AIRFORCE BALBHARATI SCHOOL LODHIROAD NEW DELHI

ASSIGNMENT ELECTRIC POTENTIAL CAPACITOR CLASS XII

1. Define electric potential at a point . Do we always require a reference point where potential is assumed to be zero to
define the potential at a point. Is the potential a vector or scalar quantity, justify it. State its unit and dimension. Obtain
an expression for electric potential at a point situated at a distance r near a point charge +Q. What is the significance of
positive value of this potential.

2. Show the variation of electric potential with distance r froma point charge. Compare this variation graphically with the
variation of electric field at the same point due to same charge.Does the potential rises or falls along the direction of field
lines.

3. Using an expression for electric potential at a point due to a point source charge, obtain an expression for electric
potential at some general point of an electric dipole. Show the result in terms of position vector of that point from the
center of dipole. Use this expression to obtain potential at an axial and equatorial point of same dipole.

4. A small electric dipole is placed along x axis at the origin. Draw the graphs for variation of field and potential at axial
point with distance r from the center of short dipole. Electric field intensity and electric potential at an axial point at a
distance x=r from the centre of short dipole are E and V respectively, then find the values at a distance x=2r.

5. Define the term potential gradient. Is it a vector or scalar quantity. Obtain a relation between electric field and
potential gradient. What is the significance of negative sign in this relation. Using this relation state why electric potential
is uniform or constant inside a thin charged conducting shell. Plot the variation of electric potential with distance r from
the centre of charged shell.

6. If a charged solid conductor is placed inside the cavity of another hollow uncharged conductor and the two are
connected through a connecting wire.Then, show that charge will necessarily flow from inner conductor to outer
conductor. Can we use this idea to discharge a charged body.

7. Explain why electric field inside the charged solid conductor is zero and it is normal to the surface outside the
conductor. Is the potential continuous or discontinuous across the surface of a charged conductor. What will you guess
about electric field regarding this.

8. Define equipotential surfaces.State four important properties of equipotential surfaces. Why the equipotential
surfaces are always perpendicular to electric field lines and why two such surfaces can not intersect each other.

9. Draw the equi potential surfaces and field lines pattern of the following: (i)an isolated point charge Q if Q>0 and Q<0,
(ii) A pair of two like and unlike charges of same magnitude Q. Explain why the distance between equipotential surfaces
is changed in between and outside region the two charges in the pair of two like and unlike charges.

10. State the position of three possible points where electric potential is zero on the line and outside the line joining two
charges system +Q and -4Q placed at a distance 2a apart.
11. Four point charges +2Q , - Q , -2Q and +3Q are placed at the four corners of a square of side a .Calculate net electric
field intensity and electric potential at the centre of this square. How much work is to be done in moving another point
charge –q from infinity to the centre of this square.

12. Establish a relation for work done by an external agent in carrying a charge q from point A to B with constant speed
in an electric filed region is equal to the product of charge and potential difference between these two points. Explain
how the work done by the field and external agent are related with each other. Relate the units of different physical
quantities used in this relation and hence define 1eV.

13. An electron and a proton are released from rest in a region of uniform electric field, explain which charge moves
from high to low potential and which one from low to high potential. Do their potential energy increase or decrease in
the two cases.If these are accelerated from rest through same potential difference,find which has greater final speed and
and which has greater final K.E.

14. Obtain an expression for electrostatic potential energy of a system of two isolated like point charges Q1 and Q2 when
placed in an electric field region of each other at a distance R apart.If the pair of these two charges were an electron and
a proton, now justify if the distance between these two is increased whether the potential energy of the system of two
charges increases or decreases, explain.

15. Obtain an expression for electrostatic potential energy of a system of two like point charges Q1 and Q2 in a region of
external uniform electric field. Use this expression to find potential energy of an electric dipole in same field, assuming
that both the charges of dipole are brought together in the field region.

16. Consider two conducting spheres of radii r1 and r2 where r1 >r2 , are charged to same potential find the ratio of their
(i) charges (ii) surface charge densities (iii) electric field intensities on the surface .If these spheres are connected through
a wire, will there be flow of charges through the wire and in which direction.

17. (a) Does the electric potential energy of a system containing two point charges depend upon the choice of reference
point where it is assumed zero. Explain the effect on the value of final potential energy if choice of reference point
where potential is assumed to be zero is not infinity but at some nearby point with in the field. (b) Does the potential
energy of two protons increases or decreases if the distance between them is increased. What about a pair of an electron
and a proton.

18. Can a single conductor be a capacitor,what do you mean by it’s capacitance. How you can increase it’s
capacitancewithout increasing it’s charge. Define S.I unit of capacitance.

19. State the working principle of a parallel plate capacitor. Show graphically how does the charge stored by capacitor
varies with (i)applied potential difference, if capacitance is constant (ii) it’s capacitance if applied potential difference is
constant.
20. Derive an expression for capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor when the medium between the plates is (i) air (ii)a
mica slab of dielectric constant K and thickness t (iii) a copper slab of thickness t=d/2. Also draw the electric field lines
pattern between the two plates with medium inside the plates are as above.

21. Define dielectric constant of a medium in terms of capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor. Explain why the
capacitance is increased on filling a dielectric medium. If the lower half of a parallel plate capacitor of capacitance C0 in
medium air is filled completely with a dielectric medium of dielectric constant 4. Find it’s new capacitance in terms of C0.

22. Obtain an expression for equivalent capacitance of three capacitors connected in series or in parallel, state which
physical quantity remains same across each capacitor and which is distributed in case of series and parallel combination
.If capacitances of these capacitors are C1 ,C2 and C3 where C1 >C2 >C3 and net capacitance is assumed C in each case
,then compare the value of C with C1 , C2 and C3 in each combination.

23. Derive an expression for energy stored by a capacitor using Q-V graph or otherwise and define the significance of
factor ½ in this expression .Name the field where this energy is stored . Obtain an expression for energy stored in unit
volume between the two plates. Draw the graph for variation of energy stored with it’s increasing capacitance for (i)an
isolated charged capacitor(ii)Capacitor is connected across a battery.

24. Show that only 50% of total energy supplied by the battery to a capacitor is stored in the capacitor and justify where
the remaining part of this energy is used. Show that total energy remains conserved in both series and parallel
combination of capacitors.

25. What is the effect on energy stored and electric field between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor if it’s plates are
moved further apart by an external agent in the given two condition (i) after disconnecting the capacitor from battery (ii)
battery remains connected.

26. Calculate the ratio of potential difference that must be applied across series and parallel combination of two identical
capacitors so that total energy stored by two combination is same.

27. Two plates of a capacitor each of area A and possessing a charge Q are placed at distance d apart in a medium air,
find the value of (i) electric field in between the plates and in the outer region (ii) show that force between the two
plates is plates is 1/2QE,what is the significance of the factor ½ in this expression.

28. Two plates of a parallel plate capacitor are at distance 4mm apart. A dielectric slab of thickness 3mm and dielectric
constant 4 is placed between the plates, then distance between the plates is so adjusted that new capacitance is
increased to 2/3 times of original capacitance, find the new distance between the plates.

29. Two capacitors with same plate area and distance between the plates. One having the medium air and other filled
with dielectric of relative permittivity 4 are connected in series with a D.C supply, find the ratio of charge, voltage,
electric field between the plates and energy stored by these capacitors. What shall be the answers for the these parts if
these are connected in parallel across the same supply. 30. A capacitor of unknown capacitance C when connected across
a supply of V volt, charge stored by it is 360µC. If the new potential difference is reduced by 120 volt then charge stored
by it becomes 120µC. Find the voltage V and unknown capacitance.
31. A capacitor of capacitance C0 connected across a supply of V0 volt .It is now disconnected from the battery and
distance between the plates is doubled. Discus the effect on charge stored, voltage, electric field between the plates and
energy stored by the capacitor.What are the effects on the same physical quantities if given changes are made keeping
the battery connected.

32. A capacitor of capacitance 2µf is connected across a battery of E.M.F 15 volt .It is now disconnected from the battery
and connected across an uncharged capacitor of capacitance 3µf. Find the common potential, new charge on each and
energy loss in this process.

33. What values of different net capacitances one can obtain using all the three capacitors of capacitances 2 µf, 6 µf and
12 µf connected together in different combinations