PHYSICS

TOPIC BASED QUESTIONS

ELECTRIC CHARGE AND FIELD QUESTIONS
Question 1: How does a positively charged glass rod attracts a neutral piece of paper?
Question 2: Vehicles carrying inflammable materials usually have metallic ropes touching the
ground during motion. Why?
Question 3: What does q1+q2=0 signify in electrostatics?
Question 4: A charged particle is free to move in an electric field. Will it always move along an
electric field?
Question 5: A positive charge +q is kept in the vicinity of an uncharged conducting plate.
Sketch electric field lines originating from the point charge on the surface of the plate.
Question 6: What are electric lines of force? What is its importance?
Question 7: Two dipoles, made from charges ±q and ±Q, respectively, have equal dipole
moments. Give the (i) ratio between the separations of these two pairs of charges (ii) angle
between the dipole axis of these two dipoles.
Question 8: Two charges of magnitudes −2Q and +Q are located at points (a,0) and (4a,0)
respectively. What is the electric flux due to these charges through a sphere of radius 3a with its
centre at the origin?
Question 9: State the law of conservation of charge. Give two examples to illustrate it.
Question 10: Define electric field intensity and derive an expression for it at a point on the axial
line of a dipole. Also, determine its direction.
Question 11: Use Gauss’s law to derive the expression for the electric field between two
uniformly charged large parallel sheets with surface charge densities +σ and − σ respectively
Question 12: Define electric line of force and give its two important properties.
Question 13: A thin straight infinitely long conducting wire having charge density λ is enclosed
by a cylindrical surface of radius r and length l, its axis coinciding with the length of wire. Find
the expression for the electric flux through the surface of the cylinder.

⃗F12= –⃗F21 where letters have their usual meaning.

Question 14: State Coulomb’s law in vector form and prove that

Question 15: Two charges of +10μC and +40μC respectively are placed 12 cm apart. Find the
position of the point where the electric field is zero.
Question 16: A uniformly charged conduction sphere of 2.4 m diameter has a surface charge
density of 80.0μC/ m2. (a) Find the charge on the sphere. (b) What is the total electric flux
leaving the surface of the sphere?
Question 17: A charge +q is distributed uniformly over a thin rod of the length 2l. Calculate the
electric field at a point P on the axis of the rod, at a distance r from its centre.
Question 18: Electric charge is distributed uniformly on the surface of a spherical rubber
balloon. Show how the value of electric intensity vary
(i) on the surface (ii) inside and (iii) outside?
Question 19: A polythene piece rubbed with wool is found to have a negative charge of
3.2 × 10–7 C. Calculate the no. of electrons transferred.
Question 20: Two charged conducting spheres of radii r1 and r2 connected to each other by a
wire. Find the ratio of electric fields at the surfaces of the two spheres.

Question 21: While travelling back to his residence in the car, Dr Pathak was caught up in a
thunderstorm. It became very dark. He stopped driving the car and waited for the thunderstorm
to stop. Suddenly he noticed a child walking alone on the road. He asked the boy to come inside
the car till the thunderstorm stopped. Dr Pathak dropped the boy at his residence. The boy
insisted that Dr Pathak should meet his parents. The parents expressed their gratitude to Dr
Pathak for his concern for the safety of the child. Answer the following questions based on the
above information:
(a) Why is it safer to sit inside a car during a thunderstorm?
(b) Which two values are displayed by Dr Pathak in his actions?
(c) Which values are reflected in parents response to Dr Pathak?
(d) Give an example of a similar action on your part in the past from everyday life.
Question 22: State Gauss’s theorem in electrostatics. Using this theorem, derive an expression
for electric field intensity due to an infinitely long straight wire of linear density λCm-1.
Question 23: An electric dipole is held in a uniform electric field.
(i) using a suitable diagram, show that it does not undergo any translator motion.
(ii) derive an expression for the torque acting on it and specify its direction. When is this
torque maximum?
Question 24: Prove that 1/r2 dependence of the electric field of a point charge is consistent with
the concept of electric field lines.
Question 25: In a medium, the force of attraction between two point electric charges,
distance d apart is F. What distance apart should the charges be kept in the same medium so that
the force between them becomes3F?
Question 26: Define the dielectric constant of the medium in terms of force between electric
charges.
Question 27: Write a note about
(i) Conservation of charge (ii) Quantization of charge
Question 28: Prove that for short dipole, the intensity at a point on the axial line is twice that on
the equatorial line.
Question 29: Find the electric field intensity at any point on the axis of a uniformly charged ring
or hoop. What happens if the ring is far away from the point?
Question 30: A point charge q is situated axially at a distance r from one end of a thin non-
conducting rod of length L having a charge Q distributed uniformly along its length. Find the
magnitude of the electric force between the two.

Previous Year Examination Questions

1 Mark Questions
1.Why do the electrostatic field lines not form closed loop?
Ans. The electrostatic field lines do not form closed loop because no electric field lines exist
inside the charged body
2. Why do the electric field lines never cross each other?
Ans. At the intersection point, there would be two directions of electric field which is not
possible so lines of forces never cross each other
3. Why must electrostatic field at the surface of a charge every point? Give reason.
Ans. As, electric field inside a conductor is always zero. The electric lines of forces exert lateral
pressure on each other leads to explain repulsion between like charges. Thus, in order to stable
spacing, the lines are normal to the surface.
4.Two point charges gx and q2 are placed at a distance d apart as shown in the figure. The electric
field intensity is zero at the point P on the line joining them as shown. Write two conclusions that
you can draw from this.

Ans. (i) The two point charges (q^ and q2) should be of opposite nature.
(ii) Magnitude of charge q1 must be greater than magnitude of charge q2.
5. Define dipole moment of an electric dipole. Is it a scalar quantity or a vector quantity?
Ans. Electric dipole moment of an electric dipole is equal to the product of its charges and the
length of the electric dipole .It is denoted by p. Its unit is coulomb-metre.

It is a vector quantity and its direction is from negative charge towards positive charge
6 .Draw a plot showing the variation of electric field (E) with distance r due to a point charge Q.
Ans. The plot showing the variation of electric field and electric potential with distance r due to a
point charge q is shown as below

7. A proton is placed in a uniform electric field directed along the position X-axis. In which
direction will it tend to move?
Ans. Proton will tend to move along the X-axis in the direction of a uniform electric field.
8. In which orientation, a dipole placed in a uniform electric field is in (i) stable (ii) unstable
equilibrium?
9. Two point charges having equal charges separated by lm distance experience a force of 8 N.
What will be the force experienced by them if they are held in water at the same distance?
(Given, Kwater = 80]
Ans. Two point charges system is taken from air to water keeping other variable (e.g., distance,
magnitude of charge) unchanged. So, only factor which may affect the interacting force is
dielectric constant of medium
10. A metallic sphere is placed in a uniform electric field as shown in the figure. Which path is
followed by electric field lines and why?
Ans. Path d is followed by electric field lines. Electric field intensity inside the metallic sphere
will be zero, therefore, no electric lines of force exist inside the sphere, also lines fall normally
on the surface. Electric field lines are always perpendicular to the surface of the conductor.
11 .Point out right or wrong for the following statement. The mutual forces between two charges
do not get affected by the presence of other charges.
Ans. Right, because mutual force acting between two point charges is proportional to the product
of magnitude of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them,
i.e. independent of the other charges.
12 .A dipole of dipole moment p is present in a uniform electric field E . Write the value of the
angle between p and E for which the torque experienced by the dipole, is minimum.
Ans. Since, torque (x) on the dipole in electric field E is

13.Two small identical dipoles AB and CD, each of dipole moment p are kept at an angle of 120°
as system is subjected to electric field (E) directed along + X-direction, what will be the
magnitude and direction of the torque acting on this?
 2 Marks Questions

14. An electric dipole of length 4 cm when placed with its axis making an angle of 60° with a
uniform electric field, experiences a torque of 4√3Nm. Calculate the potential energy of the
dipole if it has charge ± 8 nC.
15. An electric dipole of length 2 cm when placed with its axis making an angle of 60° with a
uniform of electric field, experiences a torque of 8√3 N m. Calculate the potential energy of the
dipole if it has charge of ± 4 nC.
16. An electric dipole of length 1cm which placed with its axis making an angle of 60° with a
uniform electric field, experiences a torque of 6√3 Nm.Calculate the potential energy of the
dipole if it has charge ± 2 nC.
17. Two point charges q and – 2 q are kept d distance apart, find the location of the point relative
to charge to q at which potential due to this system is zero.
18. An electric dipole is placed in a uniform electric field E with its dipole moment p parallel to
the field. Find
(i) the work done in turning the dipole till its dipole moment points in the direction opposite to E.
(ii) the orientation of the dipole for which the torque acting on it becomes maximum.
19. A small metal sphere carrying a charge +0 is located at the centre of a spherical cavity in a
large uncharged metallic spherical shell. Write the charges on the inner and outer surfaces of the
shell. Write the expression for the electric field at the point Px.

20.(i) Point charge (+Q) is kept in the vicinity of and uncharged conducting plate. Sketch electric
field lines between the charge and the plate.

(ii)Two infinitely large plane thin parallel sheets having surface charge densities sigma1 and
sigma2 (sigma1>sigma2) are shown in the figures. Write the magnitude and directions of net
fields on the marked II and III.

In region II : The electric field due to the sheet of charge A will be from left of right (along the
positive direction) and that due to the sheet of charge B will be from right to left (along the
negative direction). Therefore, in region II we have

In region II : The electric fields due to both the charged sheets will be from left to right, i.e,
along the positive direction. Therefore, in region III we have

21. Calculate the amount of work done in turning an electric dipole of dipole moment from its
position of unstable equilibrium to the position of stable equilibrium in a uniform electric field of
intensity 103 N/C.

23. Two identical metallic spherical shells A and B having charges + 40 and -10Q are kept a
certain distance apart. A third identical uncharged sphere C is first placed in contact with sphere
A and then with sphere B, then spheres A and B are brought in contact and then separated. Find
the charge on the spheres A and B
Ans. When two identical conducting charged spheres are brought in contact, then redistribution
of charge takes place, i.e. the charge is equally divided on both the spheres.
When C and A are placed in contact, charge of A equally divides in two spheres. Therefore,
charge on each A and C = + 2Q

24. A dipole with a dipole moment of magnitude p is in stable equilibrium in an electrostatic

field of magnitude E. Find the work done in rotating this dipole to its position of unstable
equilibrium.

25. A dipole is present in an electrostatic field of magnitude 106N/C. If the work done in rotating
it from its position of stable equilibrium to its position of unstable equilibrium is 2×10~23J, then
find the magnitude of the dipole moment of this dipole.

26. Deduce the expression for the electric field E due to a system of two charges qx and q2 with
position vectors i1 and r2 at a point r with respect to common origin.

27. The sum of two point charges is 7 micro C. They repel each other with a force of 1 N when
kept 30 cm apart in free space. Calculate the value of each charge.

28. Figure shows two large metal plates and P2 tightly held against each other and placed
between two equal and unlike point charges perpendicular to the line joining them.

(i)What will happen to the plates when they are released?

(ii)Draw the pattern of the electric field lines for the system

Ans. (i) By electrostatic induction, charge induces on the plates and opposite nature of charge
appears on the surface facing each other. Therefore, they start attracting towards each other.
Field lines must be perpendicular to the plates. Also, equispaced field lines exist between two
plates as electric field between, them is uniform.

29. Two charges + Q and -Q are kept at points (-x2 ,0) and (x t , 0) respectively, in the XY-plane.
Find the magnitude and direction of the net electric field at the origin (0,0).

30. Two point charges 4Q and Q are separated by 1 m in air. At what point on the line joining of
charges, is the electric field intensity zero?
3 Marks Questions

31. Two point charges + q and -2q are placed at the vertices B and C of an equilateral triangle
ABC of side a as given in the figure. Obtain the expression for (i) the magnitude and (ii) the
direction of the resultant electric field at the vertex A due to these two charges.

32. Define the term electric dipole moment. Is it a scalar or vector? Deduce an expression for the
electric field at a point on the equatorial plane of an electric dipole of length 2a.
Ans. For electric dipole moment

Electric dipole moment of an electric dipole is equal to the product of its charges and the length
of the electric dipole.It is denoted by p. Its unit is coulomb-metre.
It is a vector quantity and its direction is from negative charge towards positive chargeConsider
an electric dipole AB consists of two charges +q and -q separated by a distance 2a. We have to
find electric field at point P on equipotential line separated by a distance

33. Sketch the pattern of electric field lines due to

(i) a conducting sphere having negative charge on it.

(ii) an electric dipole

Ans. (i) Electric field lines due to a conducting sphere are shown in figure

(ii) Electric field lines due to an electric dipole are shown in figure

34.A positive point charge (+ q) is kept in the vicinity of an uncharged conduction plate. Sketch
electric field lines originated from the point on to the surface of the plate

Ans. Equal charge of opposite nature induces in the surface of conductor nearer to the source
charge
4 Marks Questions

35. Deduce the expression for the torque acting on a dipole of dipole moment p in the presence
of a uniform electric field E.

Ans. Torque on an Electric Dipole in a Uniform Electric Field Consider an electric dipole
consisting of two charges – q and + q placed in a uniform external electric field of intensity The
length of the electric dipole is 21.The dipole moment p makes an angle 0 with the direction of
the electric field.
Two forces F and – F which are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction act on the dipole.
The net force is zero. Since, the two forces are equal in magnitude opposite in direction and act
at different points, therefore, they constitute a couple.
A net torque x acts on the dipole about an axis passing through the mid-point of the dipole

36. While travelling back to his residence in the car, Dr. Pathak was caught up in a thunderstorm.
It became very dark. He stopped driving the car and waited for thunderstorm to stop. Suddenly,
he noticed a child walking alone on the road. He asked the boy to come inside the car till the
thunderstorm stopped Dr. Pathak dropped the boy at his residence. The boy insisted that Dr.
Pathak should meet his parents. The parents expressed their gratitude to Dr. Pathak for his
concern for safety of the child.

Answer the following questions based on the above information

(i)Why is it safer to sit inside a car during a thunderstorm?

(ii)Which two values are displayed by Dr. Pathak in his action?

(iii)Which values are reflected in Parents response to Dr. Pathak?

(iv)Give an example of similar action on your part in the past from everyday life

Ans :

(i)It is safer to be set inside a car during thunderstorm because the car acts like a Faraday cage.
The metal in the car will shield you from any external electric fields and thus prevent the
lightning from travelling within the car.

(ii) Awareness and humanity

(iii) Gratitude and obliged

(iv) I once came across to a situation where a puppy was stuck in the middle of a busy road
during rain and was not able to go cross due to heavy flow, so I quickly rushed and helped him.

37. An electric dipole moment p is held in a uniform electric field E.

(i) Prove that no translation force acts on the dipole.

(ii)Hence, prove that the torque acting on the dipole is given by pE sin 0 indicating the direction
along which it acts.

Ans :

(i)When dipole is placed in a unifrom electric field, then force on +q charge due to electric field
E

(ii)It is safer to be set inside a car during thunderstorm because the car acts like a Faraday cage.
The metal in the car will shield you from any external electric fields and thus prevent the
lightning from travelling within the car.

(a) Awareness and humanity (b) Gratitude and obliged

(c) I once came across to a situation where a puppy was stuck in the middle of a busy road during
rain and was not able to go cross due to heavy flow, so I quickly rushed and helped him.