Electrostatic potential

Introduction
1. Which of the following quantities do not depend on the choice of zero potential or zero potential energy?
a. Potential at a point
b. Potential difference between two points
c. Potential energy of a two-charge system
d. None of these
2. An electron is taken from point A to point B along the path AB in a uniform electric field of intensity E =10
Vm -1 . Side AB =5 m, and side BC = 3 m. Then, the amount of work done on the electron is

a. 50 eV
b. 40 eV
c. -50 eV
d. -40 eV
3. In the electric field of a point charge q, a certain charge is carried from point A to B, C, D and E. then the
work done is

a. Least along the path AB

b. Least along the path AD
c. Zero along all the paths AB, AC, AD and AE
d. Least along AE

Electrostatic potential
4. The electric potential inside a conducting sphere
a. Increases from centre to surface
b. Decreases from centre to surface
c. Remains constant from centre to surface
d. Is zero at every point inside
5. It becomes possible to define potential at a point in an electric field because electric field
a. Is a conservative field
b. Is a non-conservative field
c. Is a vector field
d. Obeys principle of superposition
6. Which of the following about potential at a point due to a given point charge is true? The potential at a point
P due to a given point charge
a. Is a function ofdistance from the point charge
 b. Varies inversely as the square of distance from the point charge
c. Is a vector quantity
d. Is directly proportional to the square of distance from the point charge
7. A, B, and C are three points in a uniform electric field. The electric potential is

a. Maximum at b
b. Maximum at C
c. Same at all the three points A, B, and C
d. Maximum at A
8. The figure shows the electric dipole placed along x-axis. As we move from point A to point B potential
changes from

a. Positive to negative
b. Negative to positive
c. Positive to zero
d. Does not change
9. A and B are two points in an electric field. If the work done in carrying 4.0 C of electric charge from A to B is
16.0 J, the potential difference between A and B is
a. Zero
b. 2.0 V
c. 4.0 V
d. 16.0 v
10. Two points P and Q are maintained at the potentials of 10 V and –4 V, respectively. The work done in moving
100 electrons from P to Q is:
a. 9.60 X 10-17 J
b. -2.24 X 10-17 J
c. 2.24 X 10-17 J
d. -9.60 X 10-17 J
11. A ball of mass 1 g carrying a charge 10-8 C moves from a point A at potential 600 V to a point B at zero
potential. The change in its K.E. is
a. -6 X 10-6 erg
b. -6 X 10-6 J
c. 6 X 10-6 J
d. 6 X 10-6 erg
12. A point charge is kept at the centre of metallic insulated spherical shell. Then
a. Electric field outside the sphere is zero
b. Electric field inside the sphere is zero
c. Net induced charge on the sphere is zero
d. Electric potential inside the sphere is zero

Potential due to a point charge

13. Charges are placed on the vertices of a square as shown. Let 𝐸 be the electric field and V the potential at the
centre. If the charges on A and B are interchanged with those on D and C respectively, then
 a. 𝐸 changes, V remains unchanged
b. 𝐸 remains unchanged, V changes
c. Both 𝐸 and V change
d. 𝐸 and V remain unchanged
14. Three charges 2q, -q and –q lie at vertices of a triangle. The value of E and V at centroid of triangle will be-
a. E ≠ 0 and V ≠ 0
b. E =0 and V =0
c. E ≠0 and V =0
d. E =0 and V ≠0
15. Fur point charges –Q, -q, 2q and 2Q are placed, one at each corner of the square. The relation between Q
and q for which the potential at the centre of the square is zero is
a. 𝑄 = − 𝑞
1
b. 𝑄 = −
𝑞
c. 𝑄 = 𝑞
1
d. 𝑄 =
𝑞

Potential due to an electric dipole

16. The value of electric potential at any point due to any electric dipole is
𝑝 ×𝑟
a. 𝑘. 𝑟2
𝑝 ×𝑟
b. 𝑘. 𝑟3
𝑝.𝑟
c. 𝑘. 𝑟2
𝑝.𝑟
d. 𝑘. 𝑟3

17. Four points a, b, c and d are set at equal distance from the centre of a dipole as shown in figure. The
electrostatics potential Va , Vb , Vc and Vd would satisfy the following relation:

a. Va > Vb > Vc > Vd

b. Va > Vb = Vc > Vd
c. Va = Vb = Vc = Vd
d. Va = Vb > Vc > Vd
18. Four charges q1 = 2 X 10-8 C, q2 = -2 X 10-8 C , q3 =-3 X 10-8 C , and q4 = 6 X 10-8 C are placed at four corners of
a square of side √2 m. what is the potential at the centre of the square?
a. 270 V
b. 300 V
c. Zero
d. 100 V
19. A unit charge moves on an equipotential surface from a point A to point B, then
a. VA – VB = + ve
b. VA – VB = 0
c. VA – VB = - ve
d. It is stationary
20. In moving from A to B along an electric field line, the work done by the electric field on an electron is 6.4 X
10-19 J . If 𝜙 1 and 𝜙 2 are equipotential surfaces, then the potential difference VC –VA is

a. -4 V
b. 4 V
c. Zero
d. 6.4 V
21. Which of the following figures shows the correct equipotential surfaces of a system of two positive charges?

22. Which of the following is NOT the property of equipotential surface?

a. They do not cross each other
b. The rate of change of potential with distance on them is zero
c. For a uniform electric field, they are concentric spheres.
d. They can be imaginary spheres.
23. Equipotential surfaces are shown in the figure. Then the electric field strength will be
 a. 100 Vm-1 along X- axis
b. 100 Vm-1 along y- axis
c. 200 Vm-1 at an angle 1200 with X- axis
d. 50 Vm-1 at an angle 1200 with X- axis
24. The potential at a point x (measured in 𝜇 m) due to some charges situated on the x-axis is given by V(x) =20/
(x2 –4 ) volt. The electric field E at x =4 𝜇 m is given by
a. (10/9) volt/ 𝜇 m and in the +ve x direction
b. (5/3) volt/ 𝜇 m and in the –ve x direction
c. (5/3) volt/ 𝜇 m and in the +ve x direction
d. (10/9) volt/ 𝜇 m and in the –ve x direction
𝑑𝑣
25. The expression 𝐸 = − 𝑑𝑟
implies, that electric field is in that direction in which

a. Increase in potential is steepest

b. Decrease in potential is steepest
c. Change in potential is minimum
d. None of these
26. From a point charge, there is a fixed-point A. At A, there is an electric field of 500 V/m and potential
difference of 3000 V, distance between point charge and A will be
a. 6 m
b. 12 m
c. 16 m
d. 24 m
27. Two metal pieces having a potential difference of 800 V are 0.02 m apart horizontally. A particle of mass 1.96
X 10-15 kg is suspended in equilibrium between the plates. If 𝑒 is the elementary charge, then charge on the
particle is
a. 8
b. 6
c. 0.1
d. 3
28. A point charge of magnitude +1 𝜇 C is fixed at (0,0,0). An isolated uncharged spherical conductor is fixed with
its centre at (4,0,0). The potential and the induced electric field at the centre of the sphere is:
a. 1.8 X 105 V and – 5.625 X 106 V/m
b. 0 V and 0 V/m
c. 2.25 X 105 V and – 5.625 X 106 V/m
d. 2.25 X 105 V and 0 V/m
29. The electric potential at a point (x,y) in the x- y plane is given by 𝑉 = − 𝑘𝑥𝑦 . The field intensity at a distance
r from the origin varies as
a. 2
b. 𝑟
1
c.
𝑟
1
d. 𝑟2
30. If a unit positive charge is taken from one point to another over an equipotential surface, then
 a. Work is done on the charge
b. Work is done by the charge
c. Work done is constant
d. No work is done
31. If the electric potential at any point (x,y,z) m in space is given by V= 3x2 volt. The electric field at the point
(1,0,3) m will be:
a. 3 V/m-1, directed along positive x-axis
b. 3 V/m-1, directed along negative x-axis
c. 6 V/m-1, directed along positive x-axis
d. 6 V/m-1, directed along negative x-axis

Potential energy of a system of charges

32. A hollow metal sphere of radius 5 cm is charged such that the potential on its surface is 10 V. the potential at
a distance of 2 cm from the centre of the sphere is
a. Zero
b. 10 V
c. 4 V
d. 10/3 V
33. The potential energy of a system of two charges is negative when
a. Both the charges are positive
b. Both the charges are negative
c. One charge is positive and other is negative
d. Both the charges are seperated by infinite distance
34. Figure shows a system of three positive charges placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle. To decrease
the potential energy of the system,

a. A positive charge should be placed at centroid

b. A negative charge should be placed at centroid
c. Distance between the charges should be decreased
𝜋
d. It should be rotated by an angle of radian
2

Potential energy in an external field

35. An electric dipole of moment 𝑝 is placed normal to the lines of force of electric intensity 𝐸 , then the work
done in deflecting it through an angle of 1800 is
a. pE
b. +2pE
c. -2pE
d. Zero

Electrostatics of conductors
36. A cube of a metal is given a positive charge Q. for this system which of the following statements is true?
a. Electric potential at the surface of the cube is zero
b. Electric potential within the cube is zero
 c. Electric field is normal to the surface of the cube
d. Electric field varies within the cube
37. Figure below shows a hollow conducting body placed in an electric field. Which of the quantities are zero
inside the body?

a. Electric field and potential

b. Electric field and charge density
c. Electric potential and charge density
d. Electric field, potential and charge density

Dielectrics and polarization

38. A parallel plate capacitor is located horizontally such that one of the plates is submerged in a liquid while the
other is above the liquid surface. When plates are charged the level of liquid

a. Rises
b. Falls
c. Remains unchanged
d. May rise or fall depending on the charge amount
39. Two vertical metallic plates carrying equal and opposite charges are keptparallel to each other like a parallel
plate capacitor. A small spherical metallic ball is suspended by a long-insulated thread such that it hangs
freely in the centre of the two metallic plates. The ball, which is unchanged plate and is mde to touch that
plate. Then the ball will
a. Stick to the positively charged plate
b. Comeback to its original position and will remain there
c. Oscillate between the two plates ouching each plate in turn
d. Oscillate between the two plates without touch them