12.

ELECTROSTATICS
1. A 600 µF capacitor is charged by 250 V 2
battery. 1 ( 0.15 )
= ×
i) How much electrostatic energy is 2 12 × 10 –4
stored in capacitor ?
ii) The capacitor is disconnected from 0.0225
= × 103
battery and connected to another 2 × 1.2
600 µ F capacitor. What is the ∴ U2 = 9.375 J
energy of system ?
Given : 2. A network of four capacitors 5 µF each
C = 600 µF are connected to a 240 V supply as shown
= 600 × 10–6 F in figure
5 µF
= 6 × 10–4 F
V = 250 V
To Find : 5 µF 5 µF
i) U1 = ?
ii) U2 = ? 5 µF
Formula :
240V
1
U = CV2
2 Determine
Solution : i) the equivalent capacitance of
1 network
2
U = CV ii) the charge on each capacitor.
2
Given :
1 C1 = C2 = C3 = C4
i) U1 = × 6 × 10–4 × (250)2 = 5 × 10 –6
F
2
V = 240 V
= 3 × 250 × 250 × 10–4
To Find :
∴ U1 = 18.75 J i) Ceq = ?
ii) Effective capacity of capacitor is given by ii) Q1 = ?
C = C1 + C2 iii) Q2 = ?
–4 –4 iv) Q3 = ?
= 6 × 10 + 6 × 10
v) Q 4
= ?
= 12 × 10–4 F Solution :
The total charge Q will remain constant The equivalent network for the given
by law of conservation of charge. circuit is as follows
∴ Q = CV = 6 × 10–4 × 250
C 1= 5 µ F C 2= 5 µ F C 3= 5 µ F
= 0.15 V
∴ Energy stored becomes,
C 4= 5 µ F
2
1 Q
U2 = . 240 V
2 C
Electrostatics
 .. 68 MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE

Equivalent capacity of three capacitors is 3. A 10 µ F capacitor is connected to a

given by 100 V battery. What is the electrostatic
1 1 1 energy stored ?
1
= + + Given :
CS C1 C2 C3
C = 10 µF
1 1 1 = 10 × 10–6 F = 10–5 F
= –6 + –6 +
5 × 10 5 × 10 5 × 10 –6 V = 100 V
To Find :
1 3
∴ = U = ?
CS 5 × 10–6
Formula :
5
∴ CS = × 10–6 F 1
3 U = CV2
C 4 is connected across the parallel 2
combination of C1, C2, C3 Solution :
∴ Cp = C4 + CS
1
5 U = CV2
2
= 5 × 10–6 + × 10–6
3
1
20 U = × 10–5 × (100)2
∴ Cp = × 10–6 2
3
1
∴ Cp = 6.667 µF = × 10–5 × 10000
∴ Equivalent capacitance 2
Ceq = Cp = 6.667 µF ∴ U = 0.05 J
Potential acrosss C1, C2, C3 is given by
4. A metal sphere of radius 1 cm is charged
V1, V2, V3 respectively
with 3.14 µ C/m. Find the electric
Also C1 = C2 = C3 intensity at a distance 1 m from centre
then V1 = V2 = V3 of metal sphere.
V 240 Given :
∴ V1 = = = 80 V R = 1 cm
3 3
Also charges Q 1 , Q 2, Q 3 on C1 , C2 , C 3 = 1 × 10–2 m
respectively are same q = 3.14 µC/m
∴ Q1 = Q2 = Q3 = Q = 3.14 × 10–6 C
Q = C1 × V1 r = 1m
= 5 × 10–6 × 80 To Find :
= 4 × 10–4 C E = ?
–4
∴ Q1 = Q2 = Q3 = 4 × 10 C Formula :
The charge on capacitor C4 is Q4 and is q
given by E =
4πε0 r 2
Q4 = C4V
= 5 × 10–6 × 240 Solution :
= 12 × 10–4 q
∴ Q4 = 12 × 10–4 C E =
4πε0 r 2
Electrostatics
MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE .. 69

To Find :
3.14 × 10 –6 K = ?
E = 2
4 × 3.14 × 8.85 × 10 –12 × ( 1 ) F = ?
Formula :
∴ E = 0.02825 × 106 N/C
σ2
F = ×A
5. A long cylinder of radius 2 cm carries a 2kε0
charge of 5µC/m kept in a medium of Solution :
dielectric constant 10 ? Find the electric
field intensity at a point situated at a σ2
distance 1 m from the axis of cylinder. F = ×A
2kε0
Given :
R = 2 cm 2
Q
Q   Q2
λ = = 5 µC/m A
l F = ×A=
2kε 0 2kε 0 A
= 5 × 10–6 C/m
... ∵ σ = 
k = 10 Q
r = 1m  A 
To Find :
E = ? 2
Formula :
=
( 10–4 )
2λ 2 × 1 × 8.85 × 10–12 × ( 0.01)
E =
2 πkε 0 r
10 –8
Solution : =
2 × 8.85 × 10–14
2λ
E = = 5.6497 × 10–4 N
4 πε 0 kr ∴ F = 56500 N
1 2λ
= . 7.
The energy density at a point in a
4 πε 0 kr medium of dielectric constant 8 is
26.55 × 106 J/m2. Calculate electric field
( 9
) (
9 × 10 × 2 5 × 10 –6
) intensity at that point.
= Given :
10 × 1
∴ E = 9 × 103 V/m k = 8
U = 26.55 × 106 J/m2
2
6. A metal plate of area 0.01 m carries a To Find :
charge of 100 µC. Calculate the outward
E = ?
pull on plate.
Given : Formula :
Q = 100 µC 1
= 100 × 10–6 C U = ε kE2
2 0
= 10–4C Solution :
A = 0.01 m2 1
U = ε kE2
2 0
Electrostatics
 .. 70 MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE

2u ∴ C = 8.85 × 10–11 F
E = ii) Q = CV
ε0 k
Q = 8.85 × 10–12 × 500
2 × 26.55 × 106 ∴ Q = 4.425 × 10–9 C
= –12
8.85 × 10 ×8 V
8 iii) E =
= 8.66 × 10 N/C d
∴ E = 8.66 × 102 µN/C
500
E =
8. A parallel plate air capacitor has 2 × 10–3
rectangular plates each of length 20 cm ∴ E = 2.5 × 105 V/m
and breadth 10 cm. They are separated
by a distance of 2 mm. If the potential
difference between the plates is 500 volt. 9. A parallel plate air capacitor with air as
Calculate dielectric has a capacity of 20 µF. What
i) capacitance will be the new capacity if
ii) charge on each plate i) the distance between two plates
iii) electric field intensity between is doubled ?
the two plates. ii) a marble slab of dielectric constant
Given : 8 is introduced between the two
l = 20 cm = 0.2 m plate such that entire space
b = 10 cm = 0.1 m between plates is filled by marble
slab ?
d = 2 mm = 2 × 10–3 m
Given :
k = 1 C1 = 20 µF
A = l×b d2 = 2d
= 0.2 × 0.1 = 0.02 m2 k1 = k2 = k(air)
V = 500 V k3 = 8
To Find : To Find :
i) C = ? i) C2 = ?
ii) Q = ? ii) C3 = ?
iii) E = ? Formula :
Formula : Aε 0 k
Aε 0 k C =
i) C = d
d Solution :
ii) Q = CV Aε 0 k
V C =
d
iii) E =
d
Aε 0 k
Solution : C1 = and
d1
Aε 0 k
C = Aε 0 k Aε 0 k
d
C2 = =
d2 2d 1
0.02 × 8.85 × 10 –12 × 1
C =
2 × 10–3
Electrostatics
MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE .. 71

d2 = 2d1
Aε0 k iii) E = ?
C2 2d1 Formula :
∴ = Aε0 k
C1 Aε 0 k
d1 i) C =
d
C2 1 ii) Q = CV
∴ = V
C1 2
iii) E =
d
1 Solution :
∴ C2 = C1 ×
2
Aε 0 k
1 C =
= 20 × d
2
Aε 0 k 1
∴ C2 = 10 µF C1 =
d1
Aε 0 k 3 Aε 0 × 8
ii) C3 = =
d d ( 0.2 × 0.1) × 8.85 × 10–12 × 1
[ ∵ Distance between plates remains =
1 × 10–3
same]
C1 = 17.70 × 10–11 F
= 8 C1
Q = CV
= 8 × 20 = 160 µF
∴ C3 = 160 µF Q
V1 =
C1
10. A parallel plate capacitor has rectangular
plates each of length 20 cm and breadth 1 × 10–9
V1 =
10 cm. The separation between the plates 17.7 × 10 –11
is 1 mm. V1 = 5.65 V
i) Calculate the potential difference
between the plates if 1 nC is given V
E =
to capacitor. d
ii) With the same charge of 1 nC, if V1 V2
the separation between plates is E = =
d1 d2
doubled what is the new
potential difference ? V1 V2
iii) Electric field between the plates. ∴ =
d1 2d 1
Given :
l = 20 cm = 0.2 m ∴ V2 = 2V1 = 2 × 5.65
b = 10 cm = 0.1 m ∴ V2 = 11.30 V
d = 1 mm = 1× 10–3 m V
A = l×b ∴ E = , gives,
d
= 0.2 × 0.1 = 0.02 m2
To Find : V2 – V1 5.65
E = =
i) V1 = ? d 1 × 10–3
when Q = 1 nC = 1 × 10–9 C = 5.65 × 103
ii) V2 = ? ∴ E = 5650 N/C
when Q = 1 nC = 1 × 10–9 C

Electrostatics
 .. 72 MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE

P
11. A parallel plate capacitor consists of two
identical metal plates. Two dielectric C1 C2
slabs having dielectric constants K1 and
K2 are introduced in the space between d k1 k2 d
two plates as shown below.

A A
2 2
K1 K2 Q
d
Ceffective = C1 + C2

A A A A
k 1ε0   k 2 ε0  
2 2 =  +
2 2
d d
(i)
ε0A ( K 1 + K 2 )
A =
2d
d
K1 2 ( K1 + K 2 ) ε0A
d = (proved)
K2 2d
2
The arrangement (i) can be regarded as
(ii)
two capacitors connected in series as
Show that capacity in arrangement (i)
shown below,
is given by
P
ε0 ( K 1 + K 2 ) A
C =
2d d
Also show that the capacity of capacitor k1
2
in arrangement (ii) is given by
d k2
2ε0 K1K 2 A
C = 2
(K1 + K2 ) d
A
Solution : Q
The arrangement (i) can be regarded as 1 1 1
two capacitors connected in parallel as = +
C effective C1 C2
shown below
P
P
A
d
C1 k1
k1 k2 d 2

A
d
A C2 k2
A 2
2 Q 2

Q
Electrostatics
MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE .. 73

1 1
= +
k 1 ε0 A k 2 ε0A
d d
2 2
d d
= 2k 1 ε 0 A + 2k 2 ε 0 A

d  1 1 
=  + 
2ε0 A  k 1 k 2 

d  k1 + k2 
=  
2ε0 A  k 1 k 2 

2ε 0 A ( k 1 k 2 )
∴ Ceffective =
d (k1 + k2 )

2 ( k 1k 2 ) ε0A
∴ Ceffective = (proved)
(k1 + k2 ) d

Electrostatics