Electrostatics Problems And Solutions

Thayumanavar

Sunday 5th December, 2021

Contents
A Problems in Electrostatics 2
A.1 Problem#1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A.2 Problem#2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A.3 Problem#3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A.4 Problem#4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A.5 Problem#5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
A.6 Problem#6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
A.7 Problem#7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A.8 Problem#8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A.9 Problem#9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
A.10 Problem#10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

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A Problems in Electrostatics
A.1 Problem#1

Problem 1. (Point Charges And Force)

1. Two point charges A and B, having charges +Q and -Q respectively, are placed at certain dis-
tance apart and force action between them is F. If 25% charge of A is transferred to B, then
force between the charges becomes:

9F 16F 4F
A. F B. 16 C. 9 D. 3

Solution: Charge on A after the transfer is

1 3
Q− Q=
4 4
Charge on B after the transfer is
1 3
−Q + Q = − Q
4 4
Now the Force between the charges will become
3 3 9
× ×F = F
4 4 16
Therefore option B. is the correct answer.

A.2 Problem#2

Problem 2. (Spheres and Surface Charge Densities)

1. Two metal spheres, one of radius R and the other of radius 2R, both have same surface charge
density σ. If they are brought in contact and separated, then the new surface charge densities
on each of the sphere are respectively

5 5 5 5 3 6 2 1
A. 2 σ, 4 σ B. 3 σ, 6 σ C. 5 σ, 5 σ D. 3 σ, 2 σ

Solution: Let A be the surface area of the metal sphere of radius R. The surface area of the metal
area of radius 2R is 4π(2R)2 = 4 × 4πR2 = 4A. The charges will flow until both spheres have
the same potential. Also the net charge remains the same before and after contact (as charge is
conserved). Charge on sphere of R is
σA
Charge on sphere of 2R is
σ × 4A = 4σA
Net charge is conserved. Therefore total charge is 5σ. Potential after contact will be equal. Let σ1
and σ2 be the charge densities after contact. Charge on sphere of radius R after contact is σ1 A and
on sphere of radius 2R is σ2 × 4A Therefore,
1 σ1 A 1 4σ2 A
=
4π0 R 4π0 2R

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 σ1 = 2σ2
Net charge after contact is σ1 A + 4σ2 A. Charge is conserved (total charge is same before and after).
Therefore,
σ1 + 4σ2 A = 5σ
5
2σ2 + 4σ2 A = 5σ, σ2 = σ
6
5 5
σ1 = 2σ2 = 2 × σ = σ
6 3
. The new surface charges densities are 53 σ, 56 σ. Hence correct option is B.

A.3 Problem#3

Problem 3. (Electrostatic and Gravitational Force)

1. Suppose the charge of a proton and an electron differ slightly. One of them is -e, the other is
(e + ∆e). If the net of electrostatic force and gravitational force between two hydrogen atoms
placed at a distance d (much greater than atomic size) apart is zero, then ∆e is of the order of
[Given mass of hydrogen mh = 1.67 × 10−27 Kg]

A. 10−47 C B. 10−20 C C. 10−23 C D. 10−37 C

Solution: Hydrogen atom consists of electron and proton. The net charge on the hydrogen atom
is −e + (e + ∆e) = ∆e. Now the net electrostatic force is

1 ∆e2
Fe =
4π0 d2
The gravitational force between two hydrogen atoms is given by:

m2h
Fg = G
d2
. As per the problem
Fe = Fg
1 ∆e2 m2h
= G
4π0 d2 d2
m2h
∆e2 = 4π0 G = 9 × 109 × 6.67 × 10−11 × 1.67 × 10−27
d2
∆e ≈ 10−37
Hence the correct option is D.

A.4 Problem#4

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Problem 4. (Charges Suspended from strings)

1. Two identical charged spheres suspended from a common point by two massless strings of lengths
l, are initially at a distance d (d  l) apart because of their mutual repulsion. The charges
begin to leak from both the spheres at a constant rate. As a result, the spheres approach each
other with a velocity v. Then v varies as a function of the distance x between the spheres, as:
1 1
A. v ∝ x 2 B. v ∝ x C. v ∝ x− 2 D. v ∝ x−1

Solution:
Draw force diagram showing various forces acting on the spheres (in equilibrium positions).

From the above diagram,

T cos θ = mg(1) (1)
q2
T sin θ = k (2)
mgd2
Dividing (2) by (1), we get
kq 2
tan θ =
mgd2
d
If θ is small, then sinθ ≈ tan θ. Therefore tan θ = 2l . The charge is leaking at a constant rate
and the both spehres approach and x is the varying as both approach each other. We can write the
equation above as:
x kq 2
=
2l mgx2
x q2
∝ 2
2l x

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 3
q 2 ∝ x3 =⇒ q ∝ x 2
Differentiation both sides, we get
dq 3 1 dx
∝ x2
dt 2 dt
dq dx
Since charge leaks at a constant rate, dt is constant. dt is velocity v. Using this two fact in the
above equation,
−1
v∝x 2

. Therefore the correc option is (C).

A.5 Problem#5

Problem 5. (Charges Suspended from strings)

1. Two pith balls carrying equal charges are suspended from a common point by strings of equal
length, the equilibrium separation between them is r. Now the strings are rigidly clamped at
half the height. The equilibrium separation between the balls now become:

r 2r 2r
A. √
3
2
B. √
3
C. 3 D. ( √r2 )2

Solution: Draw force diagram showing various forces acting on the spheres for case #1 (Equilibrium

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 separation between them is r).
From the above diagram,
T sin θ = mg(1) (3)
q2
T cos θ = k (4)
mgr2
Dividing (3) by (4), we get
kq 2
tan θ =
mgr2
y
Also, tan θ = r .
2
2y kq 2
=
r mgr2
mg
As kq 2 is constant, (rearrange above equation to get):
1
r ∝ (y) 3

Let r0 be new equilibrium separation when the strings are rigidly clamped at half the height( y2 ).
Also
y 1
r0 ∝ ( ) 3
2
0
Divide both proportionality relations to get r which is
r
r0 = √
3
2
. Therefore the correct option is A.

A.6 Problem#6

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 Problem 6. (System of Charges)

1. A charge q is placed at the centre of the line joining two equal charges Q. The system of the
three charges will be in equilibrium if q is equal to
−Q Q −Q Q
A. 4 B. 4 C. 2 D. 2

Solution: For system of charges to be in equilibrium, the net force acting on the charges should be
zero. Assume the distance between charge Q and Q be 2a and the distance between newly placed
charge q and either of the two charges Q shall be a. Let’s consider the net force acting on one of
the charge Q. This is
kQq kQQ
FQq + FQQ = 2 +
a (2a)2
The net force is zero (since the system of charges are in equilibrium.). Hence,

kQq kQQ
+ =0
a2 4a2
−QQ
Qq =
4
−Q
q=
4
The correct option is A.

A.7 Problem#7

Problem 7. (Charge Flow between Spheres)

1. Two metallic spheres of radii 1cm and 3cm are given charges of −1 × 10−2 C and 5 × 10−2 C,
respectively. If these are connected by a conducting wire, the final charge on the bigger sphere is

A. 2 × 10−2 C B. 3 × 10−2 C C. 4 × 10−2 C D. 1 × 10−2 C

Solution: Charges flow until the potential is equal. Total charge is conserved. Let x denote the
charge on the bigger sphere (which is of radii 3cm). The net charge is (5 − 1) × 10−2 C = 4 × 10− 2C.
Therefore the charge on smaller sphere is 4/times10−2 − x. Now the potential of the metallic sphere
are equal (potential is same as that of a point sphere which is kq
r2 .

k×x k × (4 × 10−2 − x)
=
3 × 10−2 1 × 10−2
x = 12 × 10−2 − 3x
4x = 12 × 10−2
x = 3 × 10−2 C
Therefore the correct option is B.

A.8 Problem#8

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 Problem 8. (Forces between ions, number of electrons)

1. Two positive ions, each carrying a charge q, are separated by a distance d. If F is the force of
repulsion between the ions. The number of electrons missing from each ion will be (e being the
charge on an electron)
2
q q 2
4π0 F e2 4π0 F d2
A. 4πe02F d B. d2 C. e2 D. 4πq02F d

Solution: Let n be the number of electrons missing. Then q = ne where n is the number of electrons
missing. By coulomb’s law, we have
1 ne × ne
F =
4π0 d2
n2 e2 = 4π0 F d2
r
4π0 F d2
e=
e2
Therefore the correct option is C.

A.9 Problem#9

Problem 9. (Force between electron and proton)

1. An electron is moving round the nucleus of a hydrogen atom in a circular orbit of radius r. The
coulomb force F~ between the two is
2 2 2 2
A. K re3 ~r B. K re2 ~r C. −K re3 ~r D. −K re2 ~r

Solution: In an hydrogen atom, we have one electron and one proton. Let e be the charge on the
proton and -e will be the charge on the electron. By Coulomb’s law force between the two is ,
−e × e
F~ = K r̂
r2
Now the unit vector r̂ can be written as,
~r
r̂ =
r
2
e
F~ = −K 2 ~r
r
Therefore, the correct option is D.

A.10 Problem#10

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Problem 10. (Forces between charges in dielectric medium)

1. When air is replaced by a dielectric medium of dielectric constant k the maximum force of
attraction between the two charges separated by a distance:
A. decreases K-times
B. increases K-times
C. remains unchanged
1
D. becomes K2 times

Solution: Recall dielectric constant is the relative permittivity and is the ratio of permittivity of
the dielectric medium and permittivity of the air/vacuum epsilon0 . (Refer NCERT book 2.13 how
introduction of dielectric medium between the plates of capacitor affect the electric field). In short,
the the introduction of the dielectric opposes the external electric field.This impact due to orientation
of charges oppossite to the charges on the plates of the capacitor. Thus potentail difference decreases
and therefore the capacitance raises. It is also the ratio of the capacitance in the medium to the
capacitance of vacuum/air. It is the factor by which capacitances increases. Now

K=
0
 = K × 0
. Also by Coulomb’s law , force between two charges q1 and q2 in a dielectric medium which has
permittivity  is given by:
1 q1 q2
F~ = r̂
4π r2
Therefore
1 q1 q2 1
F = r̂ = × Fa
4πK0 r2 K
where Fa is the force when air is the medium. From the above, the force decreases by K-times.
Therefore option A. is the correct answer.

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