ARUL INSTITUTE, CHENNAI

12TH STANDARD – CBSE – PHYSICS – CHAPTER 2

ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE

SOLVED PROBLEMS
2.1 (a) Calculate the potential at a point P due to a charge of 4 x 10–7 C located 9 cm away.

(b) Hence obtain the work done in bringing a charge of 2 x 10–9 C from infinity to the

point P. Does the answer depend on the path along which the charge is brought?

Solution:

Q
(a) V =
4 πεor

9 x 109 x 4 x 10 −7
V=
9 x 10 − 2

V = 4 x 109 x 10–5

V = 4 x 104 V

(b) W = qV

W = 2 x 10–9 x 4 x 104

W = 8 x 10–5 J

No, work done will be path independent.

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2.2 Two charges 3 x 10–8 C and –2 x 10–8 C are located 15 cm apart. At what point on the

line joining the two charges is the electric potential zero? Take the potential at infinity to

be zero.

Solution:
15 cm
QA QB
A P B

x 15–x

Let P be the required point on the line joining the two charges, where the potential is zero.

VP = VPA + VPB = 0

VPA = –VPB

QA QB
= –
4πε o x 4 πεo (15 − x)

3 x 10 −8 − 2 x 10 −8
= –
4 πεo x 4 πεo (15 − x)

3 2
=
x (15 − x)

3(15 – x) = 2x

45 – 3x = 2x

5x = 45

x = 9 cm

So the electric potential is zero at 9 cm from the charge of 3 x 10–8 C.

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If the point P is not between the two charges, then

15 cm x–15
QA QB
A B P

VP = VPA + VPB = 0

VPA = –VPB

QA QB
= –
4πε o x 4 πεo ( x − 15)

3 x 10 −8 − 2 x 10 −8
= –
4 πεo x 4 πεo ( x − 15)

3 2
=
x ( x − 15)

3(x – 15) = 2x

3x – 45 = 2x

3x – 2x = 45

x = 45 cm

So the electric potential is also zero at 45 cm from the charge of 3 x 10–8 C on the side of

negative charge.
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2.3 Figures (a) & (b) show the field lines of a positive and negative point charge respectively.

Q
P

B
(a) Give the signs of the potential difference VP – VQ ; VB – VA.

(b) Give the sign of the potential energy difference of a small negative charge between

the points Q and P ; A and B.

(c) Give the sign of the work done by the field in moving a small positive charge from

Q to P.

(d) Give the sign of the work done by the external agency in moving a small negative

charge from B to A.

(e) Does the kinetic energy of a small negative charge increase or decrease in going

from B to A?

Solution:

1
(a) As V ∝ , VP > VQ ; Thus VP – VQ is positive.
r

VB is less negative than VA ; VB > VA ; Thus VB – VA is positive.

(b) A small negative charge will be attracted towards positive charge. The negative

charge moves from higher potential energy to lower potential energy. Thus the

potential energy at Q should be greater than that at P i.e. UQ > UP. Therefore the

sign of potential energy difference UQ – UP is positive.

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Similarly, the potential energy at A should be greater than that at B i.e. UA > UB.

Therefore the sign of potential energy difference UA – UB is positive.

(c) In moving a small positive charge from Q to P, work has to be done by an external

agency against the electric field. Therefore, work done by the field is negative.

(d) In moving a small negative charge from B to A work has to be done by the external

agency. It is positive.

(e) Due to force of repulsion on the negative charge, velocity decreases and hence the

kinetic energy decreases in going from B to A.

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2.4 Four charges are arranged at the corners of a square ABCD of side d, as shown in

Figure. (a) Find the work required to put together this arrangement. (b) A charge qo is

brought to the centre E of the square, the four charges being held fixed at its corners.

How much extra work is needed to do this?

+q –q
A B

qo
d
E

D C
–q +q

Solution:

(a) To find the work required to arrange four charges at the corners of a square ABCD

(1) Work needed to bring the charge +q to A is zero because no other charges are

present ; W1 = 0

(2) Work needed to bring –q to B = charge x (potential at B due to +q at A)

q q2
W2 = (–q) x =–
4πεod 4πεod

(3) Work needed to bring +q to C = charge x (potential at C due to charges at A & B)

 q − q  q2  1 
W3 = q x  + 
= –  1 − 
 4πεod 2 4 πεod  4 πεod  2

(4) Work needed to bring –q to D = charge x (potential at D due to charges at A, B & C)

 q −q q  q2  1  q2  1 
W4 = (–q) x  + + 
= –  1 − + 1  = –  2 − 
 4πεod 4 πεod 2 4 πεod  4 πεod  2  4 πεod  2
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The total work required is W = W1 + W2 + W3 + W4

q2   1   1 
W = – 0 + 1 +  1 −  +  2 −  
4 πεod   2  2 

q2  2  q2
W = – 4 − = – (4 − 2)
4 πεod  
2 4 πεod

(b) Work needed to bring qo to E = charge x (potential at E due to charges at A, B, C & D)

W = qo x 0 = 0

The net potential at E is zero since potential due to A and C is cancelled by that due to B

and D. Hence, no work is required to bring any charge to point E.

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2.5 (a) Determine the electrostatic potential energy of a system consisting of two charges

7 µC and –2 µC (with no external field) placed at (–9 cm, 0, 0) and (9 cm, 0, 0)

respectively.

(b) How much work is required to separate the two charges infinitely away from each

other?

(c) Suppose that the same system of charges is now placed in an external electric field

E = A (1/r2) ; A = 9 x 105 NC–1 m2. What would the electrostatic energy of the

configuration be?

Solution:

7µC –2µC
(a)
A 9 cm O 9 cm B

1 q1q 2 9 x 109 x 7 x 10 −6 x ( −2) x 10 −6

U1 = = −2
= –7 x 10–1 = – 0.7 J
4 πεo r 18 x 10

1 q1q 2
(b) U∞ = =0
4 πεo ∞

W = U∞ – U1 = 0 – (– 0.7) = 0.7 J

(c) The mutual interaction energy of the two charges remains unchanged. In addition,

there is the energy of interaction of the two charges with the external electric field.

1 q1q 2  1  1
Net electrostatic energy = q1V1 + q2V2 + = q1  A  + q2  A  + (–0.7)
4 πεo r  r1   r2 

9 x 105 9 x 105
U = 7 x 10–6 x + (–2) x 10–6 x + (–0.7)
9 x 10 − 2 9 x 10 − 2

U = 7 x 10–6 x 107 – 2 x 10–6 x 107 – 0.7 = 70 – 20 – 0.7

U = 49.3 J
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2.6 A molecule of a substance has a permanent electric dipole moment of magnitude 10–29 C m.

A mole of this substance is polarised (at low temperature) by applying a strong

electrostatic field of magnitude 106 Vm–1. The direction of the field is suddenly changed

by an angle of 60º. Estimate the heat released by the substance in aligning its dipoles

along the new direction of the field. For simplicity, assume 100% polarisation of the

sample.

Solution:

Dipole moment of each molecule = 10–29 C m

As 1 mole of the substance contains 6 x 1023 molecules,

Total dipole moment of all the molecules (p) = 6 x 1023 x 10–29 = 6 x 10–6 C m

Initial potential energy (when θ = 0o) :

UI = –pEcosθ = –6 x 10–6 x 106 x cos0o = –6 J

Final potential energy (when θ = 60o) :

UF = –pEcosθ = –6 x 10–6 x 106 x cos60o = –6 (1/2) = –3 J

Loss in potential energy = UF – UI = –3 – (–6) = –3 + 6 = 3 J

This must be the energy released by the substance in the form of heat in aligning its

dipoles.
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2.7 (a) A comb run through one’s dry hair attracts small bits of paper. Why?

What happens if the hair is wet or if it is a rainy day?

(Remember, a paper does not conduct electricity)

(b) Ordinary rubber is an insulator. But special rubber tyres of aircraft are made

slightly conducting. Why is this necessary?

(c) Vehicles carrying inflammable materials usually have metallic ropes touching the

ground during motion. Why?

(d) A bird perches on a bare high power line, and nothing happens to the bird. A man

standing on the ground touches the same line and gets a fatal shock. Why?

Solution:

(a) This is because the comb gets charged by friction. The molecules in the paper gets

polarised by the charged comb, resulting in a net force of attraction.

If the hair is wet, or if it is rainy day, friction between hair and the comb reduces.

The comb does not get charged and thus it will not attract small bits of paper.

(b) To enable them to conduct charge (produced by friction) to the ground ; as too

much of static electricity accumulated may result in spark and result in fire.

(c) Reason similar to (b).

(d) Current passes only when there is difference in potential.

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2.8 A slab of material of dielectric constant K has the same area as the plates of a parallel

plate capacitor but has a thickness (3/4)d, where d is the separation of the plates. How is

the capacitance changed when the slab is inserted between the plates?

Solution:

vacuum (Eo) d/4

d
dielectric slab (E) 3d/4

Electric field at any point in the vacuum between the plates, Eo

Eo
Electric field at any point in the dielectric slab between the plates, E =
K

The potential difference between the plates (V) is

d E 3d 1 3  K +3
V = Eo   + o   = Eod  +  = Vo  
4 K  4   4 4K   4K 

Since the free charge Qo on the plates remains constant,

The capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor with dielectric slab becomes

Qo Qo  4K  Q o  4K 
C= = =  =  Co
V  K + 3   K + 3  Vo  K + 3
Vo  
 4K 

 4K 
Thus the capacitance increases by the factor  
K + 3
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2.9 A network of four 10 µF capacitors is connected to a 500 V supply, as shown in Figure.

Determine (a) the equivalent capacitance of the network and (b) the charge on each

capacitor.

Solution:

(a) In the given network C1, C2 & C3 are connected in series. The effective capacitance

(CS) of these three capacitors is given by

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 10
= + + = + + = ; CS = µF
CS C1 C2 C3 10 10 10 10 3

CS and C4 are connected in parallel. The effective capacitance (C) of the network is

10 10 + 30 40
C = CS + C4 = + 10 = = = 13.33 µF
3 3 3

(b) From the figure, the charge on each of the capacitors C1, C2 and C3 is the same (Q).

10 5
Q = CSV = x 10–6 x 500 = x 10–3 = 1.67 x 10–3 C
3 3

The charge (Q’) on the capacitor C4 is

Q’ = C4V = 10 x 10–6 x 500 = 5 x 10–3 C

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2.10 (a) A 900 pF capacitor is charged by 100 V battery [Figure (a)]. How much electrostatic

energy is stored by the capacitor?

(b) The capacitor is disconnected from the battery and connected to another 900 pF

capacitor [Figure (b)]. What is the electrostatic energy stored by the system?

Solution:

(a) The charge on the capacitor is Q = CV = 900 x 10–12 x 100 = 9 x 10–8 C

1 1
The energy stored by the capacitor is U = QV = x 9 x 10–8 x 100 = 4.5 x 10–6 J
2 2

Q V
(b) By charge conservation, Q’ = ; This implies that V’ =
2 2

1 Q V 1 1 
The total energy of the system = 2 x Q’V’ = x =  QV 
2 2 2 2 2 

1
= x 4.5 x 10–6 = 2.25 x 10–6 J
2