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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Electric Field And Electric Potential
A charged particle traveling along the +x axis enters an electric field directed vertically upward along the +y-axis. If the charged particle experiences a force downward because of this field, what is the sign of the charge on this particle?
It is negative
It is positive
None of these
It is neutral
It is negative
Positive charges in an electric field will experience an electric force that is in the same direction as the electric field. If the charge is negative, the force will be in the opposite direction of the electric field. Since the charged particle experiences a force which is opposite to the electric field, the sign of the charge must be negative.
Example Question #1 : Coulomb's Law
When the magnitude of two interacting charges is increased by a factor of 2, the electrical forces between these charges is __________.
reduced by a factor of 4
reduced by a factor of
reduced by a factor of 3
doubled
quadrupled
quadrupled
In Coloumb's law, an increase in both interacting charges will cause an increase in the magnitude of the electrical force between them. Specifically if the magnitude of both interacting charges is doubled, this will quadruple the electrical force.
Example Question #1 : Electrostatics
What is the main difference between electrical and gravitational forces?
Electrical forces attract and gravitational forces repel
Electrical forces obey the inverse square law and gravitational forces do not
Gravitational forces are always attractive but electrical forces can be attractive or repulsive
Gravitational forces obey the inverse square law and electrical forces do not
Gravitational forces are always attractive but electrical forces can be attractive or repulsive
Electric forces can be attractive or repulsive because charges may be positive or negative. In the case for gravitational forces, there are only attractive forces because mass is always positive.
Example Question #3 : Coulomb's Law
Three equal charges are at three of the corners of a square of side d. A fourth charge of equal magnitude is at the center of the square as shown in Figure above. Which of the arrows shown represents the net force acting on the charge at the center of the square?
D
B
C
A
B
Because of the principles of superposition, each electric force that acts from the charges at the corners on to the charge at the center can be broken into components. Since all the charges are positive, all the forces will be repulsive. The forces acting from the top left and bottom right corners will cancel, leaving only the repulsive force coming from the bottom left corner.
Example Question #4 : Coulomb's Law
An electron traveling along the +x-axis enters an electric field that is directed vertically down, i.e., along the negative y-axis. What will be the direction of the electric force acting on the electron after entering the electric field?
Into the page
Upward
To the right
Out of the page
Upward
Positive charges in an electric field will experience an electric force that is in the same direction as the electric field. If the charge is negative, the force will be in the opposite direction of the electric field. Since we are talking about an electron moving in an electric field that points in the negative y-direction, the electron will feel a force that points in the positive y-direction, or upwards.
Example Question #1 : Electrostatics
A charged rod carrying a negative charge is brought near two spheres that are in contact with each other but insulated from the ground. If the two spheres are then separated, what kind of charge will be on the spheres?
The sphere near the charged rod becomes positive and the other becomes negative
None of these
The spheres do not get any charge
The sphere near the charged rod becomes negative and the other becomes positive
The sphere near the charged rod becomes positive and the other becomes negative
When the negatively charged rod is brought near one of the two spheres, the presents of the negative charge will induce a flow of charge in the spheres such that regions farthest away from the charged rod will become most negative and regions near the rod will become most positive. This is called charge by induction.
Example Question #5 : Coulomb's Law
By what method will a positively charged rod produce a negative charge on a conducting sphere that is placed on an insulating surface?
Charge by conduction
Charge by induction
Charge by convection
None of these
Charge by induction
Charge by induction happens when a charged object is brought in the vicinity of a neutral object. The presents of the charged object will cause the free charges in the neutral object to shift such that the neutral object becomes polarized. When the charged object is positive, this will induce a negative charge on a neutral object.
Example Question #1 : Electromagnetics
A conductor is placed in an electric field under electrostatic conditions. Which of the following statements is correct for this situation?
The electric field is zero inside the conductor
All valence electrons go to the surface of the conductor
The electric field on the surface of the conductor is perpendicular to the surface
All of these
All of these
A conductor is defined as a object free to move charges. In particular, valence electrons, which are the outer most electron in each atom and the most free to move, travel inside the conductor until the net electric field inside the conductor is zero. These electrons will move until this condition has been met. Because of the presents of charged particles at the surface and the condition that they are no longer moving, any electric field at the surface must be perpendicular to that surface.
Example Question #1 : Gauss's Law
The figure shows four Gaussian surfaces surrounding a distribution of charges. Which Gaussian surfaces have an electric flux of through them?
B
C
A
B and D
B
Gauss' laws states that the the electric flux through a Gaussian surface will be proportional to the net total charge inside the Gaussian surface. By inspection of the figure, we see that Gaussian surface B is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 : Gauss's Law
The Figure shows four Gaussian surfaces surrounding a distribution of charges. Which Gaussian surfaces have no electric flux through them
B and D
A
B
C
C
According to Gaussian law, the electric flux will be zero when the net electric charge inside the Gaussian surface is zero. By inspection, we see this is Gaussian surface C.
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