Addu High School

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE
Hithadhoo/Addu PHYSICS
Worksheet 3 –Electric fieldopic: Superposition of waves
Worksheet 2
1. Two small charged objects, a distance d apart, exert an attractive force F on each other. The charge on each object
is doubled and the distance increased to 2d.The force of attraction would be
A F/4 B F/2 CF D 2F
2. Which of the following cannot be used as a unit of electric field strength?
A N A–1 s–1 B N C–1 C J C–1 m–1 D J C m–1
3. An electron travels at a speed of 3.2x107 m/s in a horizontal path
through a vacuum.The electron enters the uniform electric field
between two parallel plates,30mm long and 15mm apart,as shown in
the figure.A potential difference of 1400Vis maintained across the
plates,with the top plats,having positive polarity.Assume that there is no
electric field outside the shaded area.
(i) Show that the electric field strength between the plates is 9.3x10 4
V/m.
(ii) Calculate the time taken by the electron to pass through the electric field.
(iii) Show that the acceleration of the electron whilst in the field is 1.6x10 16m/s2 and state the direction of this
acceleration.
4. (a) Explain what is meant by a uniform electric field.

(b) Describe how a uniform electric field can be demonstrated in a laboratory.

5. The positively charged particles in the solar wind are accelerating away from the Sun. Some scientists have
therefore concluded that the Sun is positively charged
(a) Explain this conclusion.
(b) The circle below represents the Sun. Complete the diagram to show the
electric field produced by a positively-charged Sun.

6. Geiger and Marsden investigated the deflection of alpha particles as they passed
through thin gold foils. Calculate the force between a gold nucleus (charge 79e) and an alpha particle (+2e) when
the separation between gold nucleus and alpha particle is 5x10 -14m charge on an electron 1.6x 10-19 C.

7. Two identical table tennis balls, M and N, are attached to non-conducting threads and suspended from a point P.
The balls are each given the same positive charge and they hang as shown in the diagram. The mass of each ball
is 2.7 g.

(a) Draw a free-body force diagram for ball M, label your diagram
with the names of the forces.
(b) (i) Show that the tension in one of the threads is about 3 × 10 –2 N.

(ii) Show that the electrostatic force between the balls is about 2 ×
10–2 N.
(iii) Calculate the charge on each ball.

(iv)State and explain what would have happened if the charge

given to ball M was greater than the charge given to ball N.

Addu high school/Dept of Science/Physics/unit 4/work sheet 3/ electric field