CONCEPTS REVEALED

ELECTROSTATICS OBJECTIVE PROBLEMS

EXERCISE – 2
Electric Field, Potential, Potential Energy & Dipole
1. The number of electrons to be put on spherical conductor of radius 0.1 m to produce an electric field of
0.036 N/C just above its surface is :
(A) 2.7 x 105 (B) 2.6 x 105

(C) 2.5 x 105 (D) 2.4 x 105

2. A test charge q0 is taken around a circular path ABCDA of radius R in uniform
electric field E. The work done by electric force is :

(A) q0E . 2R (B) q0E . 2pR

(C) zero (D) infinity

3. The electric field strength due to a point charge +q at distance r is E. Then the electric field strength at a
point distance 3r from the charge – 3q will be :
(A) E/3 (B) – E/3
(C) E/9 (D) – E/27
4. The electric potential at the surface of a charged conducting sphere of radius 1 m is 10 V. The electric
potential at a distance 0.5 m from the centre of sphere will be :
(A) 5V (B) 10 V
(C) 20 V (D) zero
5. A test charge q0 (positive and small) is placed on the axis of a charged ring of radius a carrying charge

(– Q). If charge (q0) is released at P such that distance OP << a, then :

(A) test charge q0 moves away from O to infinity

(B) test charge executes periodic motion about O, which is not S.H.M.
(C) test charge executes S.H.M. about O
(D) test charge starts moving towards O and stops at O
6. A charge +q is fixed at each of the points x = x0, x = 3x0, x = 5x0, ….. upto infinity on X–axis and a charge

(– q) is fixed on each of points x = 2x0, x = 4x0, x = 6x0 ….. upto ¥, here x0 is a positive constant. Take the

potential at a point due to a charge Q at a distance r from it Q/4pe0r, then the potential at the origin due to
above system of charges will be :
(A) 0 (B) ¥
1 q log e 2 q
(C) . (D)
4 p e0 x0 8 p e0 x0 log e 2
7. Two parallel plates, separated by a distance of 5 mm are kept at a potential difference of 50 V. A particle of
mass 10– 15
kg and charge 10– 11
coulomb enters in it with a velocity 107 m/s. The acceleration of the
particle will be :
(A) 108 m/s2 (B) 5 x 105 m/s2

(C) 105 m/s2 (D) 2 x 103 m/s2

8. Three charges Q, + q and + q are placed at the vertices of a right angled isosceles
triangle as shown. The net electrostatic energy of the configuration is zero if Q is
equal to:
q 2q
(A) – (B) –
1+ 2 2+ 2
(C) – 2q (D) +q
9. When two electrons are brought nearer, the potential energy of system :
(A) increases (B) decreases
(C) remains same (D) first increases and then decreases
10. If one penetrates a thin uniformly charged shell, the electric field strength :
(A) increases (B) decreases
(C) remains zero throughout (D) remains same as on the surface
11. Two charges each of charge Q are placed at a distance . A third charge q is placed at the mid point of line
joining charges Q. The value of charge q so that the system of three charges are in equilibrium is :
(A) –Q (B) – Q/2
(C) – Q/4 (D) – 4Q
12. Two point charges placed at a distance r in air exert a force F on each other. Then the distance d at which
these charges will exert the same force in a medium of dielectric constant K is :

(A) r (B) r K
2
(C) r/K (D) r/ K
13. A soap bubble is given a negative charge. Then its radius :
(A) increases
(B) decreases
(C) remains unchanged
(D) may increase or decrease depending on size of bubble
14. An electron of mass me, initially at rest, moves through a certain distance in a uniform electric field in

time t1. A proton of mass mp, also, initially at rest takes time t2 to move through an equal distance in this

uniform electric field. Neglecting the effect of gravity, the ratio t2/t1 is nearly equal to :
1/ 2
æ mp ö
(A) 1 (B) ç ÷
çm ÷
è e ø
1/ 2
æ me ö
(C) ç ÷ (D) 1836
ç mp ÷
è ø

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15. The dimensions of electrostatic energy density 1/2 e0E2 are :

(A) [MLT– 2] (B) [ML– 1T– 2]

(C) [ML2T– 2] (D) [ML– 1T– 1]

16. A small conductor A carrying charge q is placed inside a large hollow metallic sphere B, carrying charge Q
(fig). If both conductors A and B are connected by a conducting wire, the charge on
sphere A and B will be respectively :
q+Q q+Q
(A) q and Q (B) ,
2 2
(C) Q + q, 0 (D) 0, (Q + q)
17. A solid conducting sphere having a charge Q is surrounded by an uncharged concentric conducting hollow
spherical shell. Let the potential difference between the surface of a solid sphere and that of the other
surface of the hollow shell be V. If the shell is now given a charge of – 3Q, the new potential difference
between the same two surfaces is :
(A) V (B) 2V
(C) 4V (D) – 2V
18. The electric potential V at any point (x, y, z) all in metres in space is given by V = 4x2 volt. The electric field
at the point (1m, 0, 2m) in volt/metre is :
(A) 8 along negative x–axis (B) 8 along positive x–axis
(C) 16 along negative x–axis (D) 16 along positive z–axis
19. Two equal point charges are fixed at x = – a and x = + a on the x–axis. Another point charge Q is placed at
the origin. The change in the electric potential energy of Q when it is displaced by a small distance x along
the x–axis is approximately proportional to :
(A) x (B) x2

(C) x3 (D) 1/x

20. Two points O and P are at a distance d apart. ABC is a semi circle of radius x. A point charge q0 is taken

from point P to points A, B and C successively, the work done are WA, WB and WC respectively. Then :

(A) WA = WB = WC

(B) WC > WB > WA

(C) WC > WA, WB = 0

(D) WA = WC < WB
21. Two particles A and B have equal charge q each. If B is held fixed and A is brought towards B from far
away when its kinetic energy is E, then the minimum separation between the particles will be :

1 q2 1 q2
(A) . (B) .
4 p e0 E 4 p e0 2E

1 q2 1 2 m q2
(C) . (D) .
4 p e0 m E 4 p e0 E

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22. Two point charges + q and – q are held fixed at (– d, 0) and (d, 0) respectively of a (x, y) coordinate
system. Then :
(A) The dipole moment is qd along +ve X–axis
(B) The dipole moment is q (2d) along +ve X–axis
(C) The dipole moment is q (2d) along +ve Y–axis
(D) The dipole moment is q . 2d along –ve X–axis
23. Some equipotential surfaces are shown in figure. The electric field strength is :
(A) 100 V/m along x–axis
(B) 100 V/m along y–axis
(C) 400 V/m at an angle 120° with X–axis

(D) 400 / 3 V/m at angle 120° with X–axis

24. Three concentric spherical metallic shells A, B and C have radii a, b and c (a < b < c) and charge densities
s, – s and s respectively. If the shells A and C are at the same potential, then the relation between a, b and
c is :
(A) a+b+c=0 (B) a+b=c

(C) a+c=b (D) ab = c

25. An electric dipole is placed at origin in the x – y plane with its orientation along the positive x–axis.
The direction of electric field
(A) at (– x0, 0, 0) is along the positive x–axis (B) at (0, y0, 0) is along the negative x–axis
(C) at (0, 0, z0) is along the negative x–axis (D) all the above
26. Two point charges q and – q are held stationary at a separation d. The work done by electric forces in
making the spacing to 2d is

3 kq 2 3 kq 2
(A) – (B) +
4 d 4 d

1 kq 2 1 kq
(C) – (D) +
2 d 2 d
27. Two concentric conducting shells of radius a and b (> a) carries charge Q and – 2Q respectively.
The correct variation of electric intensity E as a function of r is given by

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

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28. A rod with linear charge density l is bent in the shape of a circular ring. The electric potential at the centre
of the circular ring is
l l
(A) (B)
4e 0 2e 0

l 2l
(C) (D)
e0 e0

29. A uniform electric field of 400 V/m is directed at 45° above the x–axis as

shown in the figure. The potential difference VA – VB is given by

(A) 0 (B) 4V

(C) 6.4 V (D) 2.8 V

30. A charged particle of mass m and charge q is released from rest from (x0,

0) along an electric field E0 ĵ . The angular momentum of the particle about origin

(A) is zero (B) is constant

(C) increases with time (D) decreases with time
31. Four charges of 1µ C, 2µ C, 3µ C, and – 6µ C are placed one at each corner of the square of side 1 m.
The square lies in the x – y plane with its centre at the origin.
(A) The electric potential is zero at the origin only if the sides of the square are parallel to x and y axes.
(B) The electric potential is zero everywhere along the x–axis only if the sides of the square are parallel
to x and y axis.
(C) The electric potential is zero everywhere along the z–axis for any orientation of the square in the x
– y plane.
(D) The electric potential is not zero along the z–axis except at the origin.
32. In the figure shown, if the linear charge density is l, then the net electric field at O will be

kl
(A) zero (B)
R

2k l 2 kl
(C) (D)
R R
33. The energy density in the electric field created by a point charge decreases with the distance from the point
charge as
1 1
(A) (B)
r r2
1 1
(C) (D)
3
r r4
DV
34. A quantity X is given by e0L where e0 is the permittivity of the free space, L is a length, DV is a potential
Dt
difference and Dt is a time interval. The dimensional formula for X is the same as that of
(A) resistance (B) charge
(C) resistance (D) current

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35. 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
36. Four equal charges q are held fixed at (0, R), (0, – R), (R, R) and (R, – R) respectively of a (x, y) coordinate
system. The work done in moving a charge Q from point A (R, 0) to origin (0, 0), is

qQ 2 -1
(A) Zero (B)
4pe0 2R
2qQ 2 qQ 2 +1
(C) (D)
pe0 R 4pe0 2R
37. A thin, metallic spherical shell contains a charge Q on it. A point charge q is placed
at the centre of the shell and another charge q1 is placed outside it as shown in
figure. All the three charges are positive. The Force on the charge at the centre is
(A) towards left (B) towards right
(C) upward (D) zero
38. Two spherical conductors B and C having equal radii and carrying equal charges in them repel each other
with a force F when kept apart at a some distance. A third spherical conductor having same radius as that
of B but uncharged is brought in contact with B, then brought in contact with C and finally removed away
from both. The new force of repulsion between B and C is
(A) F/4 (B) 3 F/4
(C) F/8 (D) 3 F/8
39. A circular ring carries a uniformly distributed positive charge and lies in X–Y plane with center at origin of
co–ordinate system. If at a point (0, 0, z), the potential is V, then which of the graph (figure) is correct ?

(A) (B)

(C) (D)
40. A ring has charge Q and radius R. If a charge q is placed at its center then the increase in tension in the
ring is
Qq
(A) (B) zero
4 p e0 R 2
Qq Qq
(C) (D)
2
4 p e0 R 2
8 p e0 R 2
2

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41. A glass cone has a total charge Q distributed over its sloping surface uniformly. The sloping length is l.
The energy required to bring up a test charge q0 from a very large distance to the vertex of the cone is
2 Q q0 Q q0
(A) (B)
e0 l p e0 l

Q q0 Q q0
(C) (D)
2 p e0 l 4 p e0 l
42. In the figure, the dipole moment is

(A) 3 ql along perpendicular bisector of q – q line

(B) 2ql along perpendicular bisector of q – q line

(C) ql 2 along perpendicular bisector of q – q line

(D) none of these
43. A metallic solid sphere is placed in uniform electric field. The lines of force follow the path(s) shown in fig.
as :
(A) 1 (B) 2
(C) 3 (D) 4
44. Three positive charges of equal value q are placed at the vertices of an
Equatorial triangle. The resulting lines of force should be sketched as

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

®
45. In a region of space, the electric field is in the x-direction and proportional to x, i.e., E = E0x î . Consider an
imaginary cubical volume of edge a, with its edges parallel to the axes of coordinates. The charge inside
this volume is
(A) zero (B) e0E0a3
1 1
(C) E0a3 (D) e0E0a2
e0 6

46. The work done in moving an electron of charge e and mass m from A to B along the circular
path shown by arrow (figure) in the vertical plane in the field of charge Q is
(A) 2mgr (B) 2 Q e/r
(C) 2 m g r + (2 Q e/r) (D) zero

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47. For an infinite line of charge having charge density l lying along X–axis, the work done in moving a charge
q from C to A along CA is
ql ql
(A) loge 2 (B) loge 2
2 p e0 4 p e0

ql ql
(C) loge 2 (D) loge (1/2)
4 p e0 2 p e0
48. A point charge q is placed at the centre of a spherical metallic shell as shown in the figure. Another point
charge q¢ is placed at a distance of 2R from the centre of the shell. The force exerted by q¢ on q will be
1 æ qq¢ ö 1 qq¢
(A) ç ÷ (B)
ç
4 p e0 è 4 R ø
2 ÷ p e0 4 R 2

1 qq¢
(C) (D) 0
4 p e0 R 2

IIT JEE QUESTIONS

51. A disk of radius a/4 having a uniformly distributed charge 6C is placed in the x–y plane with its centre at
(– a/2, 0, 0). A rod of length a carrying a uniformly distributed charge 8C is placed on the x–axis from
x = a/4 to x = 5a/4. Two point charges – 7C and 3C are placed at (a/4, – a/4, 0) and (– 3a/4, 3a/4, 0),
respectively. Consider a cubical surface formed by six surfaces x = ± a/2, y = ± a/2, z = ± a/2. The electric
flux through this cubical surface is (IIT–JEE 2009)
- 2C y
(A)
e0

2C
(B)
e0

10 C x
(C)
e0

12 C
(D)
e0

52. Three concentric metallic spherical shells of radii R, 2R, 3R, are given charges Q1, Q2, Q3, respectively. It is
found that the surface charge densities on the outer surfaces of the shells are equal. Then, the ratio of the
charges given to the shells, Q1 : Q2 : Q3, is (IIT–JEE 2009)
(A) [Link] (B) [Link]
(C) [Link] (D) 1 : 8 : 18

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Paragraph for Question Nos. 3 to 5
The nuclear charge (Ze) is non–uniformly distributed
within a nucleus of radius R. The charge density r (r) [charge per unit volume] is
dependent only on the radial distance r from the centre of the nucleus as shown
in figure. The electric field is only along the radial direction.

53. The electric field at r = R is

(A) independent of a (B) directly proportional to a
2
(C) directly proportional to a (D) inversely proportional to a
54. For a = 0, the value of d (maximum value of r as shown in the figure) is
3 Ze 3 Ze
(A) (B)
4 pR 3
pR3
4 Ze Ze
(C) (D)
3 p R3 3 p R3
55. The electric field within the nucleus is generally observed to be linearly dependent on r. This implies
(A) a=0 (B) a = R/2
2R
(C) a=R (D) a=
3
56. A spherical portion has been removed from a solid sphere having a charge distributed
uniformly in its volume as shown in the figure. The electric field inside the emptied space is

(A) zero everywhere (B) non–zero and uniform

(C) non–uniform (D) zero only at its center

æ aö - aö
57. Positive and negative point charges of equal magnitude are kept at ç 0 , 0 , ÷ and æç 0, 0, ÷,
è 2ø è 2 ø
respectively. The work done by the electric field when another positive point charge is moved from (– a, 0,
0) to (0, a, 0) is
(A) positive
(B) negative
(C) zero
(D) depends on the path connecting the initial and final positions
58. A spherical symmetric charge system is centered at origin. Given,
Q
Electric potential f = r £ R0,
4 p e0 R0
Q
f= r > R0
4 p e0 r
(A) Within r = 2R0 total enclosed net charge is Q
(B) Electric field is discontinuous at r = R0
(C) Charge is only present at r = R0
(D) Electrostatic energy is zero for r < R0

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59. Three infinitely long charge sheets are placed as shown in figure. The electric field at point P is
2s
(A) k̂
e0

4s
(B) k̂
e0

2s
(C) – k̂
e0

4s
(D) – k̂
e0
60. Six charges of equal magnitude, 3 positive and 3 negative are to be placed on PQRSTU
corners of a regular hexagon, such that field at the centre is double that of what it would
have been if only one +ve charge is placed at R.
(A) +,+,+,–,–,– (B) –,+,+,+,–,–
(C) –,+,+,–,+,– (D) + , – , +, – , + , –

(OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS EXERCISE – I)

1. C 18. A 35. D
2. C 19. A 36. D
3. B 20. B 37. A
4. B 21. A 38. D
5. C 22. A 39. D
6. C 23. D 40. B
7. A 24. C 41. D
8. B 25. B 42. C
9. A 26. D 43. A
10. C 27. C 44. A
11. C 28. B 45. D
12. D 29. B 46. C
13. A 30. D 47. B
14. B 31. C 48. A
15. B 32. C 49. D
16. D 33. A 50. A
17. A 34. D

LATEST IIT–JEE QUESTIONS

51. A 54. B 57. C 60. C
52. B 55. C 58. A, C, D
53. A 56. B 59. C

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WE NEVER FORGET FOR WHOM WE ARE WORKING!