N.S.N.

MEMORIAL SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

Thirumurugan Salai, Thirumurugan Nagar, Chitlapakkam, Chennai – 600064

QUESTION BANK-CH. 2 Electric potential and capacitance

MCQs
LEVEL 1
1. Angle between equipotential surface and lines of force is
a) zero b) 180 c) 90 d) 45
2. When the separation between two charges is increased, the electric
potential energy of the charges

a) increases b) decreases c) remains the same d) may increase

or decrease
3. The capacitance of a capacitor does not depend on
a) the medium between the plates b) the size of the plates c) the
charges on the plates d) the separation between the plates
4. Dielectric constant for metal is
a) zero b) 1 c) infinite d) none
5. The equivalent capacitance between the points A and B is

a) 10μF b) 15μF c) 10.8μF d) 69μF

6. On increasing the plate separation of charged capacitor, the energy

a) increases b) decreases c) remains unchanged d) becomes zero
7. If a dielectric is inserted in charged capacitor(battery is removed), the
quantity that remains the same is
a) capacitance b) potential c) intensity d) charge
8. In an electric field with E=0, the potential V varies with distance r as
1 1
a) V∝ b) V∝ r c) V ∝ 2 d) V will not depend on r
r r
9. Which charge configuration produces a uniform electric field?
 (a) point charge
(b) uniformly charged infinite line
(c) uniformly charged infinite plane
(d) uniformly charged spherical shell
10. A thin conducting spherical shell of radius R has a charge Q which is
uniformly distributed on its surface.The correct plot for electrostatic
potential due to this spherical shell is

LEVEL 2
11. Three charges 1µC, -2 µC and 4 µC are placed at the vertices of an
equilateral triangle of side 10 cm. The work done in separating the
charges to infinity is

a) -4.5 J b) 4.5 J c) 45 J d) none

12.

In a parallel plate capacitor, the capacitance increases if

a) area of the plate is increased b) distance between the plates

increases c) area of the plate is increased d) dielectric constant
decreases
13. An electric field of 1000 V/m is applied to an electric dipole at an
angle of 45°. The value of the electric dipole moment is 10–29 Cm.
What is the potential energy of the electric dipole? (a) –10 × 10–29 J
(b) –7 × 10–27 J (c) –20 × 10–18 J (d) –9 × 10–20 J
14. Two points A and B are maintained at a potential of 7 V and -4 V
respectively. The work done in moving 50 electrons from A to B is

(a) 8.80 × 10-17 J (b) -8.80 × 10-17J (c) 4.40 × 10-17J

(d) 5.80 × 10-17J

15. If voltage applied on a capacitor is increased from V to 2V, choose the
correct conclusion.
(a) Q remains the same, C is doubled
(b) Q is doubled, C doubled
(c) C remains same, Q doubled
(d) Both Q and C remain same
16. Three capacitors are connected in triangle as shown in the figure. The

equivalent capacitance between the points A and C

(a) 1µF (b) 2 µF (c) 3 µF (d) ¼ µF

LEVEL 3
17. An electric dipole of moment p is placed normal to the lines of force of
electric current E, then the work done in deflecting through an angle
of 1800 is
a) pE b) 2pE c) -2pE d) zero
18. Two point charges are kept at a certain distance from one another.
The graph represents the variation of potential along the straight line
connecting the two charges. At what point is the electric field zero?

a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) none
19. The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is 16 µF. When a glass
slab is placed between the plates, the potential reduces to 1/8 th of the
original value. What is the dielectric constant of glass?

a) 4 b) 8 c) 16 d) 32
20. A slab of copper of thickness b is inserted in between the plates of a
parallel plate capacitor. The separation of the plate is d. If b=d/2,
then the ratio of capacitance of the capacitor after and before
introducing the slab is
a) √ 2:1 b) 2:1 c) 1:1 d) 1:√ 2
21. Four point charges -Q , -q , 2q and 2Q are placed, one at each corner
of the square. The relation between Q and q for which the potential at
the centre of square is zero is: (a) Q = -q (b) Q = - 1/q (c) Q = q (d) Q =
 1/q (a)
22. What is the value of capacitance that must be connected in parallel
with 50 pF condenser to make an equivalent capacitance of 150 pF?
(a) 200pF (b) 100pF (c) 50pF (d) 150pF (b)

ASSERTION/REASON QUESTIONS

Directions: These questions consist of two statements, each printed as

Assertion and Reason. While answering these questions, you are required to
choose any one of the following four responses.
(a) If both Assertion and Reason are correct and the Reason is a correct
explanation of the Assertion.
(b) If both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not a correct
explanation of the Assertion.
(c) If the Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
(d) Assertion is incorrect and Reason is correct.
1. Assertion: If the distance between parallel plates of a capacitor is
halved and dielectric constant is three times, then the capacitance
becomes 6 times.
Reason: Capacity of the capacitor does not depend upon the nature of
the material. (c)
2. Assertion: A parallel plate capacitor is connected across battery
through a key. A dielectric slab of dielectric constant K is introduced
between the plates. The energy which is stored becomes K times.
Reason: The surface density of charge on the plate remains constant
or unchanged. (c)
3. Assertion: Electric field inside a conductor is zero.
Reason: The potential at all the points inside a conductor is same.
(b)
4. Assertion: The total charge stored in a capacitor is zero.
Reason: The field just outside the capacitor is σ/ε0 . (σ is the charge
density). (c)
5. Assertion: Work done in moving a charge between any two points in
an electric field is independent of the path followed by the charge,
between these points.
Reason: Electrostatic force is a non conservative force. (c)
6. Assertion: In the absence of an external electric field, the dipole
moment per unit volume of a polar dielectric is zero.
Reason: The dipoles of a polar dielectric are randomly oriented. (a)
7. Assertion: A dielectric is inserted between the plates of a battery
connected capacitor. The energy of the capacitor increases.
Reason : Energy of the capacitor, U=CV2/2 (a)
2 MARKS
LEVEL 1
1. Show diagrammatically the stable and unstable equilibrium of an
electric dipole placed in a uniform electric field
2. Draw the graph showing the variation of electric potential with distance
from the centre of a uniformly charged shell.
3. How much work is done in moving a 500 µC charge between two points
separated by a distance of 2cm on an equipotential surface?
4. Name the physical quantities whose SI units are Vm, Vm-1 . Which of
these are vectors?
5. Define electric potential and give its unit.
6. Draw the equipotential surfaces due to a point charge, dipole and like
charges
7. Three capacitors are connected in series and then in parallel. Deduce
the formulae of equivalent capacitances f the combination.
8. Derive the expression for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor.
9. Deduce the expression for the potential due to a point charge.
LEVEL 2

10. A hollow conducting sphere is placed in an electric field produced by a point

charge placed at P as shown in figure. Let VA, VB, and VC be the potentials
at points A, B and C on the sphere respectively. Then, find the relation
between the three and explain.

11. Calculate the work done to dissociate the system of three charges
placed on the vertices of a triangle as shown.
12. An electric field of 1000 V/m is applied to an electric dipole at an angle
of 45°. The value of the electric dipole moment is 10–29 Cm. What is the
potential energy of the electric dipole?
13. A capacitor with a capacitance 5 µF is charged to 5 µC. If the plates are
pulled apart to reduce the capacitance to 2 µF, how much work is done?
14. Electric field inside a dielectric decreases when it is placed in an
external field. Give reason to support this statement.
15. An electric dipole of moment p is aligned parallel to the external electric
field. How much work has to be done in rotating the dipole through (a)
900 (b) 1800
16. An electric field of 1000 V/m is applied to an electric dipole at an angle
of 45°. The value of the electric dipole moment is 10 -29 C m. What is the
potential energy of the electric dipole?
LEVEL 3
17. The graph shows the variation of voltage 'V' across the plates of two
capacitors A and B versus increase of charge 'Q' stored on them. which of the
two capacitors has higher capacitance Give reason of your answer.

18. Draw a graph showing the variation of potential with distance from the
positive charge to negative charge of a dipole, by choosing the mid-point
of the dipole as the origin.
 Ans:
19.
20. A parallel plate capacitor of capacitance 90 pF is connected to a battery
of emf 20 V. If a dielectric material of dielectric constant K = 5/3 is
inserted between the plates, find the magnitude of the induced charge?

3 MARKS
LEVEL 1
1. Derive the formula for the potential energy in rotating the dipole in a
uniform electric field. Discuss when the energy is minimum and
maximum.
LEVEL 2
2. Deduce the expression for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor
with dielectrics whose thickness is t<d (d: the distance between the
plates)
3. Explain the potential energy of system of charges in an external electric
field.
LEVEL 3
4. (i) Two point charges q1 and -q2 are placed r distance apart. Obtain the
expression for the amount of work done to place a third charge q 3 at
the mid point on the line joining the two charges.
(ii) At what distance from the charge q1 on the line joining the two
charges will this work done is zero?
5. A parallel plate capacitor has a capacitance C in the absence of the
dielectric. A slab of dielectric material of dielectric constant K and
thickness d/3 is inserted between the plates. What is the new
capacitance when the dielectric is present?

CASE BASED QUESTIONS

1. The parallel plate capacitor consists of two parallel metal plates X and Y
each of area A, separated by a distance d, having a surface charge
density σ as shown in figure. The medium between the plates is air. A
charge +q is given to the plate X. It induces a charge –q on the upper
surface of earthed plate Y. When the plates are very close to each other,
the field is confined to the region between them. The electric lines of
force starting from plate X and ending at the plate Y are parallel to each
 other and perpendicular to the plates. The capacitance is directly
proportional to the area (A) of the plates and inversely proportional to
their distance of separation (d). The capacitance (C) of the parallel plate
capacitor is given by C= ϵ0A/d. if the region between the two plates is
filled with dielectric like mica or oil. Its capacitance increased by ϵr
times of the medium.
1. The potential difference between the two plates of a parallel plate
capacitor, if Q is magnitude of charge on each plate of area A separated
by a distance d is
(a) Qd/(εoA) (b) dεo/AQ (c) Ad/(εoQ) (d) QA/dεo
2. A capacitor is charged by a battery and the charging battery is
disconnected and a dielectric slab is inserted in it. Then for the
capacitor
(a) Charge remains constant (b) Charge increases
(c) Potential difference remains constant (d) Potential difference
increases
3. A parallel plate capacitor has a capacitance of 10 μF. If the distance
between two plates is doubled then the new capacitance will be
(a) 20 μF (b) 15 μF (c) 10 μF (d) 5 μF
4. Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor does not depend on:
(a) Area of the plates (b) Type of metal used for plates
(c) Separating distance between the plates (d) Dielectric constant of the
medium between the plates
5. A parallel plate air capacitor with no dielectric between the plates is
connected to a constant voltage source. What happens to the
capacitance if a dielectric of dielectric constant k = 2 is inserted between
the plates?
(a) Capacitance decreases (b) Capacitance increases by two times
(c) Capacitance remains unchanged (d) none of the above
2. Electrostatic potential energy of a system of point charges is defined as
the total amount of work done in bringing the different charges to their
respective positions from infinitely large mutual separations.
W=potential x charge
(i) work done in moving a charge from one point to other inside a
uniformly charged conducting sphere is (d)
a) always zero b) non zero c) may be zero d) none
(ii) A positively charged particle is released from rest in an uniform
electric field. The electric potential energy of the charge (c)
a) remains a constant because the electric field is uniform b) increase
because the charge moves along the electric field c) decrease because
the charge moves along the field d) decreased because the charge
moves opposite to the field
(iii) Two similar positive charges each of 2 µC have been kept in air at 3
m distance from each other. What will be the potential energy? (c)
a) 1 J b) 1 eV c) 12x10-3 J d) zero
(iv) A charge of 5 C is given a displacement of 0.5 m. The work done in
the process is 10 J. The potential difference between the two points will
be
a) 2 V b) 0.25 V c) 1 V (d) 25 V (a)