Preparation for Medical and Engineering Entrance Exams

Chapter(s): Electrostatics

1. 1
Show that the force on each parallel plate capacitor has a magnitude equal to 2qE, where q is the charge
1
on the capacitor, E is the magnitude of electric field between the plates. Explain the origin of factor 2.
2. Given two parallel conducting plates of area A and charge densities +σ
and – σ. A dielectric slab of constant K and a conducting slab of
thickness d each are inserted in between them as shown.

i. Find the potential difference between the plates.

ii. Plot E versus x graph, taking x=0 at positive plate and x=5d at
negative plate.

3. Three circuits, each consisting of a switch ‘S’ and two capacitors, are initially charged, as shown in the
figure. After the switch has been closed, in which circuit will the charge on the left-hand capacitor
(a) increase, (b) decrease and (c) remain same? Give reasons.

4. The figure below shows two identical capacitors C1 and C2, each
of 1 µF capacitance, connected to a battery of 6V. Initially,
switch S is closed. After some time, S is left open and a dielectric
slab of dielectric constant K=3 is inserted to fill completely the
space between the plates of two capacitors. How will the (i)
charge (ii) potential difference between the plates of the
capacitors be affected after the slabs are inserted?

5. A capacitor of unknown capacitance is connected across a battery of V volts. The charge stored in it is
360µC. When potential across the capacitor is reduced by 120V, the charge stored in it becomes 120
µC.
i. Calculate the potential V and the unknown capacitance C.
ii. What will be the charge stored in the capacitor, if the voltage applied had increased by 120 V?

6. Two parallel plate capacitors X and Y have the same area of plates and
same separation between them. X has air between the plates and Y
contains a dielectric medium of єr= 4. Calculate:
i. Capacitance of X and Y if equivalent capacitance of the X Y
combination is 4µF.
ii. Potential difference between the plates of X and Y.
iii. Ratio of electrostatic energy stored in X and Y.
12 V

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SAT, Engineering and Medical Entrance Preparation Center
 Preparation for Medical and Engineering Entrance Exams

Chapter(s): Electrostatics

7. Two metal spheres A and B of radius r and 2r whose centres are

separated by a distance of 6r are given charge Q, are at potentials V1
and V2 . Find the ratio of V1/V2 . These spheres are connected to each
other with the help of a connecting wire keeping the separation
unchanged, what is the amount of charge that will flow through the
wire?

8. Four point charges Q,q,Q and q are placed at the corners of a square of side ‘a’ as shown in the figure.
Q q

q Q
Find the: a
a) resultant electric force on a charge Q,
b) potential energy of the system.

9. a) Three point charges q, -4q and 2q are placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle ABC of
side ‘l’ as shown in the figure. Obtain the expression for the magnitude of the resultant electric
force acting on the charge q.
A (q)

B (-4q) C (2q)
l

b) Find out the amount of the work done to separate the charges at infinite distance.

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SAT, Engineering and Medical Entrance Preparation Center