Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 1

This print-out should have 16 questions.

Multiple-choice questions may continue on
the next column or page nd all choices
before answering.
001 10.0 points
Two metal spheres that are initially un-
charged are mounted on insulating stands, as
shown.
X Y

A negatively charged rubber rod is brought
close to but does not make contact with sphere
X. Sphere Yis then brought close to X on the
side opposite to the rubber rod. Y is allowed
to touch Xand then is removed some distance
away. The rubber rod is then moved far away
from X and Y.
What are the nal charges on the spheres?
Sphere X Sphere Y
1. Zero Zero
2. Positive Positive
3. Positive Negative correct
4. Negative Negative
5. Negative Positive
Explanation:
When the negatively charged rod moves
close to the sphere X, the negatively charged
electrons will be pushed to sphere Y. If X and
Y are separated before the rod moves away,
those charges will remain on X and Y, so
X is positively charged and Y is negatively
charged.
002 10.0 points
A very thin plastic plate of area A = 1.5 m
2
carries a uniformly distributed positive charge
of Q = 9 C. An uncharged solid metal block
is placed a distance d = 70 m away. The
block is w = 9 mm thick.
Calculate the magnitude of the electric eld
at the exact center of the conductor due only
to the polarized charges on the conductor.
Use
0
= 8.85 10
12
C
2
/(N m
2
).
1. 169492.0
2. 225989.0
3. 347675.0
4. 338983.0
5. 478053.0
6. 201776.0
7. 219711.0
8. 376648.0
9. 188324.0
10. 166168.0
Correct answer: 3.38983 10
5
N/C.
Explanation:
The key to this problem is noting that the
net electric eld inside the conductor is 0
the charges in the conductor arrange them-
selves so that this is the case. Therefore,
according to the superposition principle, at
the center of the conductor we must have
E
net
=

E
Q
+

E
pol. charges
= 0
so
|

E
pol. charges
| = |

E
Q
| .
Since we are told that d is small, the ac-
tual distances do not matter since the eld
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 2
of a charged insulating plate is equal to
(Q/A)/2
0
. Therefore,
E
induced
=
(Q/A)
2
0
= 3.38983 10
5
N/C.
003 10.0 points
Asolid conducting sphere is given a positive
charge Q.
How is the charge Q distributed in or on
the sphere?
1. It is concentrated at the center of the
sphere.
2. It is uniformly distributed throughout the
sphere.
3. Its density increases radially outward
from the center.
4. Its density decreases radially outward
from the center.
5. It is uniformly distributed only on the
surface of the sphere. correct
Explanation:
The charge distribution on conductors can
only be on the surface, and since on a spherical
surface every point is like any other surface
point, the charge distribution is uniform.
The electric eld is normal to the surface of
a conductor. The conductor is symmetrical
(since it is spherical), so the charge must be
uniform.
004 (part 1 of 2) 5.0 points
Two plastic balls are charged equally and
negatively, and held in place by insulating
threads, as shown in the following gure.

Neutral
Metal

F
Before
metal
ball

F
They repel each other with an electric force
of magnitude F. Then, an uncharged metal
ball is held in place by insulating threads
between the balls, closer to the left ball. What
happens to the magnitudes of the net electric
forces on the left and right charged balls?
1. The magnitude of the net electric force on
the right ball is reduced, and that on the left
ball is increased.
2. The magnitudes of the net electric forces
on both balls are increased.
3. The neutral metal ball has no eect on
the magnitudes of the net electric forces.
4. The magnitudes net electric forces on
both balls are reduced.
5. The magnitude of the net electric force on
the left ball is reduced, and that on the right
ball is increased. correct
Explanation:
When placed between the two negatively
charged balls, the metal sphere polarizes. Be-
ing closer, the negatively charged ball on
the left attracts positive charge in the metal
sphere, causing negative charge to gather on
the right side of the metal sphere, leaving the
right side of the sphere with excess negative
charge.
The positive charge on the left side of the
metal sphere exerts a (small) rightward force
on the left negatively charged ball, coun-
tering the push from the other negatively
charged ball on the right, meaning the net
force decreases. Meanwhile, the excess neg-
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 3
ative charge on the right side of the metal
sphere exerts a (small) rightward force on the
negatively charged ball on the right, increas-
ing the net force on that ball.
005 (part 2 of 2) 5.0 points
In the following diagram, choose the image (I-
IX) that best represents what happens to the
neutral metal ball when it is placed between
the two negatively charged balls. (Option IX
means there is no change.)
I II III
IV V VI
VII VIII IX
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+
+
+
+

1. III
2. VII
3. I
4. V
5. II
6. IV
7. IX
8. VI
9. VIII correct
Explanation:
See the explanation for part 1. The metal
sphere is closer to the negatively charged ball
on the left, so positive charge accumulates on
the left side of the metal sphere, leaving excess
negative charge on the right side.
006 10.0 points
A rod l = 6cm long is uniformly charged and
has a total charge of 23.7C.
d
l
r
r
Find the magnitude of the electric eld
along the axis of the rod at a point r =
55.3912cm from the center of the rod. The
distance from the end of the rod to the ob-
servation point is denoted d. The Coulomb
constant is 8.98755 10
9
Nm
2
/C
2
.
1. 925724.0
2. 2532520.0
3. 1383970.0
4. 795909.0
5. 520691.0
6. 3031810.0
7. 662662.0
8. 1126720.0
9. 4871760.0
10. 696280.0
Correct answer: 6.9628 10
5
.
Explanation:
Let : = 6cm = 0.06 m,
Q = 23.7C = 2.37 10
5
C,
r = 55.3912cm = 0.553912 m.
For a rod of length and linear charge density
(charge per unit length) , the eld at a dis-
tance d from the end of the rod along the axis
is
E = k
e
_
d+
d

x
2
dx = k
e

d+
d
= k
e

d ( + d)
,
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 4
where dq = dx. The linear charge density
(if the total charge is Q) is =
Q

so that
E = k
e
Q

d ( + d)
=
k
e
Q
d ( + d)
.
In this problem, we have the following situa-
tion (the distance r from the center is given):
d
l
r
r
The distance d is
d = r

2
= 0.553912 m
0.06 m
2
= 0.523912 m,
and the magnitude of the electric eld is
E = k
e
Q
d ( + d)
=
_
8.98755 10
9
_

|2.37 10
5
C|
(0.523912 m)(0.06 m + 0.523912 m)
= 6.9628 10
5
N/C .
The direction must be toward the rod, since
the charge distribution is negative (a positive
test charge would be attracted), so the sign
should be positive, according to the conven-
tion stated in the problem.
007 10.0 points
Two large, parallel, insulating plates are
charged uniformly throughout the plates.
Each plate has the same amount and sign
of charge per unit area +.
What is the magnitude of the resultant elec-
tric eld E?
1. zero between the plates,

0
outside cor-
rect
2.

2
0
between the plates,

2
0
outside
3.

0
between the plates, zero outside
4.

0
everywhere
5.
2

0
between the plates,
2

0
outside
6. zero between the plates,
2

0
outside
7.
2

0
between the plates, zero outside
8. zero everywhere
9. zero between the plates,

2
0
outside
10.

2
0
between the plates, zero outside
Explanation:
Each plate produces a constant electric eld
of E =

2
0
directed away from the plate for
positive charge density, and toward the plate
for negative charge density. Between the two
plates, the two elds cancel each other so that
E
net
= 0. Outside of the two plates, the elds
add together, so that
E
net
=

0
.
008 10.0 points
A conducting spherical shell having an inner
radius of 3.2 cm and outer radius of 4 cm
carries a net charge of 5.9 C. A conducting
sphere is placed at the center of this shell
having a radius of 0.9 cm carrying a net charge
of 2.4 C.
2.4 C
5.9 C
Determine the surface charge density on the
inner surface of the shell.
1. -5.26505e-05
2. -0.000211914
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 5
3. -7.98231e-05
4. -8.59633e-05
5. -7.32113e-05
6. -0.000159816
7. -0.00018651
8. -9.88179e-05
9. -0.000328833
10. -0.000294731
Correct answer: 0.00018651 C/m
2
.
Explanation:
Let : r = 0.9 cm,
a = 3.2 cm = 0.032 m,
b = 4 cm = 0.04 m, and
q = 2.4 C = 2.4 10
6
C.
By Gauss Law,
_

E d

A =
Q

0
.
Since the electric eld is zero inside any
conductor in electrostatic equilibrium, the net
charge is zero inside any spherical Gaussian
surface of radius r, where a < r < b. Thus
the charge on the inner surface of the sphere
must be q. If we call the charge density on
the inner surface
in
, then
q = 4 a
2

in

in
=
q
4 a
2
=
2.4 10
6
C
4 (0.032 m)
2
= 0.00018651 C/m
2
.
009 10.0 points
Three charges are arranged in the (x, y)
plane as shown.
2 nC 5 nC
2 nC
y (m)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
x
(m)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
What angle does the resultant force on the
2 nC charge at the origin make with the
positive x axis? Quadrant I lies between 0

and 90

, quadrant II between between 90

and 180

, etc.
1. 66.0375
2. 241.631
3. 32.0054
4. 64.359
5. 147.995
6. 37.875
7. 143.13
8. 139.97
9. 218.66
10. 136.848
Correct answer: 32.0054

.
Explanation:
Let : q
o
= 2 10
9
C,
q
a
= 5 10
9
C,
r
a
= 10 m,
q
b
= 2 10
9
C, and
r
b
= 8 m.
Applying Coulombs Law to q
o
and q
a
,
F
oax
= k
e
q
o
q
a
r
2
oa
= (8.98755 10
9
N C
2
/m
2
)

(2 10
9
C) (5 10
9
C)
(10 m)
2
= 8.98755 10
10
N.
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 6
Applying Coulombs Law to q
o
and q
b
,
F
oby
= k
e
q
o
q
a
r
2
oa
= (8.98755 10
9
N C
2
/m
2
)

(2 10
9
C) (2 10
9
C)
(8 m)
2
= 5.61722 10
10
N.
The angle measured counter-clockwise from
the positive x axis is
= arctan
_
F
y
F
x
_
= arctan
_
5.61722 10
10
N
8.98755 10
10
N
_
= 32.0054

.
010 (part 1 of 2) 5.0 points
Consider a square with side a. Four charges
+q, +q, q, and +q are placed at the corners
A, B, C, and D, respectively.
+
+

+
D
A
C
B
a
What is the magnitude of the electric eld
at D due to the charges at A, B, and C?
1.

E =
9
4
k q
a
2
2.

E =
5
2
k q
a
2
3.

E =

2
k q
a
2
4.

E = 3
k q
a
2
5.

E =
3
4
k q
a
2
6.

E =
7
2
k q
a
2
7.

E =
3
2
k q
a
2
correct
8.

E =
k q
a
2
9.

E =
5
4
k q
a
2
10.

E = 2
k q
a
2
Explanation:
The magnitudes of the electric elds at D
due to A and C are
E
A
= E
C
=
k q
a
2
since they are at a distance a from d, whereas
E
B
=
k q
(a

2)
2
=
k q
2 a
2
since B is at a distance

2 a from d.

E
A
acts downward (C is positive) and

E
C
acts to the right (A is negative); they can be
added using the Pythagorean Theorem:

E
A
+

E
C
=
_
k q
a
2
+
k q
a
2
=

2
k q
a
2
,
which points 45

down to the right.

E
A
E
C
E
B
E
A
+
E
C
E
A
+
E
B
+
E
C
+
D
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 7
The vector

E
B
acts 135

down to the left.

These act at 90

to each other, so

E = (

E
A
+

E
C
) +

E
B

2
_
k q
a
2
_
2
+
_
k q
2 a
2
_
2
=

9
4
_
k q
a
2
_
2
=
3
2
k q
a
2
.
011 (part 2 of 2) 5.0 points
The polar angle of the corresponding electric
eld vector at D is within the range
1. 90

< 135

2. 225

< 270

3. 270

< 315

correct
4. 315

< 360

5. 45

< 90

6. 135

< 180

7. 180

< 225

8. 0

< 45

Explanation:
By inspection, the resultant lies between
270

and 315

.
012 10.0 points
A tiny piece of insulator of mass 4.8 g car-
ries a net charge of 0.5C and oats 0.01m
above the center of a very large horizontal
sheet of plastic with surface area 38m
2
that is
uniformly charged on its surface.
What is the total charge on the plastic
sheet?
The acceleration due to gravity is 9.8m/s
2
and the permittivity of free space is
8.854 10
12
C
2
/N/m
2
.
1. -5.82048e-05
2. -0.000102041
3. -3.20699e-05
4. -3.85255e-05
5. -0.000161044
6. -0.00011575
7. -6.33068e-05
8. -0.000208454
9. -0.000129113
10. -7.60098e-05
Correct answer: 6.33068 10
5
C.
Explanation:
Let : m = 4.8 g = 0.0048kg ,
q = 0.5C = 5 10
7
C,
g = 9.8m/s
2
, and

0
= 8.854 10
12
C
2
/N/m
2
.
The eld E =

2
0
due to a nonconduct-
ing innite sheet of charge is the same as that
very close to any plane uniform charge distri-
bution, where is the surface charge density
(charge per unit area) of the plastic sheet.
The oating insulator must be in equilibrium,
so the electric force must cancel the force of
gravity and
F
g
= q E
mg = q

2
0
= 2
0
mg
q
Q = A = 6.33068 10
5
C .
013 10.0 points
Consider the long, hollow cylinder shown be-
low. It has an outer radius of R
o
=4 cm and
an inner radius of R
i
= 0.3 cm. The hol-
low cylinder is an insulator that is uniformly
charged throughout its volume with a charge
density 1.9 C/m
3
.
R
o
R
i
1.2 cm
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 8
What is the magnitude of the electric
eld inside the insulator at a distance R
i
<
1.2 cm < R
o
from the axis? The permittivity
of free space is 8.8542 10
12
C
2
/N m
2
and
the volume of a cylinder with radius r and
length is V = r
2
.
1. 943.862
2. 1739.29
3. 1140.04
4. 1207.05
5. 1555.32
6. 1763.35
7. 2323.35
8. 2883.38
9. 1813.7
10. 1663.99
Correct answer: 1207.05 N/C.
Explanation:
Let : r = 1.2 cm = 0.012 m,
= 1.9 C/m
3
,
= 1.9 10
6
C/m
3
, and

0
= 8.8542 10
12
C
2
/N m
2
.
Consider a cylindrical Gaussian surface of
radius r and length much less than the
length of the insulator so that the compo-
nent of the electric eld parallel to the axis is
negligible.
R
i

r
R
o
The ux leaving the ends of the Gaussian
cylinder is negligible, and the only contribu-
tion to the ux is from the side of the cylinder.
Since the eld is perpendicular to this surface,
the ux is

s
= 2 r E ,
and the charge enclosed by the surface is
Q
encl
= ( r
2
R
i
2
) .
Using Gauss law,

s
=
Q
enc

0
2 r E =
( r
2
R
i
2
)

0
E =
(r
2
R
i
2
)
2
0
r
= 1207.05 N/C .
014 (part 1 of 2) 5.0 points
Consider a uniformly charged sphere (an
insulating sphere of radius R) and a spherical
Gaussian surface with radius
R
2
concentric to
the sphere. The total charge in the sphere is
Q.
R
R
2
p
What is the total ux owing through the
Gaussian surface? V
sphere
=
4 R
3
3
and
A
sphere
= 4 R
2
.
1. =
2 Q

0
2. =
Q

0
3. =
4 Q

0
4. =
Q
2
0
5. =
Q
4
0
6. =
Q
8
0
correct
Explanation:
Version 016 Exam 1 li (58545) 9
For a spherical symmetric case,
= 4 r
2
E =
Q
encl

0
=
Q

0
_

_
4
3
_
R
2
_
3
4
3
R
3
_

_
=
Q
8
0
.
015 (part 2 of 2) 5.0 points
What is the magnitude of the electric eld

E at
R
2
?
1.

E =
k
e
Q
R
2
2.

E =
2 k
e
Q
2
R
2
3.

E =
k
e
Q
2
2 R
2
4.

E =
k
e
Q
2 R
2
correct
5.

E =
k
e
Q
2
R
2
6.

E =
2 k
e
Q
R
2
Explanation:
By Gausss Law,
4
_
R
2
_
2
E =
Q
encl

0
=
Q

0
4
3

_
R
2
_
3
4
3
R
3
=
Q
8
0
E =
Q
4
_
R
2
_
2
8
0
=
Q
4
0
2 R
2
=
k
e
Q
2 R
2
.
016 10.0 points
What can we conclude from the attractive na-
ture of the force between a positively charged
rod and an object?
+ +
+
F
F
?
1. Cannot be determined correct
2. The object is negatively charged.
3. The object is an insulator.
4. The object is a conductor.
5. The object is positively charged.
Explanation:
Repulsion would guarantee a positively
charged object, but attraction occurs in the
object has a negative or neutral charge.