A B C
4C 2C 3C
0.6 cm 0.8 cm
Point charges A, B and C carry charges of 4 C, 2 C and 3 C respectively. They are placed on a straight
line as shown. Find the magnitude of the resultant electrostatic force acting on C. (1 C = 106 C; 0 = 8.85
1012 C2 N1 m2)
Solution
FCA = = (towards ________________)
FCB = = (towards ________________)
Magnitude of the resultant force =
X (3 108 C) Y (5 108 C)
A B
20 cm
Two point charges X (3 108 C) and Y (5 108 C) are placed respectively at A and B which are separated
by 20 cm. (0 = 8.85 1012 C2 N1 m2)
(a) Find the electric field strength at A due to Y.
(b) Find the electric field strength at B due to X.
(c) Are the results in (a) and (b) equal?
(d) Are the magnitude of the electrostatic force experienced by X and Y equal?
Solution
(a) Electric field strength at A due to Y =
= _______________ (towards _________)
(b) Electric field strength at B due to X =
= _______________ (towards _________)
(c)
(d)
A voltage of 2 107 V is applied across two horizontal metal plates 4 cm apart. A charged particle of mass
m enters the field horizontally and keeps on moving along a straight line in the field. The width of the plates
is 10 cm
+
+ + + + + + +
10 cm
4 cm
(a) When the particle enters the electric field, what is the electrostatic force acting on it? Express the
answer in terms of m.
(b) Suppose m = 8 1026 kg. Find the charge of the particle. Take g = 9.81 m s2.
(c) The voltage across the plates is increased slightly.
(i) Sketch a possible path of the particle.
(ii) In the same figure, sketch the path of the particle if it enters the field from a slightly higher
position. Explain your answer.
Solution
(a) Electrostatic force =
(b) The electrostatic force on the particle points _______________. Therefore, the particle
carries a _______________ charge.
V
×q
Electrostatic force = d =
q=
The charge of the particle is _______________.
(c)
+ + + + + + +
(ii)
(i)
(ii) Since the electric field is ________________ between the charged plates, the paths
in (i) and (ii) are ________________ by the same amount.
An external force is applied on an electron so that it moves from the positive plate to the negative plate at
a constant velocity v. The electric field strength between the plates is
30 000 N C1 and the distance between the plates is 30 cm. The charge of an electron is 1.60 1019 C and
the mass of an electron is 9.11 1031 kg. Neglect the effect of gravity.
(a) Find the change in EPE of the electron as it moves from the positive to the negative plate.
(b) The electron is then released from rest at the negative plate. What is its speed when it reaches the
positive plate?
Solution
(a) As the electron moves at a constant velocity, the net force acting on it is zero.
External force = electrostatic force = qE =
Change in EPE = work done by the external force
=
(b) Change in KE = change in EPE
The speed of the electron is _______________.
5. An oil drop with a mass of 7.20 x 10-16kg is suspended between two horizontal parallel plates that have
an electric field strength of 2.20 x 104V/m, what is the magnitude of the charge on the oil drop?
3. 6. Two small metallic spheres, each of mass m = 0.20 g, are suspended as pendulums by light strings
from a common point as in the figure. The sphere are given the same electric charge, and it is found
that they come to equilibrium when each string is at angle of θ= 5. 0˚ with the vertical. If each
string has length l = 30.0 cm, what is the magnitude of the charge on each sphere?
