Chapter 2 - Worksheet

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL

1. Two point charges of 10µC and 20µC are placed in free space 2 cm apart. Find the
electric potential at the midpoint of the line joining the two charges.
2. Two point charges 4µC and -2µC are separated by a distance of 1m in air. Calculate at
what point along the line joining the two charges is the electric potential zero.
3. The electric field at a point due to a point charge is 30N/C and electric potential at that
point is 15J/C. Calculate the distance of the point from the charge and magnitude of
charge.
4. What is the potential at the center of a square of each side 1m when four charges
1 x 10-8 C, -2 x 10-8 C, 3 x 10-8C and 2 x 10-8C are placed at the four corners of the square?
5. 27 charged water droplets each with a diameter of 2mm and a charge of 10-12 C coalesce
to form a single drop. Calculate the potential of one drop.
6. A charge of 20µC produces an electric field. Find the values of potentials at point 10 cm
and 5 cm from this charge. Calculate the work done to take an electron from one point
to another.
7. Four charges +q, +q, -q and -q are placed respectively at the corners A, B, C and D of a
square of side a arranged in the given order. Calculate the electric potential at the centre
O. If E and F are the midpoints of side BC and CD respectively, what will be the work
done in carrying a charge e from O to E and O to F?
8. Figure shows field lines of a positive charge. Is the work done by the field in moving a
small positive charge from Q to P positive or negative? Give reason

9. The figure shows the field lines of a positive point charge. What will be the sign of the
potential energy difference of a small negative charge between the points Q and P?
Justify your answer.

10. Figure shows the field lines due to a negative point charge. Give the sign of potential
energy difference of a small negative charge between the points A and B.
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

11. The field lines of a negative point charge are as shown in the figure. Does the kinetic
energy of a small negative charge increase or decrease in going from B to A?

12. Two charged conducting spheres of radii R and 2R are connected to each other by a
wire. What is the ratio of electric field at the surfaces of the two spheres?

13. A uniform electric field E of 500N/C is directed along +X axis. O, B and A are three
points in the field having x and y coordinates (in cm) (0, 0), (4, 0) and (0, 3) respectively.
Calculate the potential difference between the points (i) O and A and (ii) O and B.

14. (a) Twelve negative charges of same magnitude are equally spaced and fixed on the
circumference of a circle of radius R as shown in figure (i). Relative to potential
being zero at infinity, find the electric potential and electric field at the centre C
of the circle.
(b) If the charges are unequally spaced and fixed on an arc of 1200 of radius R as
shown in figure (ii), find electric potential at the centre C.

15. Consider two identical point charges located at points (0, 0) and (a, 0).
(a) Is there a point on the line joining them at which the electric field is zero?
(b) Is there a point on the line joining them at which the electric potential is zero?
Justify your answers for each case.

POTENTIAL DUE TO AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE

16. A short electric dipole has dipole moment 4 x 10-9 Cm. Determine the electric potential
due to the dipole at a distance 0.3m from the centre of the dipole situated (a) along the
axial line (b) on equatorial line (c) on a line making an angle of 600 with the dipole axis.
17. A point P lies at a distance x from the midpoint of an electric dipole on its ais. The
electric potential at point P is porportional to
(a) 1/x2 (b) 1/x3 (c) 1/x4 (d) 1/√x
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

RELATION BETWEEN ELECTRIC FIELD AND POTENTIAL

EQUIPOTENTIAL SURFACES AND THEIR PROPERTIES

18. The electric potential V at any point (x,y,z) in space is given by V = 4x2 volt. Calculate
the electric field at (1m,0,2m)

19. Concentric equipotential surfaces due to a charged body placed at the centre are
shown. Identify the polarity of the charge and draw the electric field lines due to it.

20. Draw 3 equipotential surfaces corresponding to a field that uniformly increases in

magnitude but remains constant along z direction. How are these surfaces different
from that of a constant electric field along z direction?
21. Figure shows lines of constant potential in an electric field. Out of the three given
points P, Q and R where electric field intensity is (i)maximum (ii) minimum.

22. A test charge q is moved without acceleration from A to C along the path from A to B
and then from B to C in an electric field as shown.

(i) Calculate the potential difference between A and C

(ii) At what point A or C is the electric potential more and why?
23. The electric potential as a function of distance x is shown in the figure. Draw a graph
of the electric field E as a function of x.
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

24. Draw the equipotential surfaces corresponding to a uniform electric field in the z
direction.

25. In the given figure, charge +Q is placed at the centre of a dotted circle. Work done in
taking another charge +q from A to B is 𝑊1 and from B to C is 𝑊2 . Which one of the
following is correct: 𝑊1 > 𝑊2 , 𝑊1 = 𝑊2 and 𝑊1 < 𝑊2 ?

26. The electric potential V is given as a function of distance x by V = (5x 2 – 10x – 9)volts.
The value of electric field at x = 1m is
(a) 20 V/m (b) 6 V/m (c) 11 V/m (d) zero
27. Assertion : The electrostatic field 𝐸⃗ is a conservative field.
Reason : Line integral of electric field 𝐸⃗ around a closed path is non zero.
(A is true, R is false)
28. CASE STUDY : A charged body inside an electric field.
A charged latex sphere of mass 1.85 x 10-13 kg is held stationary in between two
horizontal plates which are separated by a distance 0.62 cm. The potential difference
between the plates is 1.24 x 103 V with the upper plate being positive. Based on the
above facts, answer the following questions:
(i) What is the nature of charge on the latex sphere?
(ii) What is the direction of electric field between the plates?
(iii) What is the magnitude of electric field between the plates?
(iv) What is the magnitude of charge on the latex sphere? (Take g = 10 m/s2)
(2023 Paper)

ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL ENERGY FOR A SYSTEM OF

CHARGES

29. Four point charges Q, q, Q, q are placed at the corners of a square of side a as shown.
Find the potential energy of this system.

30. Three point charges q, -4q, 2q are placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle of side
𝑙 as shown in figure. Find out the amount of work done to separate the charges at
infinite distance.
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

31. Three point charges q, 2q and -3q are at A,B,C of an equilateral triangle of side 𝑙. If
these charges are displaced to the midpoints A’, B’, C’ respectively, calculate the
amount of work done in shifting the charges to the new locations.

32. Three charges -q, Q, -q are placed at equal distances on a straight line. If the potential
energy of the system of charges is zero, what is the ratio of Q : q?
33. Three point charges 1µC, -1µC and 2µC are kept at the vertices A, B and C
respectively of an equilateral triangle of side 1m. A1, B1 and C1 are the midpoints of
the sides AB, BC and CA respectively. Calculate the net amount of work done in
displacing the charge from A to A1, from B to B1 and from C to C1.
34. Find the potential energy associated with a charge q if it were present at the point P
with respect to the set up of two charged spheres, arranged as shown. Here O is the
midpoint of the line O1O2.

35. (i) Determine the electrostatic potential energy of a system consisting of two
charges 7µ𝐶 and -2µC (with no external field) placed at (-9cm, 0,0) and (9cm,
0,0) respectively.
(ii) How much work is required to separate the two charges infinitely away from
each other?
𝐴
(iii) Suppose the same system of charges is now placed in an electric field 𝐸 = 𝑟 2
where A = 9 x 105 C/m2, what would the electrostatic energy of the
configuration be?
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

ELECROSTATICS OF CONDUCTORS
36. Three concentric metallic shells A, B and C of radii a, b and c (a < b < c) have surface
charge densities +σ, -σ and +σ respectively as shown.
(a) Obtain the expressions for the potential of three shella A, B and C.
(b) If shells A and C are at the same potential, obtain the relation between a, b and
c.

37. A small sphere of radius r and charge q is enclosed by a spherical shell of radius R and
charge Q. Show that if q is positive, charge will necessarily flow from the sphere to the
shell, when the two are connected by a wire, no matter what the charge Q on the shell
is.
38. State the significance of negative value of electrostatic potential energy of a system of
charges.
39. Three charges are placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle ABC of side 2 m as
shown I n figure. Calculate the electric potential energy of the system of charges.

CAPACITANCE, COMBINATION OF CAPACITORS, ENERGY STORED IN A

CAPACITOR

40. Find the charge and potential difference across capacitors A,B, C.
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

41. The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor having a medium of dielectric constant K
= 4 in between the plates is C. If this medium is removed, then the capacitance of the
capacitor becomes :
4C (b) C (c) C/4 (d) 2C (2024 Foreign)
42. Obtain equivalent capacitance of the following network shown in the figure.
Determine the charge and voltage along each capacitor.

43. The figure shows Q versus V graph for a combination of two capacitors. Identify the
graph representing the parallel combination.

44. The charge q versus potential difference V graphs for the series and the parallel
combination of two capacitors are shown in the figure.

(i) What does the slope of a line represent?

(ii) Identify the lines representing the two combinations
(iii) Find the capacitances of the two capacitors.
45. In a parallel plate capacitor with air between the plates, each plate has an area of 6 x
10-3 m2 and the separation between the plates is 3mm.
(i) Calculate the capacitance of the capacitor
(ii) If this capacitor is connected to 100V supply, what would be the charge
on each plate?
(iii) How would charge on the plates be affected if a 3mm thick mica sheet
of K = 6 is inserted between the plates while the voltage supply remains
connected?
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

46. The graph in figure shows variation of voltage V across the plates of two capacitors A
and B versus increase of charge Q stored on them. Which of the two has higher
capacitance? Give reason.

47. The graph shown here shows the variation of total energy (E) stored in a capacitor
against the value of the capacitance (C) itself. Which of the two: the charge on
capacitor or the potential used to charge it is kept constant for this graph?

48. 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.

49. If a dielectric slab is introduced between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor after
the battery is disconnected, then how do the following quantities change (i) charge (ii)
potential (iii) capacitance (iv) energy
50. A parallel plate capacitor is charged to a potential difference V by a dc source. The
capacitor is then disconnected from the source. If the distance between the plated is
doubled, state with reason how the following will change :
(i) Electric field between the plates
(ii) Capacitance
(iii) Energy stored in the capacitor.
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

51. A capacitor is made of a flat plate of area A and second plate having a stair like
structure as shown in figure below. If width of each stair is A/3 and height is d. Find
the capacitance of the arrangement.

52. For an isolated parallel plate capacitor of capacitance C and potential difference V,
what will happen to (i) charge on the plates (ii) potential difference across the plates
(iii) field between the plates (iv) energy stored in the capacitor (v) energy density ,
when the distance between the plates is increased?
53. Two identical parallel plate capacitors connected to a battery with the switch S closed.
The switch is now opened and the free space between the plates of the capacitors is
filled with dielectric of dielectric constant 3. Find the ratio of the total electrostatic
energy stored in both capacitors before and after the introduction of dielectric.

54. In the arrangement of capacitors shown here, the energy stored in the 6mF capacitor
is E. Find the following (i) energy stored in the 12µF capacitor
(ii) energy stored in the 3µF capacitor
(iii)total energy drawn from the battery in terms of E.

55. A capacitor is filled with two dielectrics of the same dimensions but of dielectric
constants K1 = 2 and K2 = 3. Find the ratio of capacities in the two possible
arrangements. (Ans : 25/24)

56. A 12pF capacitor is connected to a 50V battery. How much electrostatic energy is
stored in the capacitor? If another capacitor of 6pF is connected in series with it with
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

the same battery connected across the combination, find the charge stored and
potential difference across each capacitor
(Ans: U = 1.5 x 10-8 J, 2 x 10-10 C, 50/3 V, 100/3)
57. Between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor of area A, a copper plate sits on a
dielectric slab of K = 2 as shown in figure. Find the equivalent capacitance of this
arrangement.
𝟐∈ 𝑨
(Ans : 𝒅𝟎 )

58. Charges +q and -q are placed at points A and B respectively which are at a distance 2L
apart. C is the midpoint between A and B. The work done in moving a charge +Q along
the semicircle CRD is

𝑞𝑄 −𝑞𝑄 𝑞𝑄 −𝑞𝑄
(b) 2𝜋𝜀 (c) 6𝜋𝜀 (d) 6𝜋𝜀
4𝜋𝜀0 𝐿 0𝐿 0𝐿 0𝐿
59. A parallel plate capacitor with air as medium has a capacitance of 24µF. The capacitor
is filled with three media K1=1, K2=2 and K3=3 as shown in figure. What will be the
capacitance of the system?

60. Keeping the voltage of the charging source constant, what would be the percentage
change in the energy stored in a parallel plate capacitor if the separation between its
plates were to be decreased by 10% .
(Ans : 11.11 %)
61. Figure shows a sheet of Aluminium foil of negligible thickness placed between the
plates of a capacitor. How will its capacitance be affected if: (i) the foil is insulated? (ii)
the foil is connected to the upper plate with a conducting wire?
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

62. A parallel plate capacitor with plate area A and separation d is charged to a potential
difference V. The battery is then disconnected and a dielectric slab of dielectric
constant K is placed between the plates. What change if any, will take place in (i)
charge on the plates (ii) electric field intensity between the plates (iii) capacitance of
the capacitor. Justify your answer in each case.
63. A parallel plate capacitor is charged by a battery. When the battery remains
connected, a dielectric slab is inserted between the plates. Explain what changes if
any, occur in the values of (i) p.d between the plates (ii) electric field strength
between the plates (iii) capacitance (iv) charge on the plates (v) energy stored in the
capacitor?
64. Show that the force on each plate of a parallel plate capacitor has a magnitude equal
1
to 2 𝑞𝐸 where q is the charge on capacitor and E is the magnitude of electric field
between the plates.
65. Two parallel plate capacitors X and Y have the same area of plates and same
separation between them. X has air between the plates while Y contains a dielectric
medium 𝜖𝑟 = 4. (i) Calculate the capacitance of each capacitor if equivalent
capacitance of the combination is 4𝜇𝐹 (ii) Calculate the p.d between the plates of X
and Y (iii) Estimate the ratio of electrostatic energy stored in X and Y.

66.

A parallel plate capacitor is an arrangement of two identical metal plates kept

parallel, a small distance apart. The capacitance of a capacitor depends on the size
and separation of the two plates and also on the dielectric constant of the medium
between the plates. Like resistors, capacitors can also be arranged in series or parallel
or a combination of both. By virtue of electric field between the plates, charged
capacitors store energy.
(a) The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor increases from 10µF to 80µF on
introducing a dielectric medium between the plates. Find the dielectric
constant of the medium.
(b) n capacitors, each of capacitance C are connected in series. Find the equivalent
capacitance of the combination.
(c) A capacitor is charged to a potential V by connecting it to a battery. After some
time, the battery is disconnected and a dielectric is introduced between the
plates. How will the potential difference between the plates and the energy
stored in it be affected ? Justify your answer.
Chapter 2 - Worksheet

(d) Find the equivalent capacitance between points A and B, if capacitance of each
capacitor is C.

67. (i) How will the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor change if :
(1) the plate area is doubled?
(2) the separation between the plates is doubled?
(ii) The effective capacitance of three capacitors of the same capacitance
connected in series is 1µF. Find the :
(1) effective capacitance if they are connected in parallel.
(2) ratio of energy stored in the parallel combination of the capacitors to
that in the series combination, if the combinations are connected to the
same source one by one.

68. Two capacitors of capacitances C1 and C2 are connected in parallel. If a charge Q is

given to the combination, the ratio of the charge on the capacitor C1 to the charge on C2
will be
𝐶 𝐶 𝐶 𝐶
(a)√𝐶1 (b) 𝐶1 (c) √𝐶2 (d) 𝐶2
2 2 1 1

69. The capacitors, each of 4µF are to be connected in such a way that the effective
capacitance of the combination is 6µF. This can be achieved by connecting
(a) all three in parallel
(b) all three in series
(c) two of them connected in series and the combination in parallel to the third.
(d) two of them connected in parallel and the combination in series to the third.
70. Find the total charge stored in the network of capacitors connected between A and B
as shown in figure.

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