Problems with Answers for Pre Test

Problem: A charge of 6.00 mC is placed at each corner of a square 0.100 m on a side.

Determine the magnitude and direction of the force on each charge.
We find the magnitudes of the individual forces on the
charge at the upper right corner:
F1 = F2 = kQQ/L2 = kQ2/L2

y
Q

F1

F3

+
Q F2
L

Q
+

= (9.0109 N m2/C2)(6.00103 C)2/(0.100 m)2

= 3.24107 N.
F3 = kQQ/(L2)2 = kQ2/2L2
= (9.0109 N m2/C2)(6.00103 C)2/2(0.100 m)2
= 1.62107 N.
The directions of the forces are determined from the signs
of the charges and are indicated on the diagram. For the
forces on the upper-right charge, we see that the net force
will be along the diagonal. For the net force, we have
F = F1 cos 45 + F2 cos 45 + F3
= 2(3.24107 N) cos 45 + 1.62107 N
= 6.20107 N along the diagonal, or away from the center of the square.
From the symmetry, each of the other forces will have the same magnitude and a direction away from
the center: The net force on each charge is 6.20107 N away from the center of the square.
Note that the sum for the three charges is zero.

Problem: Given the two charges Q1=Q and Q1=-Qon a distance d=1 m from each other
shown in Figure below, find at what position x is electric field is equal zero? Is the field
zero at any other points, not on the x axes?
Because the charges have opposite signs, the location where the electric

field is zero must be outside the two charges, as

shown.

Q1

x
Q2

The fields from the two charges must balance:

kQ1/(d + x)2 = kQ2/x2;
Q/(d + x)2 = Q/2x2, or d + x = x2.
which gives x = d/(2 1), d/(2 + 1), or x = d(1 + 2), d(1 2),
Because d(1 2) is between the charges, the location is
d(1 + 2) from the negative charge, and d(2 + 2) from the positive charge.
Other than at infinity, there is no place, not on the x-axis, where the vectors sum to zero.

P
E2 E1

Problem: Figure shows a solid metal sphere at the center of a hollow metal sphere. What
is a total charge on (a) the exterior of the inner sphere, (b) the inside surface of the hollow
sphere, and (c) the exterior surface of the hollow sphere?
Theexcesschargeonaconductorresidesontheoutersurface.Thefieldinside,outside,andwithinthehollow
metalspherehassphericalsymmetry.

ThefigureshowssphericalGaussiansurfaceswithradiira,arb,andrb.Thesesurfacesmatchthe
symmetryofthechargedistribution.
Solve:(a)Forra,Gaussslawis
r r Q
Q
e
E dA 0in 0
Notice that the electric fieldis everywhereperpendicular tothesphericalsurface. Becauseof thespherical
symmetryofthecharge,theelectricfieldmagnitudeEisthesameatallpointsontheGaussiansurface.Thus,

e EAsphere E 4 r 2

r
Q
Q
1 Q
E
r
E
2
0
4 0r
4 0 r 2

wherewemadeuseofthefactthatEisdirectedradiallyoutward.Thefielddependsonlyontheenclosedcharge,
notonthechargeontheoutersphere.
Forarb,Gaussslawis
r r
Q
2
e
E dA EAsphere E 4 r 0in

HereQin0C.ItisnotQ,becausethechargeinthecavitypolarizesthemetalsphereinsuchawaythatE=0
inthemetal.ThusachargeQmovestotheinnersurface.Becausethehollowspherehasanetchargeof2Q,
theexteriorsurfacenowhasachargeof3Q.Thus,theelectricfieldE0N/C.
Forrb,
QinQexteriorQinteriorQcavity3Q(Q)(Q)3Q
GaussslawappliedtotheGaussiansurfaceatrbyields:

r r
r
Q
3Q
1 3Q
1 3Q
2
e
E dA EAsphere E 4 r 0in 0 E 4 r 2 E 4 r 2 r
0
0

(b)Asdeterminedinpart(a),theinsidesurfaceofthehollowspherehasachargeof Q,andtheexteriorsurface
ofthehollowspherehasachargeof3Q.
Assess:The hollow sphere still has the same charge 2Q as given in the problem, although the sphere is
polarized.

Problem: Four point charges are located at the corners of a square that is 8.0 cm on a side.
The charges, going in rotation around square, are Q, 2Q, -3Q and 2Q, where Q=4.5 C
(see Figure). What is total electric potential energy stored in the system, relative to U=0
at infinite separation?
Q +

+ 2Q

2Q

For the potential energy of the four charges we have

U = (1/40)(Q1Q2/r12 + Q1Q3/r13 + Q1Q4/r14 + Q2Q3/r23 +
Q2Q4/r24 + Q3Q4/r34)
= (Q2/40)[(1)(2)/b + (1)( 3)/b2 + (1)(2)/b + (2)(3)/b +
(2)(2)/b2 + ( 3)(2)/b]
= (9.0109 N m2/C2)(4.8106 C)2
[2 3/2 + 2 6 + 4/2 6]/(0.080 m)
= 19 J.

Problem: Two identical 7.5 C point charges are initially at rest and spaced 5.5 cm from
each other. If they are released at the same instant moment from rest, how fast will they
be moving when they are very far away from each other? Assume that they have identical
masses, 1.0 mg.
We find the electric potential energy of the system by considering one of the charges to be at the
potential created by the other charge. This will be zero when they are far away. Because the masses
are equal, the speeds will be equal. From energy conservation we have
K + U = 0;
mv2 + mv2 0 + Q(0 V) = 0, or
2(mv2) = mv2 = Q(kQ/r) = kQ2/r;
(1.0106 kg)v2 = (9.0109 N m2/C2)(7.5106 C)2/(0.055 m),
which gives v = 3.0103 m/s.

Problem: A proton is fired a proton with a speed of 200 000 m/s from the midpoint of the
capacitor toward the positive plate. (a) show that this is insufficient field to reach the
positive plat. (b) What is the protons speed as it collides with the negative plate?

3Q

Energy is conserved. The protons potential energy inside the capacitor can be found from the capacitors
potentialdifference.
Solve:(a)Theelectricpotentialatthemidpointofthecapacitoris250V.Thisisbecausethepotentialinsidea
parallelplatecapacitorisVEswheresisthedistancefromthenegativeelectron.Theprotonhaschargeqe
anditspotentialenergyatapointwherethecapacitorspotentialisVisUeV.Theprotonwillgainpotential
energy
U eV e(250 V) 1.60 1019 C (250 V) 4.0 1017 J
ifitmovesallthewaytothepositiveplate.Thisincreaseinpotentialenergycomesattheexpenseofkinetic
energywhichis
K 21 mv2

1
2

1.67 10

27

kg 200,000m/s 3.34 10 17 J
2

Thisavailablekineticenergyisnotenoughtoprovidefortheincreaseinpotentialenergyiftheprotonistoreach
thepositiveplate.ThustheprotondoesnotreachtheplatebecauseK<U.
(b)TheenergyconservationequationKfUfKiUiis
1
2

vf vi2

2q
Vi Vf
m

2
2
mvf2 qVf 21 mvi2 qVi 21 mvf 21 mvi q Vi Vf

2.0 10 m/s
5

2 1.60 10 19 C 250V 0V
1.67 10 27 kg

2.96 10 5 m/s