ½ = 1½ m)

(i) When  = 90 torque is maximum  max = p E sin 90 = p E (½ mark)
(ii) When  = 30 or 150, torque is half the maximum value
 
 = p E sin (30 or ) = 1 p E = 1  max (½ mark)
2 2

(iii) When  = 0 or 180, torque is minimum  min = p E (0 or 180) = 0 (½ mark)
Section – D (2 x 5 = 10)
12. Find the potential due to an electric dipole at any general point P at a distance r from the
centre of the dipole (r >>a). Find the potential if the point P lies on
(i) the axial line of the dipole on the side of +q.
(ii) the axial line of the dipole on the side of –q.
(iii) the equatorial line of the dipole.
> Two charges –q at A and +q at B separated by a small distance 2d constitute an electric dipole
and its dipole moment is p.
Let P be a point at a distance r from the midpoint of the dipole O and  be the angle between
PO
and the axis of the dipole OB. Let r1 and r2 be the distances of the point P from +q and –q
charges respectively.
1 q
Potential at P due to charge (+q) = (½ mark)
4 πε 0 r1
1  q
Potential at P due to charge (-q) =  −  (½ mark)
4πε 0  r2 
Total potential at P due to dipole is,
1 q 1 q
V= −
4 πε 0 r1 4 πε 0 r2
q 1 1
V=  −  (½ mark) …(1) (½ mark)
4πε 0
 r1 r2 
Applying cosine law,
r1 = r 2 + d 2 − 2rd cosθ
2

 cosθ d 2 
r1 = r 1 − 2d + 2 
2 2

 r r 
d2
Since d is very much smaller than r, 2 can be neglected.
r
 1
 2d cos θ  2
 r1 = r1 − 
 r 
−1
1 1  2d cosθ  2
(or) = 1 −  (½ mark)
r1 r  r 
Using the Binomial theorem and neglecting higher powers,
1 1  d cosθ 
= 1 +  ….(2)
r1 r  r 
Similarly,
r2 = r 2 + d 2 − 2rd cos(180 − θ )
2

(or) r2 2 = r 2 + d 2 + 2rd cosθ

1
 2d cos θ  2  d2 
r2 = r1 +   2 is negligible 
 r  r 
−1
1 1  2d cos  2
(or) = 1 + 
r2 r  r 
Using the Binomial theorem and neglecting the higher powers,
1 1  d cos 
= 1 −  (½ mark) ….(3)
r2 r r 
Substituting equation (2) and (3) in equation (1) and simplifying,
q 1  d cosθ d cosθ 
V= 1 + −1 + 
4πε 0 r  r r 

1 p  cos θ 1 p  rˆ
V= = (½ mark) …(4)
4 πε 0 r 2 4 0 r 2
1
For r>>a, V 
r2
(i) If the point P lies on the axial line of the dipole on the side of +q, then θ = 0.
Then the electric potential becomes
1 p
V= (½ mark)
4πε o r 2
(ii) If the point P lies on the axial line of the dipole on the side of –q, then θ = 180,
1 p
then V = − (½ mark)
4 πε o r 2
(iii) If the point P lies on the equatorial line of the dipole, then θ = 90. Hence V = 0 (½ mark)
 
13. An electric dipole of dipole moment p consists of point charges +q and –q separated by a

distance 2a apart. Deduce the expression for the electric field E due to the dipole at a

distance r from the centre of the dipole on its axial line in terms of the dipole moment p .
> Consider an electric dipole placed on the x-axis as shown. A point C is
located at a distance of r from the midpoint O of the dipole along the axial line.
 1 q
The electric field at a point C due to +q is E + = along BC (½ mark)
4 πε o (r − a )2

Since p̂ is from – q to +q and is directed along BC, the

above
equation is rewritten as
 1 q
E+ = p̂ (½ mark)
4πε o (r − a )2

where p̂ is the electric dipole moment unit vector from –q to +q. (½ mark)
The electric field at a point C due to –q is
 1 q
E− = − p̂ (½ mark)
4 πε o (r + a )2
 
E E
Since +q is located closer to the point C than –q, + is stronger than − . Therefore, the length
 
E E
of the + vector is drawn larger than that of − vector. The total electric field at point C is
calculated using the superposition principle of the electric field.
  
E tot = E + + E − (½ mark) = 1 q
2 p̂ −
1 q
2 p̂ (½ mark)
4πε o (r − a ) 4πε o (r + a )
 q  1 1 
E tot =  − p̂
4πε o  (r − a )2 (r + a )2 
(½ mark)

 1  4ra 
Etot = q pˆ (½ mark)
 (
4 o  r − a 2
2
)
2 


Note that the total electric field is along E + , since +q is closer to C than –q.
If the point C is very far away from the dipole then (r >> a). Under this limit the term
(r2– a2)2  r4. Substituting this into equation we get
 1  4aq 
q 3 p̂ (r  a ) since 2aq p̂ = p (½ mark)

E tot =
4πεo  r 
 
E tot =
1 2p
(r  a ) (½ mark)
4πε o r 3
If the point C is chosen on the left side of the dipole, the total electric field is still in the

direction of p . We infer this result by examining the electric field lines of the dipole shown
in Figure.
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