Problem Set Electrostatics-1
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Abhirup ChakrabortyProblem Set Electrostatics-1
Uploaded by
Abhirup ChakrabortyProblems: Full Marks:
M (5 × 15) = 75
1. Three charges, each equal to q, are placed at the three corners of a square of side a. Find the electric
field at the fourth corner.
2. A particle 𝐴 having a charge of 0.5 𝜇𝐶 is fixed in a vertical wall. A second particle B of mass 100
gm and having equal charge is suspended by a silk thread of length 30 cm from the wall. The point
of suspension is 30 cm above the particle A. Find the angle of the thread with the vertical when it
stays in equilibrium.
3. Find the electric field att a point P on the perpendicula
perpendicular bisector of a uniformly charged rod. The
length of the rod is L, the charge on it is 𝑄 and the distance of P from the centre of the rod is 𝑎.
4. A movable particle of mass 𝑚 and charge +𝑞 is placed midway between two fixed positive
charges +𝑄 separated by a distance 2𝑑.. If the particle is slightly moved towards one of the fixed
charges and then released, show that it will execute simple harmonic motion with a time period 𝑇 =
2𝜋 (𝜋𝜖 𝑚𝑑 /𝑄𝑞).
5. Why does soap bubble expand on electrification? A soap bubble of radius 𝑎 is electrified to a
potential 𝜑.. If the pressure inside the bubble equals the pressure of the surroundings, show that in
S.I. units 𝜑 = 8𝑎𝑇/𝜀 , where 𝑇 is the surface tension of the liquid. Also show that the charge
required to expand the radius twice is 8𝜋 𝜀 𝑎 (12𝑇 + 7𝑎𝑃), 𝑃 is the atmospheric pressure.
6. In three concentric spheres’ of radii 𝑎, 𝑏 & 𝑐 (𝑎 < 𝑏 < 𝑐),, the middle sphere is earthed and inner and
outer spheres are charged with charges 𝑞 & − 𝑞 respectively. Find the charges appearing on the
middle and the outermost surface
surfaces.
7. Find out the equivalent capacitances of the following capacitor combinations (all the capacitances is
in 𝜇𝐹):
8. Twelve capacitors, each of capacitance 2 𝜇𝐹 are placed along the sides of a cube. Find the equivalent
capacitance between any two diagonally opposite corners of the cube and along any side of the cube.
9. The figure below shows a parall
parallel plate capacitor with plates of width 𝑏 and length 𝑙. The separation
between the plates is 𝑑.. The plates are rigidly clamped and connected to a battery of emf 𝑉. A
dielectric slab of thickness 𝑑 and dielectric constant 𝐾 is slowly inserted between the plates.
(a) Calculate the energy of the system when a length 𝑥 of the slab is introduced into the capacitor.
(b) What force should be applied on the slab to ensure that it goes slowly into the capacitor? Neglect
any effect of friction or gravity.
10. Plates of area 𝐴,, of a parallel plate capacitor, are not exactly parallel to each other but slightly
inclined to one another, so that separa
separation between them at one end is (𝑑 − 𝑎) and at one end
is (𝑑 + 𝑎). If 𝑑 is the separation between the plates when they are exactly parallel, show that the
capacitance of the system is
𝑎
𝜀 𝐴 1+
𝐶= ln 𝑑
2𝑑 𝑎
1−
𝑑
11. A capacitor is formed by two square conducting plates of side 𝑎 separated by a distance 𝑑 having
dielectrics of dielectric constants 𝜅 & 𝜅 (𝜅 > 𝜅 ) which fill up the gap between the plates in a
manner such that the boundaries of these dielectrics meet along the diagonal of the capacitor system
when viewed horizontally.
Show that the capacitance of the system is
𝜀 𝑎 𝜅 𝜅 𝜅
𝐶= ln
𝑑 (𝜅 − 𝜅 ) 𝑘
12. A copper slab of thickness 𝑏 is inserted between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor of plate area 𝐴
and separation 𝑑 and placed exactly halfway between the plates. Show that the capacitance is
modified to 𝐶 = 𝜀 𝐴/(𝑑 − 𝑏).
13. Find the electric field due to a long straight conductor of linear charge density 𝜆 at point 𝑃 at a
perpendicular distance 𝑑 from it. Use the result to calculate the electric field at the center of the
semicircular section of a rod of linear dimension bent in the shape of U.
14. Answer the following questions:
(a) A dipole of dipole moment 𝑝⃗ is placed in a uniform electric field 𝐸⃗ along the direction of the
field. The dipole is then rotated at a very small angle and hence released. Find the period of
oscillation of the dipole.
(b) A uniform electric field is created within a parallel plate configuration, with the plated being
equal and oppositely charged. An electron enters the field symmetrically between the plates with
a speed 𝑣 . The length of field is 𝑙. Find the angle of deviation of the path of the electron as it
comes out of the plate.
15.
(a) Three point charges 𝑞, 2𝑞 & 8𝑞 are to be placed on a 9 𝑐𝑚 long straight line. Find the positions
where the charges should be placed such that the potential energy is a minimum. Under this
circumstance, find the electric field on the smallest charge due to other charges.
(b) A disc of radius 𝑎 is charged to a uniform surface charge density 𝜎. Find electric field and
potential at a distance 𝑥 from the center of the disc and plot graphically.
