Problem Set on Electrostatics-2

(Board cum JEE Mains and Advanced)

1. 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).
2. Find the total charge 𝑄 for an infinitely long straight conductor having linear charge
/
distribution (𝑖) 𝜆(𝑧) = ( )
& (𝑖𝑖) 𝜆(𝑧) = 𝜆 𝑒 .
3. A circular wire has a linear charge density 𝜆 = 𝜆 cos 𝜃. Calculate the total charge, potential
at the center and the corresponding electric field.
4. Show that the mechanical pressure on the surface of a charged conductor having surface
charge density 𝜎 is given by 𝑃⃗ = 𝜖 𝐸 𝑛.
5. An electric charge 𝑄 is given to a conducting sphere of radius 𝑅. Show that the force on a
small charge Δ𝑄 on its surface is 𝑄Δ𝑄/8𝜋𝜀 𝑅 .
6. 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.
7. The dielectric constant of a monatomic gas at NTP is 1.00538. Calculate the dipole moment
induced in each atom when the gas is placed in an external electric field of 30 kV/m.
8. Charges +𝑞, −𝑞 & + 2𝑞 are situated in the x-y plane with coordinates (−1,1), (0, −1)& (1,1).
Calculate the dipole moment of the system.
9. Charges +𝑞, +𝑞 & − 2𝑞 are situated in the x-y plane with coordinates – 𝑎/2,0 ,
(𝑎/2,0) & 0, √3𝑎/2 . Calculate the dipole moment of the system.
10. Suppose, there is a linear dielectric within the plates of a parallel plate capacitor of plate-
area 𝐴 and plate separation 𝑑. The rate of change of dielectric constant with respect to space is
constant. At the initial position, the value of dielectric constant is 𝜅 and at the final position,
it is 𝜅 . Show that the capacitance of the system is
𝐴𝜀 (𝜅 − 𝜅 )
𝐶=
𝑑 ln(𝜅 ⁄𝜅 )
11. Show that the linear capacitance between two thin wires of radii 𝑎, separated by a distance 𝑑,
is 𝐶 = 𝜋𝜀 / ln(𝑑/𝑎), where 𝑑 ≫ 𝑎.
12. Assuming the nucleus (𝑍, 𝐴) to be a uniformly charged sphere of radius 𝑎, show that it’s
Coulomb energy is given by
3 𝑍(𝑍 − 1)𝑒
𝑈=
5 4𝜋𝜀 𝑎
13. Consider a parallel plate capacitor with plate separation 𝑑, plate width 𝑎 and plate length 𝑙. A
dielectric slab of permittivity 𝜀, thickness 𝑑, width 𝑎 and length 𝑙 is partially inserted between
the plates. If a constant potential difference 𝑉 is maintained between the plates, find the force
exerted on the dielectric slab when a length 𝑥 of the slab remains between the plates.
14. Consider a parallel plate capacitor of plate area A. Find the work-done against the electrical
forces to increase the plate separation from 𝑑 to 𝑑 keeping the plate-charge 𝑄 constant. Also
find the same keeping the potential difference 𝑉 across the plates constant.
15. Consider a capacitor consisting of two fixed semi-circular plates of radius 𝑅 separated by a
distance 𝑑.A semi-circular dielectric slab of dielectric constant 𝜅 almost fills up the space
between the plates. The slab is free to rotate about an axis normal to the plates and passing
through the center. A constant potential difference 𝑉 is being maintained across the plates. If
the slab is now rotated through an angle 𝜃, show that the torque tending to pull the slab back
inside the capacitor will be 𝜏 = (𝜅 − 1)𝜀 𝑅 𝑉 /4𝑑.
16. In a capacitor with square plates each of side 𝑎, one of its plates, is making a small angle 𝜃
with the other. The plate separation at one end is 𝑑 and at one end is 𝑑 + Δ𝑑. Find the
capacitance of the system.
17. Two concentric spheres of radii 𝑟 & 𝑟 (𝑟 > 𝑟 ) carry electric charges +𝑄 & − 𝑄
respectively. The region between the spheres is filled with two insulating layers of dielectrics
with dielectric constants 𝜅 & 𝜅 . The first layer is of thickness 𝑑 and the second layer fills
up the remaining space between the spheres. Compute the capacitance of the system. Also
calculate the ratio of the electrostatic energies stored in the regions 𝑟 < 𝑟 < (𝑟 + 𝑑 )
and (𝑟 + 𝑑 ) < 𝑟 < 𝑟 .
18. Plates of area 𝐴, of a parallel plate capacitor, are not exactly parallel to each other but slightly
inclined to one another, so that 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
19. A parallel plate capacitor is formed by square plates of edge 𝑎 separated by a distance 𝑑. The
gap between the plates is filled with a dielectric of dielectric constant 𝜅 = 𝜅 + 𝛼𝑥,
where 𝑘 & 𝛼 are constants of finite dimensions and 𝑥 is the distance from left end. Show that
the capacitance of the system is
𝜀 𝑎 𝑎
𝐶= 𝜅 +𝛼
𝑑 2
20. 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
21. 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).
22. Find the capacitance of a system comprised of three concentric spheres of radii 𝑎, 𝑟 & 𝑏 where
between the two inner spheres there is a dielectric of dielectric constant 𝜅 and between the
second and third sphere there is a dielectric of dielectric constant 𝜅 .
23. Three concentric cylinders of lengths 𝑙 and radii 𝑟 , 𝑟 & 𝑟 (𝑟 < 𝑟 < 𝑟 ) are so made of that
the central cylinder is filled with air where the successive outer cylinders are filled with
dielectrics of dielectric constants 𝜅 & 𝜅 respectively. If 𝑟 = √𝑟 𝑟 , then find out the
capacitance of the system.
24. A conducting sphere of radius 𝑎 is embedded in a concentric dielectric sphere of radius 𝑏 and
dielectric constant 𝜅. Show that the capacitance of the system is
4𝜋𝜀 𝜅𝑎𝑏
𝐶=
{(𝜅 − 1)𝑎 + 𝑏}
25. A spherical capacitor of radius 𝑎 with no other conducting medium in its neighborhood is
coated with a uniform thickness 𝑑 of a dielectric medium of dielectric constant 𝜅. Show that
the ratio of the capacitances when the dielectric medium is present and when its absent is
𝜅𝑎 + 𝑑
𝑘(𝑎 + 𝑑)