General Physics 2

Choose the letter of the BEST correct answer. Write the chosen letter in your notebook.

1. Two balls are repelling each other as they hang from the ceiling. What can you say about their charges?

A. one is positive, the other one is negative C. both are negative

B. both are positive D. both are positive or both are negative

2. A metal ball hangs from the ceiling by an insulating thread. The ball is attracted to a positive-charged rod held
near the ball. What must be the charge of the ball?

A. positive C. neutral
B. negative D. positive or negative

3. In which way is the electric force similar to the gravitational force?

A. Electric force is proportional to the mass of the object.
B. Electric force is similar in strength to gravitational force.
C. Electric force is both attractive and repulsive.
D. Electric force decreases in strength as the distance between the charges increases
4. Which activity does not produce the same results as the other three?
1. sliding over a plastic-covers automobile seat
2. walking across a woolen carpet
3. scraping food from a metal bowl with a metal spoon
4. brushing dry hair with a plastic comb
5. A negatively charged object is brought close to the surface of a conductor, whose opposite side is then
grounded. What is this process of charging called?

A. charging by contact C. charging by conduction

B. charging by induction D. charging by polarization

Pairs of electrical charges have a force that acts between them. It is called the electric force. Unlike gravity which can
only be an attractive force, the electric force can be either attractive or repulsive. Electrostatics deals with the
interaction of electric charge at rest. But how do charges interact?

The process of supplying the electric charge to an object or losing an electric charge from an object is called charging.
Electric charge is conserved. It can be transferred from one object to another by moving electrons but it cannot be
created nor destroyed.

 Positive charge: When an object has a positive charge, it means that it has more protons than electrons.
 Negative charge: When an object has a negative charge, it means that it has more electrons than protons.
 Neutral charge: When an object has an equal number of protons and electrons it means the object is neutrally
charged.

The law for electrostatic charge simply tells us that as charges repel and unlike charges attract.

Process of Charging:

 Charging by Friction
- When two objects are rubbed against each other, charge transfer takes place. One of the objects loses
electrons while the other object gains electrons. The object that loses electrons becomes positively charged
and the object that gains electrons becomes negatively charged. Both the objects get charged due to friction
and this method of charging is commonly known as electrification by friction.
 Charging by Conduction
 - The method of charging an uncharged object by bringing it close and in contact with a charged object is
known as charging by conduction. The charged conductor has an unequal number of protons and electrons,
hence when an uncharged conductor is brought near it, it discharges electrons to stabilize itself. A conductor
is an object or type of material that allows the flow of charge (electrical current) in one or more directions.
Materials made of metal are common electrical conductors. Electrical current is generated by the flow of
negatively charged electrons, positively charged holes, and positive or negative ions in some cases.
 Charging by Induction
- The process of charging an uncharged conductor by bringing it near a charged conductor without any
physical contact is known as charging by induction. An electrical insulator is a material in which the electron
does not flow freely or the atom of the insulator has tightly bound electrons whose internal electric charges
do not flow freely; very little electric current will flow through it under the influence of an electric field.

VALUING/APPLICATION

EARTHING AND ITS ADVANTAGES: Connecting a charged object to the earth with the help of conducting wires or
physical contact is called Earthing. The earth is considered to be a huge reservoir of electrons. Depending upon the
charge on the object, the earth provides or accepts electrons from a charged object connected to it. Can you name some
electrical appliances at home that needs to be grounded or Earthed?

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter in your notebook.

1. When two dissimilar materials contact each other some of the electrons in one material will be drawn into the other
material, this effect can be increased by rubbing the two surfaces together. What charging process is involved?

A. charging by conduction C. charging by induction

B. charging by friction D. all of the above

2. A student has a neutrally charged glass rod and a neutrally charged silk cloth. When the student rubs the silk cloth
on the glass rod, the rod acquires a net positive charge. What is the charge on the silk cloth after the student
performs this experiment?
A. the silk has no charge
B. the silk has a charge that is equal in magnitude to the glass rod’s charge, but it is negative
C. the silk is positively charged and has a greater magnitude of charge than the glass rod
D. the silk is negatively charged and has a smaller magnitude of charge than the glass rod
3. All matters are said to be neutral wherein the numbers of electron and protons are equal so once charges it do not
stay for a long time because of the following factors except;
 A. amount of charge gain C. type of charge
B. presence of polar molecules D. type of material

4. Rubber is a nonconducting material that is why it cannot easily conduct heat and electricity. Which is the best
explanation for this situation?
A. it has excess electrons which are loosely bounded with its nuclei so it can free to move
B. it has a deficiency in electrons which are tightly bounded with their nuclei so it cannot move freely
C. it has few electrons
D. it has no electrons
5. A negatively charged object is brought close to the surface of a conductor, whose opposite side is then grounded.
What kind of charge is left on the conductor’s surface?

A. neutral C. positive
B. negative D. both positive and negative

Choose the letter of the BEST correct answer. Write the chosen letter in your notebook.

1. It provides a graphical representation of an electric field

A. graph C. parabola
B. field lines D. xy-coordinate

2. When two charges exert forces simultaneously on a third charge, the total force acting on that charge is the
vector sum of the forces that the two charges would exert individually. This principle is known as the

A. interference of charge C. superposition of forces

B. Coulomb’s principle D. superposition of electric field

3. Which of the following will likely occur or happen to the electric field of force of an isolated positive charge? It
will move

A. radially outward C. parallel

B. radially inward D. perpendicular

4. An electron immersed in an electric field of 20 N/C. What force does it feel?

A. 3.2 X 10-18 N C. 1.2 X 10-18 N

B. 2.2 X 10-18 N D. 0.2 X 10-18 N

5. Two charged objects attract each other with a certain force. If the charges on both objects are doubled with no
change in separation, what will happen to the force between them?

A. quadruples C. halves
B. doubles D. increases, but can’t say how much

An atom consists of electrically charged particles such as neutron which is neutrally charged, proton which is positively
charged, and electron which is negatively charged.

The quantity of charge (q) can be defined in terms of the number of electrons:

The coulomb: 1 C = 6.25 x 1018 electrons

Therefore, the charge on a single electron is:

1 electron: e- = -1.6 x 10-19 C

Pairs of electrical charges interact with each other according to the Law of Electric Charge. The attractive or repulsive
interaction between any two charged objects is an Electric Force (Felectric).

The electric force between two charges is given by Coulomb’s Law. Coulomb’s law states that the electric force between
two charges is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance
between them.

q1 q2
F electric α 2
r
A shorter distance between chargers will experience a greater electric force, the farther the distance gives weaker
electric force. The proportionality constant k for Coulomb’s law depends on the choice of units for a charge.

q1q2
F electric=k 2
r
When the charge q is in coulombs, the distance r is in meters and the force F is in newtons, we have:
2
9 N ∙m
k =8.99 ×10 2
C
The unit of electric force is in Newton (N):

Felectric = N (Newton)

If there are multiple point charges, the forces add by superposition. According to this superposition principle, the total
force acting on a given charge is equal to the vector sum of forces exerted on it by all the other charges. Consider a
system of n charges, namely q1, q2, q3 …. qn. The force on q1 exerted by the charge q2,

q 1 q2
F 12=k 2 r
r 2121

Here ^r21 is the unit vector from q2 to q1 along the line joining the two charges and r 21 is the distance between the
charges q1 and q2. The electrostatic force between two charges is not affected by the presence of other charges in the
neighborhood. All charged particles will experience a force around them. And that region around an electrical charge
particle where force is detected is called Electric Field.

The strength of the electric field is defined to be the force per unit charge experienced by any test point charge.

Electric Field Strength:

F electric
E=
q
Newton(n)
Unit of Electric Field: E=
Coulomb(C )
Combining the equation of electric field strength and Coulomb’s law, the electric field strength around a charge is,

q
E=k 2
r
A convenient aid for visualizing electric field patterns is to draw electric field lines. They consist of lines drawn tangent to
the electric field vector at any point. The number of lines drawn being proportional to the magnitude of the field
strength.

Electric Field Lines are imaginary lines drawn in such a way that their direction at any point is the same as the direction
of the field at that point.

Field lines go away from positive charges and toward negative charges.

Rules for drawing field lines:

 Field lines must begin on positive charges or at infinity and must terminate on negative charges or at infinity.
 The number of lines drawn leaving a positive charge or approaching a negative charge is proportional to the
magnitude of the charge.
 No two field lines from the same field can cross each other.

Examples of electric field lines between two equal but opposite charges and two equal of the same charges:

Notice that lines leave positive (+) charges and enter negative (-) charges. Also, E is strongest where field lines are most
dense.

Just as electric forces can be superposed, electric fields can as well. The resultant field E net in the vicinity of several point
charges is equal to the vector sum of the fields due to each charge taken individually.

VALUING/APPLICATION

ELECTRIC FIELDS AND ELECTRIC FORCES IN DAILY LIFE:

Describe how electric forces and electric fields interact in each photo.

Name other phenomena that show the presence of electric fields and electric forces.
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter in your notebook.

1. In Coulomb’s law, increasing the distance between particles by a factor of 2 keeping all other factors the same,
electric force will:
A. cause the force to decrease by a factor of 4
B. cause the force to decrease by a factor of 2
C. cause the force to increase by a factor of 4
D. cause the force to increase by a factor of 2
2. Decreasing the charge on both particles by a factor of 2 while leaving all other factors the same will:
A. cause the force to decrease by a factor of 4
B. cause the force to decrease by a factor of 2
C. cause the force to increase by a factor of 4
D. cause the force to increase by a factor of 2
3. By how much does the electric force between two charges change when the distance between them is doubled?

A. 4 C. 1/2
B. 2 D. 1/4

4. A positive charge of 3.0 x 10 -7 C is located in a field of 27 N/C directed toward the south. What is the force
acting on the charge?

A. 4.1 x 10-6 N C. 8.1 x 10-6 N

B. 6.1 x 10-6 N D. 10.1 x 10-6 N

5. A positive test charge of 5.0 x 10 -6 C is in an electric field that exerts a force of 2.0 x 10 -4 N on it. What is the
magnitude of the electric field at the location of the test charge?

A. 2.0 x 101 N/C C. 6.0 x 101 N/C

B. 4.0 x 101 N/C D. 8.0 x 101 N/C
Choose the letter of the BEST correct answer. Write the chosen letter in your notebook.

1. A point charge is placed at the center of a spherical gaussian surface. Which of the following will make the electric
flux changed?
A. If the point charge is moved outside the sphere
B. If a second point charge is placed outside the sphere
C. If the sphere is replaced by a cube of the same volume
D. If the point charge is moved to its position but still inside the sphere
2. A charge Q is spread equally throughout the insulating shell. What is the net electric flux through the inner surface
of the shell?

A. 0 C. Q / ε0
B. 2Q / ε0 D. Q / 4π ε0

3. Which of the following best describes electric field lines?

A. physically existing
B. have the same pattern around regardless of the number of point charges
C. are close together where the electric field is weak.
D. enters negative charges and leaves positive charges
4. Which of the following best describes Gauss’s law?
A. A law that describes what an electric field will look like due to a known distribution of charge.
B. A law that describes what an electric field will look like due to an unknown distribution of charge.
C. A law that describes what a magnetic field will look like due to a known distribution of charge.
D. A law that describes what a magnetic field will look like due to an unknown distribution of charge.
5. What is the electric field at a distance of 10 cm from an isolated point charge of 2 x 10 -9 C?

A. 1. 8 N/C C. 180 N/C

B. 18 N/C D. 1800 N/C

In the previous lesson, we learned that the number of lines per unit is (density) is proportional to the magnitude of the
electric field.

If a uniform electric field, both in magnitude and direction, penetrates a surface of the area, A which is perpendicular to
the field, the total number of lines penetrating the surface is proportional to the product of electric field, E, and area, A.
We call this product the Electric Flux, Φ.

𝚽=𝑬.𝑨

Since the electric field has a unit Newton per Coulomb (N/C) and the area has a unit meter (m), therefore the SI unit of
electric flux is Newton-meter squared per Coulomb (Nm2/C).

If the surface is not perpendicular to the field, we consider the angle, Ø, normal to the surface area. The number of lines
that cross the area is equal in and out of the surface, therefore we can say that,

A’ = A cos Ø

We then conclude that the flux through A is

𝚽 = 𝑬 . 𝑨’

𝚽 = 𝑬 . 𝑨 𝒄𝒐𝒔 Ø

The flux through a surface is has a maximum value if it is perpendicular to the field, that is Ø = 90 o. When the normal
surface parallel to the field, Ø = 0o, the flux is zero.
If a positive point charge q, is located at the center of the sphere of radius r, the field lines are directed radially outward,
hence perpendicular to the surface at every point on the surface, that I, at each surface point, electric field E is parallel
to the vector ∆A, therefore,

𝚽 = E . ∆A

Note that when the surface is curved or the fields are not constant you have to perform an integration

𝚽 = ∫ 𝑬 .𝒅A

The relationship between the net electric flux through a closed surface, also known as a gaussian surface, and the charge
enclosed by the area is known as Gauss’s Law. It states that the flux of the electric field through any closed surface s
equal to the net charge enclosed, q divided by the permittivity of free space, ε 0

q
Φ=
ε0

q
Φ=∫ E . d A=
ε0

where the permittivity of free space, ε0 is equal to 8.85 x 10-12 C2/Nm2.

VALUING/APPLICATION

GAUSS’S LAW TO CHARGE INSULATORS:

Gauss’s law is useful in determining electric fields when the charge distribution is characterized by a high degree of
symmetry. The following examples demonstrate ways of choosing the gaussian surface over which the surface integral
can be simplified and the electric field determined. In choosing the surface, we should always take advantage of the
symmetry of the charge distribution so that we can remove E from the integral and solve for it. The goal in this type of
calculation is to determine a surface that satisfies one or more of the following conditions:

1. The value of the electric field can be argued by symmetry to be constant over the surface.

2. The dot product can be expressed as a simple algebraic product E dA because E and dA are parallel.

3. The dot product is zero because E and dA are perpendiculars.

4. The field can be argued to be zero over the surface.

Choose the letter of the BEST correct answer. Write the chosen letter in your notebook.

1. A Gaussian surface is a hypothetical surface whether open or closed.

A. True C. Possible
B. False D. Cannot be determined.

2. The direction of the flux depends on the magnitude of the net charge of the enclosed surface.

A. True C. Possible
B. False D. Cannot be determined.

3. Gauss’s law relates the electric field of a surface to the net charge enclosed within that surface.

A. True B. False
 C. Possible D. Cannot be determined.

4. The electric flux flowing from inside to outside is negative

A. True C. Possible
B. False D. Cannot be determined.

5. The electric flux of a Gaussian surface is equal to zero if it does not enclose a charged particle.

A. True C. Possible
B. False D. Cannot be determined.

Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. The quantity electric potential is defined as the amount of ______.

A. force per unit charge C. force acting upon a charge

B. electric potential energy D. potential energy per unit charge

2. Complete the following statement: When work is done on a positive test charge by an external force to move it from
one location to another, potential energy ______ and electric potential ______.

A. increases, increases C. decreases, decreases

B. increases, decreases D. decreases, increases

3. What is the standard SI unit for electric potential difference?

A. Ampere C. Joules
B. Coulomb D. Volt

4. What is the equation of electric potential?

A. V = d2/f C. V = td
B. V = U/Q D. V = kQq/r2

5. While touching the Van de Graaff generator, why does your hair fly up as the generator starts charging?
A. Because the opposite charge is transferred to the hair.
B. Because the charge of the generator is transferred to the hair.
C. Because the charge of the hair is transferred to the generator.
D. Because the opposite charge of the hair is transferred to the generator.

Electric Potential: Voltage

Electric potential is the amount of work needed to move a unit charge from a reference point to a specific point against
an electric field. Consider the electric field created by a positively charged Van de Graaff generator. The direction of the
electric field is in the direction that a positive test charge would be pushed; in this case, the direction is outward away
from the Van de Graaff sphere.

Work would be required to move a positive test charge towards the sphere against the electric field. The greater the
charge on the test charge, the greater the repulsive force and the more work that would have to be done on it to move
it the same distance. The electric potential energy per charge is the total electric potential energy divided by the amount
of charge. At any location the potential energy per charge – whatever the amount of charge – will be the same. We then
define the electric potential V through the relation

electric potential energy

Electric Potential=
charge
 U
V=
q
The potential difference between two points ΔV is often called the voltage and is given by

𝛥𝑉 = 𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐴 =
ΔU
q
and 𝛥𝑈 = 𝑞𝚫V

The S.I unit measurement for electric potential is the volt (V) named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. Since
potential energy is measured in joules and charge is measured in coulombs,

1 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡 = 1
joule
coulomb
Electric potential is also known as the amount of work needed to move a unit charge from a reference point to a specific
point against an electric field, measured in Joules per Coulomb (J/C) or Volts (V).

Point Charge

The electric potential at a distance r from a single point charge Q can be derived from the expression for its electric field
(E = kQ/r2). The result is

Q Q
V=k V=
r 4 π ε0 r

Superposition of Electric Potential

Consider three charges q1, q2, q3. The electric potential due to these charges at any given point is the sum of the
electric potentials of all the charges.

The electric potential at point L is the sum of voltages from each point charge (scalars).

𝑉 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉2 + 𝑉3

𝑉=𝑘 +𝑘 +𝑘
q1 q2 q3
r1 r2 r3
Electric Potential Energy

Electric potential energy can be defined as the capacity for doing work that arises from position or configuration. In the
electrical case, a charge will exert a force on any other charge and potential energy arises from any collection of charges.
For example, if a charge Q is fixed at some point in space, any other positive charge which is brought close to it will
experience a repulsive force and will therefore have potential energy. Where k is Coulomb’s constant (9 x 10 9 Nm2/C2).
 F = qE

If charge q is positive, this force is parallel to E.

The work done by the electric force on the charge is W = F Δx

The electric force is conservative, so the work done on the charge is independent of the path it takes to go from A to B.
The change in electric potential energy associated with a particular conservative force is equal to – W, where W is the
work done by that force. So if the electric force does an amount of work on the charged particle, the change in electric
potential energy is

𝛥𝑈 = −W

Combining the two equations, the electric potential energy when the charged particle moves from A to B in table 1 is

𝛥𝑈 = −𝑊 = −𝐹𝑒𝑑 = −𝑞𝐸𝑑

The equation gives the change in potential energy as the charge moves through a displacement Δx, in a region where the
electric field is parallel to the displacement.

In electricity, it is usually more convenient to use the electric potential energy per unit charge, just called electric
potential or voltage.

VALUING

We have all observed the awe-inspiring beauty and power of a good electrical storm. The flashes of lightning, followed
at varying time intervals by a clash of thunder, can be both fascinating and frightening. What is lightning? How are
thunderclouds capable of producing the impressive electrical discharges that we see? What happens in an electrical
storm?
1. Which of the following describes electric potential energy?
A. The capacity for doing work which arises from position or configuration.
B. The amount of work needed to move a unit charge.
C. Electric potential per unit charge.
D. Charge per unit distance.
2. What is the standard SI unit for electric potential energy?

A. Joules C. Coulomb
B. Volt D. Ampere

3. In which situation would the system have the most electric potential energy?

A. Initial, more energy when together. D. Final, more

B. Initial, more energy when apart. energy when
C. Final, more energy when together. apart.

4. What is the potential energy if a +4 nC charge moves from infinity to point A, 5 cm away from a +3 μC charge?

A. 1.35 X 10-3 J C. 3.43 x 10-2 J

B. 2.16 x 10-3 J D. 4.12 x 10-2 J

5. Which of the following is not an example of electric potential energy?

A. An incandescent light bulb is turned off. C. A television that is turned on.

B. A cell phone that is turned off. D. Solar cells at night.

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Electric field

A. is always perpendicular to the equipotential surface

B. is always tangent to an equipotential surface
C. always bisects an equipotential surface
D. makes an angle to an equipotential that depends on the charge

2. A positive charge moves to the right as shown. Its kinetic energy

A. Decreases C. Remains constant

B. Increases D. Zero

3. Which direction does the electric potential increase the most?

A. A B. C C. D D. E

4. A capacitor is a device used to ______.

A. store electrical energy C. vary the resistance

B. store magnetic energy D. dissipate energy

5. What is the value of capacitance of a capacitor which has a voltage of 5V and has a 10C of charge?

A. 2F B. 4F C. 6F D. 8F
Duck-billed platypus is an aquatic freshwater animal. Do you know how does it get its food? It hunts its food (like
shrimps, worms and insects) by using its electro receptors in its bill to detect a minute electric potentials produced by
the muscles of its prey.

Equipotential Surfaces and Their Relation to Electric Field

Using the equation for electric potential 𝑉 = 𝑈/𝑄, this leads us to an electric potential
difference

𝛥𝑉 = 𝛥𝑈/𝑄

Substituting 𝛥𝑈 𝑡𝑜 − 𝑄𝐸𝑑

This gives 𝛥𝑉 = − 𝐸𝑑

Rearranging the equation

𝐸 = − 𝛥𝑉/𝑑

The magnitude of the electric field is largest in regions where V is changing rapidly (and
ΔV is large). Conversely, the electric field is zero in regions where V is constant. Notice
that because of the negative sign in the equation, the electric field is directed from
regions of high potential to regions of low potential.

This relation involves the component of the electric field in the direction parallel to the displacement d. The electric field
is a vector, so if we want to find E in a particular direction, we must consider how the potential V changes along that
direction.

A positive test charge placed near a negative charge would have low potential energy. To instill anything with potential
energy, we have to do work by moving it over a distance. Work must be done to push a positive charge against the
arrows of an electric field (either towards another positive charge, or away from a negative charge). If you try to pull a
negative charge away from a positive charge--against an electric field--you have to do work.

For any charge located in an electric field, its electric potential energy depends on the type (positive or negative),
amount of charge, and its position in the field. Electric potential energy is measured in units of joules (J).

An equipotential surface is a surface on which electric potential is the same everywhere. Consider Figure below, which
shows an isolated positive point charge and its electric field lines. Electric field lines radiate out from a positive charge
and terminate on negative charges. While we use blue arrows to represent the magnitude and direction of the electric
field, we use green lines to represent places where the electric potential is constant. These are called equipotential lines
in two dimensions, or equipotential surfaces in three dimensions. The term equipotential is also used as a noun,
referring to an equipotential line or surface

It is important to note that equipotential lines are always perpendicular to electric field lines. No work is required to
move a charge along an equipotential, since ΔV = 0. Thus the work is

𝑊 = − 𝛥𝑈 = −𝑞𝛥𝑉 = 0

Capacitors

In general, a capacitor consists of twoconductor of any shape placed near one another without touching. It is common
practice to fill the region between conductors or plates with an electrically insulating material called a dielectric.

A capacitor stores electric charge. Each capacitor plate carries a charge of the same magnitude, one positive and the
other negative. The ability of a capacitor to store a charge on its conductive plates is its capacitance value.
The magnitude of the charge Q on each plate of a capacitor is directly proportional to the magnitude V of the potential
difference between the plates:

𝐶 = 𝑄/𝛥𝑉

where C is the capacitance.

SI unit of capacitance: Coulomb/Volt (C/V) = Farad (F)

The magnitude of the field between plates is:

𝐸 = 𝑄/𝜖0𝐴

The magnitude of the potential difference between the two plates is:

𝛥𝑉 = 𝐸𝑑

Combining the two equations, we find:

𝛥𝑉 = 𝐸𝑑 = 𝑄𝑑/𝜖0A

VALUING

An important application of electric fields and equipotential lines involves the heart. How do the electric signals maintain
the heart’s rhythm?

Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer.

1. The electric field acts between two parallel plates. Which of the following statements is not correct?
A. E is inversely proportional to distance.
B. The field is uniform.
 C. A charge would experience a force VdQ.
D. Field lines are at right angles to the plates.
2. Which of the following statements concerning the work done when a small charge is moved in the field is incorrect?
A. When it is moved from either P to Q or S to R, the work done is the same in each case.
B. When it is moved from Q to R no work is done.
C. When it is moved around the path PQRS, the overall work done is zero.
D. When it is moved around the path PQRS, the overall work done is equal to twice the work done in moving from
P to Q.
3. An equipotential surface that surrounds a + 5.0 μC point charge has a radius of 5.0 cm. What is the potential of this
surface?

A. 9.0 x 103 V C. 9.0 x 105 V

B. 9.0 x 104 V D. 9.0 x 106 V

4. The electric potential inside a parallel-plate capacitor

A. is constant.
B. increases linearly from the negative to the positive plate.
C. decreases linearly from the negative to the positive plate.
D. decreases inversely with distance from the negative plate.
5. Initially a charged capacitor stores 2000 μJ energy. When the potential difference decreases by 3.0 V, the energy
stored by it becomes 600 μJ. What is the capacitance of this capacitor?

A. 94 μF B. 156 μF C. 187 μF D. 243 Μf

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following describes a capacitor?

A. amplifies the electronic signal.
B. resists the flow of current.
C. conducts primarily in one direction.
D. stores energy electrostatically in an electric field.
2. Which of the following describes a series connection of capacitors?
A. Total voltage is equal to the voltage drop in each capacitor.
B. The total charge is equal to the sum of the individual charge.
C. The equivalent capacitance is equal to the sum of the individual capacitance.
D. The reciprocal of the equivalent capacitance is equal to the sum of the reciprocal individual capacitance.
3. What is the capacitance in the network if two capacitors 2 μF and 3.5 μF are connected parallel?

A. 7 μF B. 5.5 μF C. 1.5 μF D. 1.2 μF

4. What is the energy stored in a 3 μF capacitor charged to 6 V.

A. 3 μJ B. 9 μJ C. 18 μJ D. 54 μJ

5. Which of the following is the best use of capacitor in our daily life?
A. Used as switches in a digital circuit.
B. Used in television systems as phase detectors.
C. Used in a heater and many more heating appliances.
D. Used to measure fuel levels and air humidity as sensors.
Did you enjoy watching television during this time of pandemic? But you can enjoy it more if you can’t hear any
electrical noise from it. And that is what capacitors do in your television. Because capacitors hold electric charges, they
act as dampers, slowing down the sudden movement of current, including noise. Without capacitors in the power
supply, the television would have a noisy picture and a persistent low-pitched buzz in the speakers.

Several capacitors can be connected to be used in a variety of applications. They can be arranged in two simple and
common types of connections, known as series and parallel, for which we can easily calculate the total capacitance.
These two basic combinations, series, and parallel can also be used as part of more complex connections.

The Series Combination of Capacitors

As for any capacitor, the capacitance of the combination is related to both charge and voltage:

𝐶 = 𝑄/V

When this series combination is connected to a battery with voltage V, each of the capacitors acquires an identical
charge Q. To explain, first note that the charge on the plate connected to the positive terminal of the battery is +Q and
the charge on the plate connected to the negative terminal is −Q. Charges are then induced on the other plates so that

potential drop 𝑉1 = 𝑄/𝐶1 on one capacitor may be different from the potential drop V2=Q/C2 on another capacitor,
the sum of the charges on all plates, and the sum of charges on any pair of capacitor plates, is zero. However, the

because, generally, the capacitors may have different capacitances. The series combination of two or three capacitors
resembles a single capacitor with a smaller capacitance. Generally, any number of capacitors connected in series is
equivalent to one capacitor whose capacitance (called the equivalent capacitance) is smaller than the smallest of the
capacitances in the series combination. Charge on this equivalent capacitor is the same as the charge on any capacitor in
a series combination: That is, all capacitors of a series combination have the same charge.

𝑄𝑇 = 𝑄1 = 𝑄2 = 𝑄3

This occurs due to the conservation of charge in the circuit. When a charge Q in a series circuit is removed from a plate
of the first capacitor (which we denote as −Q), it must be placed on a plate of the second capacitor (which we denote as
+Q), and so on.
The Parallel Combination of Capacitors

A parallel combination of three capacitors, with one plate of each capacitor connected to one side of the circuit and the
other plate connected to the other side. Since the capacitors are connected in parallel, they all have the same voltage V
across their plates.

𝑉𝑇 = 𝑉1 = 𝑉2 = 𝑉3 = ⋯
Energy stored in a simple capacitor

𝑃𝐸𝑐𝑎𝑝 = (½) 𝐶(𝛥𝑉)2 = 𝑄2/2𝐶

The energy stored in a capacitor is potential energy. It can be extracted from the capacitor and transforms into other
forms of energy, or can be used to do mechanical work.

VALUING

Our appliances have been a great help to us especially this time of the pandemic. What appliance help you the most
during this time of pandemic and how did the capacitor make it function well?

1. Which of the following used to store electrical energy?

A. Capacitor C. Resistor
B. Diode D. Transistor

2. Which of the following describes a parallel connection of capacitors?

A. Total voltage is equal to the sum of the voltage drop in each capacitor.
B. The total charge is equal to the individual charges.
C. The equivalent capacitance is equal to the sum of the individual capacitance.
 D. The reciprocal of the equivalent capacitance is equal to the sum of the reciprocal individual capacitance.
3. What is the capacitance in the network if two capacitors 2 μF and 4 μF are connected series?

A. 7.3 μF B. 6.3 μF C. 2.3 μF D. 1.3 μF

4. What is the energy stored in a 5 μF capacitor if the charge present in it is 30 μC?

A. 30 μJ B. 90 μJ C. 150 μJ D. 540 μJ

5. The following describes a television without a capacitor except:

A. Persistent low pitched buzz C. Clear image

B. Noisy picture D. All of the above