PHY 2049, Spring 2017 Exam 1 Solutions

Answer 1 is correct for all problems.

1. A conducting sphere of radius R is charged with q. At a distance of 3R from the center of the conductor is a point charge
Q. q and Q are both positive. Which of the following relations is correct about the magnitude F of the electrostatic
force exerted on the sphere by the point charge? Note that the sphere is a conductor and the distribution of the charge
q may not be uniform in the present arrangement.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(1) kqQ/R2 > F > kqQ/R2 (2) kqQ/R2 > F > kqQ/R2 (3) F = kqQ/R2 (4) F = kqQ/R2 (5) F = kqQ/R2
9 16 4 9 16 9 4
If the sphere were an insulator and the charge q were distributed uniformly on the surface, then the force between the
sphere and the point charge would be kqQ/(3R)2 . But the sphere is a conductor. Therefore, q is distributed unevenly,
more on the side facing away from the point charge. If all q were to move to the point farthest away from the point
charge, then the force between the sphere and the point charge would be kqQ/(4R)2 , but that won’t happen. The right
answer is between these two cases.

2. Two identical conducting spheres, A and B, are separated by a distance much larger than their radius. Initially, they
have the same amount of charge, and the electrostatic force between them is Fi . Subsequently, a third conducting sphere,
C, which is identical to spheres A and B but uncharged, is brought in contact with A then with B, and taken away.
During the entire procedure, sphere C is handled with an insulating pair of tweezers. What is the electrostatic force,
Ff , between spheres A and B after the procedure?

(1) 3Fi /8 (2) 4Fi /9 (3) Fi /4 (4) Fi /3 (5) Fi /2

Let q be the original charges on spheres A and B. After the first step, the charges of spheres A and C will be q/2 and
q/2. After the second step, the charges on spheres B and C will be 3q/4 and 3q/4. As a result, the product of charges
on spheres A and B drops by a factor of 8/3, from q 2 to (q/2)(3q/4), as does the force between them.

3. As shown in the figure, a particle of charge q1 = +1.0 µC sits at the origin and
is surrounded by a spherical, nonconducting shell of uniformly distributed total q2 Q
charge Q = −1.0 µC, radius r = 60.0 cm, centered at the origin. Another charge x
q2 = +2.0 µC is located on the x axis at x = −2.0 m. What is the net electrostatic q1
force on q1 , in unit vector notation? -2 m

(1) 4.5 × 10−3 î N

(2) 3.2 × 10−3 î N
(3) 1.9 × 10−3 î N
(4) 5.6 × 10−3 î N
(5) 0

Q on the sphere exerts no force on q1 , which is located at the center. You just need to calculate the repulsive force
exerted by q2 on q1 .
4. A circular ring of radius R, uniformly charged with total charge q, lies flat z
in the xy plane, as shown. The z axis runs through the center of the ring. P
Consider a point P on the z axis, at distance z from the center. At this point,
what is the magnitude of the z component of the infinitesimal electric field due
to charge dq on a very short piece of the ring? R
y
x
zdq dq Rdq dq
(1) k (2) k (3) k (4) k (5) 0
(R2 + z 2 )3/2 (R2 + z 2 )1/2 (R2 + z 2 )1/2 (R2 + z 2 )3/2

The infinitesimal field produced by dq at point P is dE = kdq/(R2 + z 2 ). Let θ be the angle between the z axis and the
line that runs from dq to P. Then the z component of dE is dE cos θ, because dE points along that line. Noting that
cos θ = z/(R2 + z 2 )1/2 gives the answer.

Alternatively, use dimensional analysis to eliminate wrong answers. According to Coulomb’s law, the expression must
have the dimensions of kdq/(length)2 . Only answer 1 satisfies this requirement.

5. The electric field lines for two point charges are shown in the figure. Based
on the field lines, what is the correct statement about the charges which are
located in the rectangular region where field lines are not drawn?
(1) Positive charge on left, and negative charge on right.
(2) Positive charge on right, and negative charge on left.
(3) Both charges are positive.
(4) Both charges are negative.
(5) None of the other answers is correct.

Recall that field lines are directed away from positive charges and toward negative charges.

6. In the figure two identical plastic rods, one of charge +q and the other of charge y
−q, form a circle of a 5.0 cm radius. The charge is distributed uniformly on +q
both rods. If q = 14 pC, what is the magnitude of the electric field at P, the
center of the circle?
x
P
−q
(1) 64 N/C (2) 27 N/C (3) 7.8 N/C (4) 83 N/C (5) 0

The electric fields due to the upper and lower halves of the ring are identical. It is therefore sufficient to compute the
field due to the upper half only and multiply the result by 2.

The field due to dq on the ring is dE = kdq/R2 , where R is the radius of the ring. Since the total field at P has
no x component, let us only consider the y component of dE. Let θ be the angle between the y axis and the line
that runs from charge dq on the ring to P. Then dEy = dE cos θ = kdq cos θ/R2 and dq = (q/π)dθ. Consequently,
dEy = k(q/π)dθ cos θ/R2 . Integrate this from θ = −π/2 to +π/2 to find Ey = (2/π)kq/R2 . According to the plan,
multiply this by 2.
 7. What is the x component of the electric field at the center of the square array of y
charged particles shown in the figure? The edge length of the square a = 10 cm
and q = +3.0 pC.
2q 2q
(1) −3.8 N/C a
(2) +29 N/C
(3) −9.3 N/C
(4) +5.7 N/C q 2q
(5) +1.6 N/C x
a

The electric fields due to the charges at the top left corner and bottom right corner cancel out. There is also partial
cancellation of the fields due to the charges at the top right corner and the bottom left corner. So the electric field at
the center is√exactly the same as that produced by a single charge, q, alone located √ at the top right corner. This is
2
E= √ kq/(a/ 2) , noting that the distance between the center and the corner is a/ 2. The x component of this field is
E/ 2.

8. A proton located at x = 1 m is released along the positive x direction in an electric potential of the form V (x) = 5 − 4/x,
where x is measured in meters and V is measured in volts. What minimum initial speed is needed for the proton to be
able to reach infinity?

(1) 2.8 × 104 m/s (2) 1.4 × 104 m/s (3) 3.7 × 105 m/s (4) 8.9 × 103 m/s (5) 6.3 × 102 m/s

The initial potential energy of the proton is U = eV (x = 1 m) = e (5 V − 4 Vm/1 m) = 1 eV = 1.601 × 10−19 J. The
potential energy at x = ∞ is eV (∞) = 5 eV. The increase in potential energy is therefor: ∆V = 4 eV = 6.408s
× 10−19 J.
2∆V
Therefor the kinetic energy has to be at least as large as that. This requires an initial velocity of: v = =
mp
2.8 × 104 m/s.

9. Two charged metal spheres A and B with radii rA = 10 cm and rB = 5 cm

are connected by a very long copper wire of length L ≫ rB . If the electrical rA
potential of sphere A is 10 V, what is the charge on sphere B?
rB

(1) 5.6 × 10−11 C (2) 8.4 × 10−9 C (3) 3.1 × 10−13 C (4) 2.5 × 10−12 C (5) 1.3 × 10−10 C

The potential on both spheres has to be identical. So the potential of sphere B is also 10 V. Sphere B acts as a point charge
qB V rB
for all radii equal to, and larger than, rB and we have V = k ⇒ qB = = 4πǫ0 V rB = 5.6 × 10−11 C
rB k

10. A solid conducting sphere of radius b = 2 m contains a spherical hole of radius

a = 1 m and has a net charge of +5 µC. A point charge −1 µC (not a part of
the +5 µC charge on the sphere) is located at the center of the hole. What is b
the net charge on the conductor’s outer surface?
q
(1) +4 µC
(2) +6 µC a
(3) −1 µC
(4) +1 µC
(5) +5 µC

Because of symmetry, the electrical field will be radially symmetric. But at the same time the flux through a Gaussian
sphere inside the metal has to be zero. This means that the enclosed charge has to be zero. Consequently, +1 µC has to
move to the inner surface of the shell to compensate the −1 µC inside the shell. That leaves 4 µC on the outside.
11. Three large, parallel, nonconducting sheets are perpendicular to the x axis
and separated by 10 cm from each other. Call them, from left to right, sheets σ1 σ2 σ3
1, 2, and 3. Each sheet is charged only on one side, but uniformly, with 5cm
surface charge densities σ1 = 3 × 10−22 C/m2 , σ2 = −2 × 10−22 C/m2 , and
σ3 = −1 × 10−22 C/m2 . What is the electric field half way between sheets 2 10cm 10cm
and 3?
i

(1) 1.1 × 10 −11

V/m (2) 3.4 × 10 −11
V/m (3) 6.8 × 10 −11
V/m (4) 4.5 × 10 −11
V/m (5) 3.7 × 10 −12
V/m

Each of the surface charges will generate a field of strength E = σ/2ǫ0 . The field will point away from positive charges
σ1 + σ2 − σ3 3−2+1 C
and towards negative charges, Use superposition to get Etot î = (E1 +E2 +E3 )î = = ×10−22 2 =
2ǫ0 2ǫ0 m
10−22 C −11 V
= 1.13 × 10 î, where we used the fact that E1 and E3 point towards the positive x direction and E2 into
ǫ0 m2 m
the negative x direction.

12. Four point charges are placed along a straight line, each separated by distance
L from its immediate neighbor(s). The order of the charges is +Q, +Q, −Q, +Q +Q −Q −Q
−Q. What is the total potential energy of the system? (The potential energy
is set to zero when the point charges are infinitely far apart.) L L L
Q2 Q2 Q2 Q2
(1) −k (2) 4k (3) −7k (4) 5k (5) 0
3L L 3L 2L
We have a total of four charges which result in 6 different pairs (12, 23, 34, 13, 24, 14). We need to add up these 6 potential
Q2
energies. The potential energy between the first two charges and between the last two charges is V12 = V34 = k . The
L
potential energy between the second and third charges is V23 = −V12 . The potential energies between the first and the
third and between the second and the fourth charges are V13 = V24 = −kQ2 /(2L). The potential energy between the first
and the −kQ2 /(3L). The total potential energy is then Vtot = V12 + V34 + V23 + V13 + V24 + V14 =
 last charges is V14 = 
2
Q 1 1 1 Q2
k 1+1−1− − − = −k
L 2 2 3 3L

13. A cube of edge length 10 cm rests on the xz plane, with one edge placed on j
the x axis from x = 2 cm to x = 12 cm, as shown in the figure. A nonuniform
field pierces the cube and is described by E(x) = Bx (in N/C) pointing in
the x direction. Here x is in meters, and the constant B is 7.0 × 106 N/(Cm).
How much charge is inside the cube?
2 12 i

(1) 62 nC (2) 46 nC (3) 3.7 nC (4) 12 nC (5) 5.1 µC

The field is pointing in the x direction and skims over the four surfaces parallel to the xy and xz planes. Consequently,
the flux through these surfaces is zero. We need to calculate the flux through the two surfaces parallel to the yz plane
at x=2 cm and x=12 cm. The electric field points in the x direction. So the flux at the x=2 cm surface will be negative
(into the box) and positive (out of the box) at the x=12 cm surface. Although the field increases along the x axis, it is
constant across each of these two surfaces. Consequently, the integration over each surface turns into a multiplication
of the field by the area.
Φtot = Φ(x = 12) − Φ(x = 2) = E(x = 12)A − E(x = 2)A = BA (12 − 2)
2
Φtot = 7.0 × 106 N/ (Cm) · (0.1 m) · 0.1 m = 7000 Nm2 /C
This net flux has to be generated by the enclosed charge: qenc = ǫ0 Φtot = 6.2 × 10−8 C.
14. Two charged concentric spherical shells are made of very thin nonconducting
material. Shell B has a radius of 10 cm, shell A of 50 cm. The flux through a
Gaussian shell g of radius r = 30 cm is Φg = 105 Nm2 /C. The flux through a h
larger Gaussian shell h of radius R = 1 m is Φh = 106 Nm2 /C. What is the g
ratio qA /qB of the charges on the two shells? B
A

(1) 9 (2) 10 (3) 11 (4) 0.2 (5) 1

The key is to understand that the flux is equal to the enclosed charge and again superposition principle. The flux
through sphere g depends only on the charge on shell B because shell A is outside: Φg = qB /ǫ0 . The flux through
sphere h depends on the charges on both shells: Φh = (qA + qB ) /ǫ0 . The ratio between the two fluxes is therefor:
Φh qA + qB qA
= = 10, which allows to calculate the ratio between the two charges: qA + qB = 10qB ⇒ = 9.
Φg qB qB

15. A parallel-plate capacitor, whose capacitance is C0 , is first charged with a battery that provides a potential difference of
V0 . Subsequently, the battery is removed. What will be the amount of work required to increase the distance between
the two plates of the capacitor by a factor of 3, from d to 3d?

(1) C0 V02 (2) C0 V02 /2 (3) −C0 V02 /2 (4) C0 V02 /3 (5) 0

1
Initially, the potential energy in the capacitor is Ui = C0 V02 . When the distance d between the two plates is increased
2
by a factor of 3, the capacitance of the capacitor decreases by the same factor, because the capacitance of a parallel-plate
1
capacitor is C = ǫ0 A/d. As a result, the potential energy changes to Uf = q 2 /(C0 /3), which is 3Ui . The difference,
2
3Ui − Ui = 2Ui , must be the work done by an external agent, for instance you.

Alternatively, you can directly calculate the required work. For simplicity, let us decide to keep one of the electrodes
fixed, for instance the negatively charged one, and move only the other electrode. The magnitude of the electric field
produced by the first electrode is E = ǫ0 q/(2A), which exerts force F = qE = ǫ0 q 2 /(2A) on the second one. To move
the electrode against this force, over a distance of 2d, requires the work F (2d), which is ǫ0 q 2 d/2A, which is q 2 /C0 , which
1 1
in turn is 2Ui . (Note that Ui is C0 V02 as well as q 2 /C0 .)
2 2

16. In the figure, the battery has a potential difference V . Each of the four capaci-
tors in the upper half of the figure has a capacitance C, whereas the capacitors C C
in the lower half of the figure have capacitances 2C and 3C. What is the C
potential difference across the circled capacitor which appears near the top? + C
V−
2C
3C

(1) V /3 (2) V (3) V /2 (4) V /4 (5) V /6

The equivalent capacitance of the four capacitors in the upper half of the diagram is Ceq1 = 5C/2, whereas that of the
two capacitors in the lower half is Ceq2 = 5C. These two equivalent capacitors are in series, dividing the total potential
difference V in the ratio of 5 to 5/2, that is 2 to 1. As a result, the potential difference across the equivalent capacitor
Ceq1 is V [2/(2+1)]. Look inside Ceq1 and notice that this potential difference is, among others, across the circle capacitor
and the one below it. Since the capacitances of these two are the same, each of them gets a potential difference that is
one half of V [2/(2 + 1)].

Alternatively, first find the equivalent capacitance of the entire assembly, Ceq = (5C)(5C/2)/(5C + 5C/2) = 5C/3.
Therefore, the charge stored in the equivalent capacitor Ceq is q = (5C/3)V . Look inside Ceq and notice that +q should
be distributed among the three capacitor electrodes that are connected to the positive terminal of the battery. To find
how +q is distributed, note that the upper half of the diagram can be replaced by C, C/2, and C in parallel, because
the equivalent capacitance of the circled capacitor and the one below in series is C/2. So +q is distributed in the ratio
of 1 to 1/2 to 1; the top electrode of the circled capacitor gets +q(1/2)/(1 + 1/2 + 1), which is +q/5, which in turn is
CV /3. This means that the potential difference across the circled capacitor, whose capacitance is C, is V /3.
17. Five capacitors are connected as shown in the figure. What is the equivalent 2C 2C
capacitance of the arrangement?

2C
2C 2C
(1) C (2) 2C (3) 9C (4) 2C/5 (5) 4C

The arrangement is equivalent to 4C, 2C and 4C in series, because two 2C in parallel is equivalent to 4C. This in turn
is equivalent to Ceq given by 1/Ceq = 1/(4C) + 1/(2C) + 1/(4C).

18. A battery is connected to a resistive rod, as shown in the figure. The rod
consists of two sections with the same cross-sectional area A but different
resistivities. The electric field is E in the first half and 2E in the second half
of the rod, and the current through the rod is i. What is the resistance of the
rod? V L

3 3 3 3
(1) EL/i (2) EL/A (3) kEL/i (4) kEL/A (5) kiL/A
2 2 2 2
Notice that all answers have different dimensions. Since EL is dimensionally the same as V , only the first answer has
the correct dimension for a resistance, V /i.

Alternatively, recall that if the electric field E is constant, then the potential difference between two points along the
direction of E is V = Ed, where d is the distance between the two points. So V across the upper half of the rod is E(L/2)
and that across the lower half (2E)(L/2). The total potential difference across the entire rod is, therefore, 3EL/2. Use
Ohm’s law to find the resistance from this.

19. A battery is connected to rod 1, whose length is L and cross-sectional area A. The drift speed of electrons in this rod
is vd . An identical battery is connected to rod 2, which is made of exactly the same material as rod 1, of length 2L and
cross-sectional area A/3. What is the drift speed of electrons in rod 2?

(1) vd /2 (2) vd /3 (3) vd /6 (4) 3vd /2 (5) 3vd

For a given material, for a given resistivity to be more general, the drift speed of electrons is proportional to the force
eE exerted on each electron by the electric field E. (Recall the analogy between a block pulled on a frictional surface
and electrons driven by E in a conductor.) Since rod 2 is twice as long as rod 1, the field in it, V /(2L), is twice as small
as that in rod 1. As a result, the drift speed of electrons in rod 2 is one half of that of electrons in rod 1.

Alternatively, just manipulate equations algebraically, without good conceptual understanding. Let ρ be the resistivity
of the material. Then the resistances of the two rods are R1 = ρL/A and R2 = ρ(2L)/(A/3), which is 6R1 . Consequently,
the current densities in the rods are J1 = i1 /A = (V /R1 )/A = V /(ρL) and J2 = i2 /(A/3) = V (2ρL), which is J1 /2.
Since J = nevd , this means that the drift speed in rod 2 is one half of that in rod 1. You have thus found the correct
answer without conceptual understanding, but notice that the cross-sectional areas have disappeared in the calculation
of current densities, indicating that the cross-sectional area of a conductor has nothing to do with the drift speed of
electrons.

20. A resistor dissipates 0.5 W when a potential difference of 3.0 V is applied. When the potential difference is changed to
2.0 V, what will be the power dissipated in this resistor?

(1) 0.22 W (2) 0.36 W (3) 6.0 W (4) 2.1 W (5) 0.08 W

Use P = V 2 /R, which means that the power dissipated by a given resistor is proportional to V 2 . When V is changed
by a factor of 2/3, P will change by a factor of (2/3)2 .