Chapter 2 - Electrostatic Potential - Capacitance (Student Copy)
Chapter 2 - Electrostatic Potential - Capacitance (Student Copy)
ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL
2 & CAPACIATANCE
No. of Hrs. No. of
1 Marks 5 Marks Total
PU Board Required 2 Marks 3 Marks
Marks
Allotted Sessions (MCQ) FIB LA NP
12 24 1 - 1 1 1 - 11
Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to understand the following
Work done on a charge and electroststic potential energy
Electrostatic potential.
Potential due to a point charge
Electrostatic potential due to an electric dipole
Electrostatic potential due to a system of charges
Electrostatic potential at a point due to continuous charge distributions
Equipotential surfaces
Relation between field and potential
Electrostatic potential energy of a system of charges
Potential energy in an external field
Electrostatics of conductors
Capacitors and capacitance
Capacitance of a spherical conductor
Parallel plate capacitor
Dielectrics and polarisation
The effect of dielectric on capacitance
Combinations of capacitors
Energy stored in a charged capacitor
Introduction
When an external force does work in taking a body from a point to another against a force like
spring force or gravitational force that work gets stored as potential energy in the body. When the
external force is removed, the body moves, gaining kinetic energy and losing an equal amount of
potential energy. The sum of kinetic and potential energies is always a constant or conserved. Forces
of this kind are called conservative forces. Moreover in a conservative force field the work done on
a body in displacing it from one point to another depends only on the initial and final positions but
not on the path along which it is moved.
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Since, Coulomb force and gravitional force both have inverse – square dependence on distance
and differ mainly in the proportionality constants (the masses in the gravitional law are replaced by
charges in Coulomb’s law), we can define electrostatic potential energy of a charge in an
electrostatic field similar to gravitational potential energy of mass in gravitational field.
Work done on a charge and electrostatic potential energy
Consider an electric field E due to a
positive charge Q placed at the origin.
Imagine a positive test charge q brought from
a point P ' to a point P against the repulsive
force on it by the charge Q. The minimum
external force F ext required to bring the
charge from P’ to P must be equal and
opposite to the force due to electric field
FE qE. i.e.,
F e x t F E qE ........ 2.1
The amount of work done by external force in moving a charge q from P ' to P is
P P
WP ' P F ext d r q E d r ..... 2.2
P' P'
This work done against electrostatic force gets stored as electrostatic potential energy.
Therefore, the change in potential energy is given by equation
U U P U P ' WP ' P ...... 2.3
Note:
i) It is only the difference U P U P ' has a definite value but not the absolute value of the potential
energy of a charge at a particular point.
ii) The absence of uniqueness of the absolute potential energy of a charge at a point allow us to
choose a reference point where the potential energy is zero, so that the potential energy at
any point will be then uniquely defined as the work done in bringing a charge form the
reference point to the given point.
iii) A convenient choice of reference point is to have electrostatic potential energy zero at infinity.
If we choose the initial point P ' to be infinity, then WP U P U U P . Therefore, the
potential energy of a charge q at a point P in an electric field can be defined as ‘The amount of
work done on charge q in bringing it from infinity to the point P.
Electrostatic potential
The electrostatic potential energy per unit charge is called electrostatic potential denoted by V.
The potential VP at P is
P
U W
VP P P E d r ..... 2.4
q q
The potential at a point P can be defined as work done per unit charge in taking it from infinity
to that point.The SI unit of potential is volt (V). volt joule / coulomb.
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 37
5. If W is the amount of work to be done to move a charge q from a point A where the potential is
VA to a point B where potential is VB with no acceleration, then
Worked Example:
1. If 20 J of work has to be done to move an electric charge of 4 C from a point, where potential is
10 V to another point, where potential is V volt, then find the value of V.
q0Q 1
dW F dx Fdx cos180 Fdx dx; ( force is opposite displacement)
4 0 x 2
The total amount of work done on q0 in bringing it from infinity to the point ‘P’ is given by
q0Q 1
r
q0Q r 1 q0Q
W dW 2 dx
4 0 x 4 0 x 4 0 r
W 1 Q
V ..... 2.7
q0 4 0 r
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Q. Define electric potential due to a point charge and arrive at the expression for the electric
potential at a point due to a point charge. (Mar-2018): 5 Marks
Note:
1 q
(i) The equation V is based on the fact that potential is zero at infinity.
4 0 r
1 q
(ii) Although we have derived the equation, V for a positively charged particle, the
4 0 r
derivation holds also for a negatively charged particle also.
1 q
(iii) The equation V also gives the electric potential outside or on the external surface of a
4 0 r
spherically symmetric charge distribution. However, this equation is not valid for a point within
the actual distribution.
(iv) The varation of potential with respect to the distance from the point charge can be represented
as follows.
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 39
Worked Example:
1. The electric potential at 0.1 m from a point charge is 540 volt. What is the magnitude and
sign of the charge?
1 q q
Sol.: V 540 9 109 q 6 109 C 6nC
4 0 r 0.1
2. A wire is bent in a circle of radius 10 cm. It is given a charge of 250 C which spreads on it
uniformly. What is the electric potential at the centre? (HW)
Sol.: Since the potential is scaller and every element of the wire is at the same distance from the
centre, the potential at the centre is equivalent to the potential due to a point charge of 250C
at a distance 10cm from it. Therefore,
1 q 250 106
V 9 109 2.25 107V
4 0 r 0.1
Exercise:
1. (a) Calculate the potential at a point P due to a charge of 4 107 C located 9 cm away.
(b) What is the work done in bringing a charge of 2 109 C - from infinity to the point P. Does
the answer depend on the path along which the charge is brought?
Ans: a) 4 104V b) 8 10 5 J , No
Sol.:
V V q V q ..... 2.8
1 q q q 1 1
4 0 r1 r2 4 0 r2 r1
In the figure, C and D are the foot of the perpendiculars drawn from A and B respectively to
the line passing through O and P. When the distance ‘𝑟’ is very large compared to the dipole length,
then
r1 AP CP r a cos ; r2 BP DP r a cos
q 1 1
V
4 0 r a cos r a cos
Q. Dervie an expression for the electric potential at any point due to a short dipole.
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 41
Axial Line
1 p cos 0 1 p 1
i) At axial line, 00 : V ;V 2
4 0 r 2
4 0 r 2
r
1 p cos90
ii) At equatorial line, 900 : V 0
4 0 r2
Electrostatic potential due to a system charges
Let there be a number of point charges q1, q2, q3, …qn at distances r1, r2, r3, … rn respectively
from the point P. Potential at P due to individual charges are given by
1 q1 1 q2 1 q3 1 qn
V1 ; V2 ; V3 ; …. ; Vn
4 0 r1 4 0 r2 4 0 r3 4 0 rn
Using superposition principle, we obtain the resultant potential at P due to total charge
configuration as the algebraic sum of the potentials due to individual charges.i.e,
V V1 V3 V3 .... Vn ...... 2.10
1 q1 1 q2 1 q3 1 qn
.......
4 0 r1 4 0 r2 4 0 r3 4 0 rn
1 q1 q2 q3 qn
.......
4 0 r1 r2 r3 rn
n
1 qi
V
4 0
r
i 1
........ 2.11
i
a) Potential due to linear charge distribution:If the charge is distributed uniformly along a line
of length l and is the linear charge density, then
1 d
Vl ........... 2.13
4 0 0
r
b) Potential due to surface charge distribution:If the charge is distributed uniformly over an
area S and is the charge per unit area (surface charge density), then
1 dSs
Vs .......... 2.14
4 0 0 R
c) Potential due to volume charge distribution:If the charge is uniformly distributed over a
volume v and is the charge per unit volume(volume charge density), then
1
v
dv
Vv ........ 2.15
4 0 0
r
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1 Q
V r
4 0 r
Case II. At a point on the surface. (r = R)
1 Q
V r
4 0 R
Case III. At a point inside the sphere
Inside the conductor (of any shape and size) the electric field
E 0. This implies that there is no gradient of potential. In other
words potential at any point inside the conductor is the same as
that on its surface. Therefore the potential at any point can be
expressed as
1 Q
4 if r R
r
V r ....... 2.16
0
1 Q
if r R
4 0 R
Worked Example
1. Two point charges q1 and q2 are separated by a distance ‘d’ Find the positions along the line
joining the two charges where the net potential is zero.
Sol:. The point of zero potential exists only when q1q2 O or q1 / q2 q1 / q2 . For a pair of unlike
charges, we find one of the point lies beween the two charges and the other outside where the
net potential V V1 V2 0 . If x is the distance from the weaker charge, say q2 , the distance
from the stronger charge q2 will be d x for a point between the two charges and d x
for a point outside (the point must be closer to the weaker charge than to the stronger charge).
V V1 V2 0 leads to
q1 q
At P: 2 0 for a point between the charges
d x x
q1 q
At Q: 2 0 for a point outside
dx x
Solving for x we get
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 43
d
x
q1
1
q2
' ' sign corresponds to a point between the charges and ' ' sign corresponds to a point outside.
2. Eight charged water droplets, each with a radius of 1 mm and a charge of 1010 C, coalesce to
form a single drop. Calculate the potential of the bigger drop.
1 Q 8 1010
V 9 109 3.6 103V
4 0 R 2 103
3. Two tiny spheres carrying charges 1.5 C and 2.5 C are placed 30 cm apart. Find the
electric potential at the midpoint of the line joining the 2 charges.
1 q1 q2
Sol.: V V1 V2
4 0 d1 q2
0.15 0.15
Exercise:
1. Two point charges 8C and 16C are separated by 0.6m distance. Find the points on line
joining the charges at which the potential is zero.
(Ans: 0.2 m from 8C between the two charges and 0.6 m from 8C outside the two
charges)
Sol.:
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2. ABCD is a square of side 2m. Point charges of 5nC, 10nC and 5nC are placed at corners A, B
and C respectively. Calculate the work done in transferring 5C from D to point of intersection
of diagonals.
225
(Ans: 106 J )
2
Sol.:
3. A regular hexagon of side 10 cm has a charge 5C at each of its vertices. Calculate the
potential at the centre of the hexagon. (HW)
4. Two charges 3 108 C and 2 108 C are located 15 cm apart. At what points on the line
joining the two charges is the electric potential zero? Take the potential at infinity to be
zero.(HW)
[Ans: 6 cm from 2 108 C between the charges, 30 cm from 2 108 C outside the charges]
Equipotential surfaces
Q. What is an equipotential surface? (Mar – 2018): 1 Mark
A surface on which the potential is the same everywhere is called an equipotential surface.
Characteristcs of equipotential surfaces.
1. No work is done in moving a test charge over an equipotential surface.
Work done W q V2 V1 . For equipotential surface V is constant. Therefore, V1 V2 and W 0.
2. Electric field intensity E is normal to the equipotential surface.
The change in potential dV along any line element d l on the equipotential surface is zero.
Therefore, dV E d l 0 . This implies E is perpendicular to d l 3.
3. Equipotential surfaces are relatively closer in the region of
stronger field strength compared to those in the region of
weaker field strength.
When a system of equipotential surfaces are drawn in a
region of non – uniform electric field, surfaces appear closer
in the region of stronger field strength and are well separated
in the region of weaker field strength as depicted in fig (a) &
fig (b)
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The –ve sign shows that the electric field is pointing towards the origin.
2. Electric field in a region is given by E = 2iˆ + 3jˆ 4kˆ V / m. Find the potential difference between
points (0, 0, 0) and (1, 2, 3). [H.W]
B 1,2,3
Sol.: V E dr 2i 3 ˆj 4kˆ idx ˆjdy kdz
ˆ
A 0,0,0
1,2,3
2dx 3dy 4dz
0,0,0
1,2,3
2 x 3 y 4 z 0,0,0 4V
Q. Derive the relation between electric field and electric potential due to a point charge. (Jun
– 2014) (Jun – 2015) (Mar – 2017) (Jun – 2017) (Mar – 2020) (Jun – 2020): 2 or 3 Marks
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 47
1 q1q2 q1q3 q2 q3
W
4 0 r12 r13 r23
1 q1q2 q1q3 q2 q3
U W ...... 2.20
4 0 r12 r13 r23
Worked Example:
1. Two point charges are located on the x–axis, q1 1 mC at x 0 and q2 1 mC at x 1m.
Find the work that must be done by an external force to bring a third point charge q3 1 mC
from infinity to x 2m.
1 q3 q1 q3 q2
Sol.: U 3 q3 V13 V12
4 0 r13 r23
4.5 103 J
Exercise:
1. Two charged particles, having equal charges of 2.0 105 C each, are brought from infinity to
within a separation of 10 cm. Find the increase in the electric potential energy during the
process.
[Ans: 36 J]
Sol.:
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 49
q4 q3
2. Four charges q1 1mC, q2 2mC, q3 3 mC and q4 4 mC are kept on the
vertices of a square of side 1 m. Find the electric potential energy of this 1m
system of charges. (HW)
1m
q1 q2
[Ans: - 22.18 kJ]
Sol.:
3. Three point charges 1.5 103 C, 0.2 103 C and 0.5 103 C are placed respectively at
the corners A, B, and Cof a right angled triangle ABC. If AB 1.2 m , BC 0.5 m, and
B 90 . Calculate the potential energy of the charge at B. (HW)
[Ans: 450 J]
Sol.:
ii) An External energy U ext due interaction of charges with the external electric field.
U qV r ...... 2.22
U ext U1 U 2 q1V r1 q2V r 2 ............. 2.23
1 q1q2
U int ......... 2.24
4 0 r12
Total energy
U U ext U int q1V r1 q2V r 2 1
4 0
q1q2
r12
.... 2.25
Worked Example:
1. The kinetic energy of a charged particle decreases by 10 J as it moves from a point at potential
100 V to a point at potential 200 V. Find the charge on the particle.
Sol.: Decease in kinetic energy increase in potential energy
q 0.1C
Electrostatics of conductors
Conductors contain mobile charge carriers. In metallic conductors, these charge carriers are
electrons, called free electrons.In electrolytic conductors, the charge carriers are both positive and
negative ions. Let us note some of the important results regarding electrostatics of conductors.
1. At every point on the surface of a charged conductor, electrostatic field must be normal.
2. The interior of a conductor can have no excess charge in the static situation
3. Electrostatic potential is constant on and within the volume of the conductor.
As E = 0 inside the conductor and has no tangential component on the surface, no work is done
in moving a charge either within the body of conductor or on the surcface.Therefore potential is
constant
5. Electrostatic shielding
Consider a conductor with a cavity, having no
charges inside the cavity. The electric field inside
the cavity is always zero, irrespective of the size and
shape of the cavity, the charge on the conductor and
the external fields in which it might be placed. In
presence of an external electric field the charge
distribution on the surface get modified in such a
way that the net electric field with in the body of the
conductor as well as within the cavity is always
zero.This is known as electrostatic shielding. The
effect can be made use of in protecting sensitive
instruments from outside electrical influence. Figure
(2.9). Shows how chage distribution gets modified when the conductor is placed in an external
electric field.
q V
q CV ...... 2.27
q
Where the constant of proportionality C is called electrical capacitance.
V
If V 1, then C q; Therefore, capacitance can be defined as the amount of charge required
to raise the potential of a conductor through one volt.
The SI unit of capacitance is called farad (F). If V 1 V when q 1 coulomb then C 1F 1
coulomb /volt
Therefore, capacitance of a conductor is said to be one farad, when a charge of one coulumb
raises its potential through one volt.Smaller units like F 106 F , n F 109 F , p F 1012 F are also
used.
Therefore even with a spherical conductor of radius 9 cm (about the size of a foot ball) the
capacitance becomes as low as 10 pF. This implies that a very small amount of charge placed on the
conductor increases its potential by large amount. Therefore an isolated conductor is not a
convenient device to store electrical charge.
However, if we use pair of conductors held close to each other with opposite charges on them,
then each conductor will modify the potential of the other so that the potential difference between the
conductors get reduced. Consequently the capacitance C q / V will increase. This is the principle
used in the construction of small size capacitors with desired value of capacitance.
Capacitors
A capacitor is a device used to store electric charge or
potential energy.
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Any two conductors separated by an insulator (or a vacuum) form a capacitor. One common
way to charge a capacitor is to connect the two conductors to opposite terminals of a battery. This
gives a fixed potential difference Vab between the conductors, which is just equal to the voltage of
the battery.
When we say that a capacitor has charge q we mean that the conductor at higher potential has
charge +q and the conductor at lower potential has charge q. In circuit diagram a capacitor is
represented by two parallel lines as shown in figure 2.12.
Q. What is a capacitor? (Jun-2014) : 1 Mark
Worked Example:
1. A potential difference of 250 volt is applied across the plates of a capacitor of 10 pF. Calculate
the charge on the plates of the capacitor.
Exercise:
1. When 1.0 1012 electrons are transferred from one conductor to another, a potential difference
of 10 V appears between the conductors. Calculate the capacitance of the two conductor
system. (HW)
[Ans: 16 nF]
Sol.:
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 55
E ....... 2.29
2 0 2 0 0
Outside the plates (at points A and C) the field due to positive
and negative sheets of charge are in opposite directions. Therefore, net field at these points is
zero.
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qd
The potential difference between the plates is, V E.d d
0 A 0
q A 0
The capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor is, C
V d
0 A
C ...... 2.30
d
Note:
i) From the above relation, it is clear that the capacitance depends only on geometrical factors
(A and d).
0 AK
ii) If we introduce a dielectric medium, then C ' (where K is a electric constant).
d
iii) Instead of two plates if there are ‘n’ similar plates at equal distances from each other and the
alternate plates are connected together, the capacitance of the arrangement is given by,
C
n 1 0 A
d
Q. Derive the expression for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor.(Mar-2015) : 3 Marks
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 57
Worked Example:
1. A parallel plate capacitor has plate area 25.0 cm2 and a separation of 2.0 mm between the
plates. The capacitor is connected to a battery of 12.0 V (a) Find the charge on the capacitor
(b) The plate separation is decreased to 1.00 mm, find the extra charge given by the battery to
the positive plate.
0 A 8.854 1012 25 104
Sol.: a) C 11.0675 1012 F
d 2 103
C' d
b) 2 C1 2C
C d'
Q1 Q Q 0.133nC
A non – polar molecule is that molecule in which the centre of mass of protons (positive
charges) and centre of mass of electrons (negative charges) coincide. O2 , N2 , H 2 , CO2 etc. are some
examples of non – polar molecules. In their normal state, the non – polar molecules have no dipole
moment. However, in presence of an external electric field, the non polar molecules will acquire
dipole moment and try to align themselves in the direction of the field.
Dielectric polarisation:
The alignment of the dipole moments of the permanent or induced di-poles in the direction of
the applied electric field is called polarisation.It is defined as the dipole moment per unit volume of
the dielectric.
The polarization is vector denoted by P which increase with increase in electric filed E i.e.,
P E or P e E
Where, e is called electrical susceptibility of dielectric medium.
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Dielectric strength is usaully expressed in terms of kilo volt per millimetre kV mm1 . The
knowledge of dielectric strength helps us in designing a capacitor.
eff 1 q q
Electric field in the region between the plates is E
0 k 0 k 0 A A
V 1 q C q 0 kA
E
d k 0 A V d
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 59
Combinations of capacitors
Series combination of capacitors
Q Q Q
V1 ;V2 and V3
C1 C2 C3
Q Q Q 1 1 1
V V1 V2 V3 Q
C1 C2 C3 C1 C2 C3
Q 1 1 1
V Q
Cs C1 C2 C3
1 1 1 1
..... 2.31
Cs C1 C2 C3
Q. Obtain the expression for effective capacitance of two capacitors connected in series.
(Jun-2018) (Jun-2019) : 3 Marks
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Negative plate of one capacitor is Positive plates of all the capacitors are connected
connected to positive plate of the other to one common terminal. The negative plates are
and so on. connected to another common terminal
Charge on each capacitor is same Potential diffence across each capacitor is same
V V1 V2 V3 Q Q1 Q2 Q3
1 1 1 1
Cp C1 C2 C3
CS C1 C2 C3
Q'
dW dQ '.V ' dQ '
C
The total amount of work done to charge the capacitor from zero to Q is present in the form of
electrostatic energy in the capacitor. Therefore, on integration we obtain
Q2 1 1
U CV 2 QV
2C 2 2
1 1 1 1 1
............ ___________
(i)
C C1 C2 C3 Cn
1 Q2 Q2 1 Q2 1 1 1 1
U .........
2 C 2 C 2 C1 C2 C3 Cn
Q2 Q2 Q2 Q2
U ....... U1 U 2 U3 .. U n .
2C1 2C2 2C3 2Cn
C C1 C2 C3 . Cn
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
U CV 2 V 2 C V 2 C1 C2 C3 ..... Cn C1 V 2 C2 V 2 C3 V 2 ..... Cn V 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Or U U1 U 2 U3 .......... U n
Thus, we conclude that the total energy stored in series or parallel combination is the sum of
energy stored in the individual capacitors.
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Common potential
When two capacitors charged to different potentials are connected in parallel by a conducting
wire, charge flows from one capacitor to be other until potential difference across the two capacitors
become equal. The potential difference across the combination at equilibrium is called common
potential. Obviously, no charge is lost in the process of sharing of charges by the two capacitors.
Suppose C1 and C2 are capacities of two capicitors charged to potentials V1 and V2 respectively,
total charge before sharing
If V is the common potential on sharing charges, then total charge before and after sharing,
should be the same due to conservation of charges. Therefore,
C1V C2V C1 C2 V
C1 C2 V C1V1 C2V2
C1V1 C2V2
Or V ` ... 2.34
C1 C2
Total charge
i.e, Common potential
total capacitance
Numerical
1. Three capacitors of capacitance 2pF, 3pF and 4pF are connected in parallel. a) What is the total
capacitance of the combination? b) Determine the charge on each capacitor if the combination
is connected to a 100 V supply?
[Ans: 9 pF, 0.2 nC, 0.3nC & 0.4nC]
Sol.:
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 63
2. A parallel plate capacitor consists of two identical rectangular metal plates of sides 5.5 cm and
4 cm which are separated by 0.7 mm. Calculate the capacitance of capacitor when the space is
filled with a) air and b) a medium of dielectric constant 4.
[Ans: a) 27.82 pF b) 111.3 pF]
Sol.:
3. A parallel plate capacitor consists of two plates each of area 0.01 sq.m, separated by a distance
of 0.1 mm. It is charged to a potential of 50 V. Calculate its capacitance, charge on it and
energy stored.
[Ans: 0.8854 nF, 44.27 nC]
Sol.:
4. Three capacitors of capacitances 2μF, 3μF and 6μF are first connected in series and then in
parallel. Find the ratio of effective capacitances in series connection and that in parallel
connection.(HW)
[Ans: 1:11]
Sol.:
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5. Two capacitors of capacitances 1μF and 3μF are charged to 800 V and 400 V respectively. Find
the common potential difference, the charge on each capacitor and energy dissipated when they
1
are connected in parallel.[Hint: U Ei E f CS V1 V2 ]
2
Sol.:
6. Two capacitors of capacitances 600pF and 900pF are connected in series across a 200 V supply.
Calculate i) the effective capacitance of combination ii) p.d across each capacitor iii) total
energy stored in the system iv) energy stored in each. (HW)
[Ans: 360 pF, 120V & 80V, 7.2 J, 4.32 J & 2.88 J]
Sol.:
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 65
Sol.:
a)
Q
b)
2Q
c)
C1 C2 Q d)
C1 C2 Q
C1 C2 C1 C2 2C1C2 C1C2
11. A metal sphere of radius R placed on an insulating stand is connected by a conducting wire to
another metal sphere of radius 2R which is also placed on an insulating stand. If a charge Q is
given given to a sphere of radius 2R, the surface charge density on this sphere at equilibrium is
Q Q Q Q
a) b) c) d)
16 R 2 24 R 2 32 R 2 6 R 2
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 67
12. Four equal charges q each are placed at four corners of a square of side a. Work done in
carrying a charge – q from its centre to infinity is
2q 2 2q 2 q2
a) zero b) c) d)
0 a 0 a 2 0 a
13. A parallel plate capacitor with capacitance C is charged to a potential V. The amount of work
required to pull the two plates of the capacitor to increase the separation between the two plates
from d to 2d is
1 1 3
a) CV 2 b) CV 2 c) CV 2 d) CV 2
2 4 4
14. A charged spherical conductor of radius 10cm has a potential V at a point distant 5cm from the
centre. The potential at a distance 15 cm from the centre will be
3 2 1
a) 3V b) V c) V d) V
2 3 3
15. ‘n’ identical capacitors each of capacitance 200mF are connected in series. When the
combination is connected to 250V source, 5c of charge is drawn from the source. The value of
‘n’ is
a) 5 b) 10 c) 15 d) 20
II. Two marks questions:
1. What are the factors on which capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor depends?
3. Give the graphical representation showing the variation of potential at any point due to a
charged spherical caonductor
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4. Write the expression for the electric field due a short dipole along its axis and explain the
symbols.
5. Write the expression for the electric field due a short dipole along its equatorial line and explain
the symbols.
6. Write the expression for the potential energy of system of three charges and explain the terms.
8. What are polar and non- polar molecules? Give an example for each
Assignment Numericals
1. In a parallel plate capacitor with air between the plates, each plate has an area of 6 103 m2 and
the distance between the plates is 3mm. Calculate the capacitance of the capacitor. If this
capacitor is connected to a 100 V supply, what is the charge on each plate of capacitor?
(absolute permittivity of freespace 8.85 1012 Fm1 ). (Mar-14)
2. Two charges 3 108 C and 2 108 C are located 15 cm apart. At what points on the line
joining the two charges is the electric potential zero. Take the potential at infinity to bezero.
(Jul-14)
[Ans: 6 cm from 2 108 C between the two charges, 30 cm from 2 108 C outside the two
charges]
70 | II PU Physics
3. Two point charges 1C and 4C are 1m apart in air. Find the positions along the line
joining the two charges at which the resultant potential is zero. (Mar-15)
[Ans: 0.2 cm from 1 C between the charges, 0.33 m from 1 C outside the charges]
4. ABCD is a square of side 2m. Charges 5C , 10C and 5C are placed at the corners A B and
C respectively. What is the work done in transferring a charge of 5C from D to the point of
intersection ofdiagonals? (Jul-15)
[Ans: W 0.252 J ]
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | 71
5. When two capacitors are connected in series and connected across a 4kV line, the energy stored
in the system is 8J. If the same capacitors are connected in parallel across the same line, the
energy stored is 36J. Find the individual capacitances. (Mar-16)
[Ans: C1 3 F , C2 1.5 F ]
6. Charges 2C, 4C and 6C are placed at three corners ABC respectively of a square ABCD
of side xm. Find what charge must be placed at the corner D such that the potential at the centre
of the square is zero. (Jul-16)
[Ans: 12 C ]
72 | II PU Physics
7. In a parallel plate capacitor with air between the plates each plate has an area 8 103 m2 and
distance between the plates is 2mm. Calculate the capacitance of the capacitor. If these
capacitors is connected to a 50V supply. What is the charge on each plate of the capacitor?
(Jun-17)
8. The plates of a parallel plate capacitor have an area of 100 cm2 each and are separated by 3mm.
The capacitor is charged by connecting it to a 400V supply. Calculate (a) the electrostatic
energy stored in the capacitor, (b) if a dielectric of constant 2.5 is introduced between the plates
of the capacitor, then find electro static energy stored and also change in the energy stored.
(Jun-2018)
9. In a circular parallel plate capacitor radius of each plate is 5cm and they are separated by a
distance of 2mm. Calculate the capacitance and the energy stored, when it is chargedby
connecting the battery of 200V (Given 0 8.854 1012 Fm1 ) (Mar-2019)
10. ABCD is a square of side 1m. Charges of 3nc, 5nc and 3nc are placed the corners of AB
and C respectively. Calculate the work done in transferring charge of 12μC from D to the point
of intersection of the diagonals? (Jun-2019)
[Ans: W 113.42 J ]
Additional Numericals
1. Point charges of +2nC, +4nC and +8nC are placed at the corners A, B and C respectively of a
square ABCD of side 0.2 m. Calculate the work required to transfer a charge of 2nC from D to
centre of the square. [Ans: 627 nJ]
2. A ball of mass 1g is charged to10-8C moves from A point whose potential is 600V to B point
whose potential is zero. Velocity of ball at point B is 20 cm/s. Find the velocity of ball at the
point A. [Ans: 16.73cm /s]
3. Three point charges +4μC, -2μC and +6μC are placed at the three corners of an equilateral
triangle of side 0.1m. Calculate the potential energy of system of charges. [Ans: 360 mJ]
4. Two charges 5x10-8C and -3x10-8 C are located 16 cm apart. At what points on the line joining
the two charges is the electric potential is zero? Take the potential at infinity to be zero.
[Ans: 6 cm / 24 cm from 3 108 C ]
5. Two charges 3x10-8C and -2x10-8 C are located 15 cm apart. At what points on the line joining
the two charges is the electric potential is zero? Take the potential at infinity to be zero
[Ans: 6 cm /30 cm from 2 108 C ]
6. Two capacitors of capacitances 600pF and 900pF are connected in series across a 200 V supply.
Calculate i) the effective capacitance of combination ii) p.d across each capacitor iii) total
energy stored in the system iv) energy stored in each.
[Ans: i) 360pF, ii) 120V & 80V, iii) 7.20 J , iv) .32 J & 2.88 J ]
7. Energy stored in a system consisting of two capacitors in series and connected across 2kV line
is 4J. When the same two capacitors are in parallel across the same line, energy stored is 18J.
Find the capacitance of the capacitors.
[Ans: 6 F&3 F]
Q 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
A a d c c b d c a d b d c a c b
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