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12TH STANDARD – CBSE – PHYSICS – CHAPTER 2
ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE
EXERCISE PROBLEMS
2.1 Two charges 5 x 10–8 C and –3 x 10–8 C are located 16 cm apart. At what point(s) on the
line joining the two charges is the electric potential zero? Take the potential at infinity to
be zero.
Solution:
16 cm
QA QB
A P B
x 16–x
Let P be the point on the line joining the two charges, where the electric potential is zero.
VP = VPA + VPB = 0
VPA = –VPB
QA QB
=–
4πε o x 4πε o (16 − x)
5 x 10 −8 − 3 x 10 −8
=–
4πεo x 4πε o (16 − x)
5 3
= ; 5(16 – x) = 3x ; 80 – 5x = 3x
x (16 − x )
8x = 80 ; x = 10 cm
So the electric potential is zero at 10 cm from the charge of 5 x 10–8 C.
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If the point P is not between the two charges, then
16 cm x–16
QA QB
A B P
VP = VPA + VPB = 0
VPA = –VPB
QA QB
=–
4πε o x 4πε o ( x − 16)
5 x 10 −8 − 3 x 10 −8
=–
4πεo x 4πε o ( x − 16)
5 3
= ; 5(x – 16) = 3x ; 5x – 80 = 3x
x ( x − 16)
5x – 3x = 80 ; 2x = 80 cm ; x = 40 cm
So the electric potential is zero at 40 cm from the charge of 5 x 10–8 C on the side of
negative charge.
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2.2 A regular hexagon of side 10 cm has a charge 5 µC at each of its vertices. Calculate the
potential at the centre of the hexagon.
Solution:
+q +q
r
r
+q r +q
r
r r
+q +q
q
V=6x
4πεor
9 x 109 x 5 x 10 −6
V=6x
10 x 10 − 2
9 x 10 3 x 30
V=
10 −1
V = 270 x 104
V = 2.7 x 106 volts
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2.3 Two charges 2 µC and –2 µC are placed at points A and B 6 cm apart.
(a) Identify an equipotential surface of the system.
(b) What is the direction of the electric field at every point on this surface?
Solution:
(a) Since it is an electric dipole, a plane surface normal to the axis and passing through
its midpoint has zero potential everywhere.
(b) The direction of the electric field at every point on this surface is normal to its
plane and opposite to the direction of electric dipole moment.
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2.4 A spherical conductor of radius 12 cm has a charge of 1.6 x 10–7 C distributed uniformly
on its surface. What is the electric field
(a) inside the sphere
(b) just outside the sphere
(c) at a point 18 cm from the centre of the sphere?
Solution:
(a) Electric field at any point inside the charged sphere is zero
(b) Electric field just outside the sphere i.e. on the surface of the sphere
Q
Eon =
4πεo R 2
9 x 109 x 1.6 x 10 −7 9 x 109 x 16 x 10 −8
Eon = =
(12 x 10 − 2 )2 144 x 10 − 4
144 x 10
Eon = −4
= 105 NC–1
144 x 10
(c) Electric field at a point 18 cm from the centre of the sphere
Q
Eout =
4πεor 2
9 x 109 x 1.6 x 10 −7 9 x 109 x 16 x 10 −8
Eout = =
(18 x 10 − 2 )2 18 x 10 − 2 x 18 x 10 − 2
1 x 10 x 8 40
Eout = −2 −2
=
2 x 10 x 9 x 10 9 x 10− 4
Eout = 4.44 x 104 NC–1
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2.5 A parallel plate capacitor with air between the plates has a capacitance of 8 pF. What
will be the capacitance if the distance between the plates is reduced by half, and the
space between them is filled with a substance of dielectric constant 6?
Solution:
εo A
Co = = 8 pF
d
Kε o A 2K ε o A
C= =
d/2 d
2 x 6 εo A
C= = 12 Co = 12 x 8 = 96 pF
d
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2.6 Three capacitors each of capacitance 9 pF are connected in series.
(a) What is the total capacitance of the combination?
(b) What is the potential difference across each capacitor if the combination is
connected to a 120 V supply?
Solution:
C1=9pF C2=9pF C3=9pF
Q Q Q
V1 V2 V3
120 V
(a) Total capacitance of the series combination
1 1 1 1
= + +
CS C1 C2 C3
1 1 1 1 3 1
= + + = =
CS 9 9 9 9 3
CS = 3 pF
(b) Net charge stored in the series combination of capacitors is
Q = CSV = 3 x 10–12 x 120 = 360 x 10–12 C = 360 pC
Potential difference across each capacitor is
Q 360 x 10 −12
V1 = = = 40 V
C1 9 x 10 −12
Q 360 x 10 −12
V2 = = = 40 V
C2 9 x 10 −12
Q 360 x 10 −12
V3 = = = 40 V
C3 9 x 10 −12
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2.7 Three capacitors of capacitances 2 pF, 3 pF and 4 pF are connected in parallel.
(a) What is the total capacitance of the combination?
(b) Determine the charge on each capacitor if the combination is connected to a 100 V
supply.
Solution:
(a) Total capacitance of the parallel combination
CP = C1 + C2 + C3
CP = 2 + 3 + 4 = 9 pF
(b) Since the capacitors are connected in parallel, the potential difference across each
of them remains the same i.e. 100 V.
Charge on each capacitor
Q1 = C1V = 2 x 10–12 x 100 = 200 x 10–12 C = 200 pC
Q2 = C2V = 3 x 10–12 x 100 = 300 x 10–12 C = 300 pC
Q3 = C3V = 4 x 10–12 x 100 = 400 x 10–12 C = 400 pC
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2.8 In a parallel plate capacitor with air between the plates, each plate has an area of
6 x 10–3 m2 and the distance between the plates is 3 mm. Calculate the capacitance of the
capacitor. If this capacitor is connected to a 100 V supply, what is the charge on each
plate of the capacitor?
Solution:
εo A
Co =
d
8.85 x 10 −12 x 6 x 10 −3
Co =
3 x 10 − 3
Co = 8.85 x 10–12 x 2 = 17.7 x 10–12 F
Co = 17.7 pF
Qo = CoV
Qo = 17.7 x 10–12 x 100
Qo = 17.7 x 10–10 C
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2.9 Explain what would happen if in the capacitor given in Exercise 2.8, a 3 mm thick mica
sheet (of dielectric constant = 6) were inserted between the plates,
(a) while the voltage supply remained connected.
(b) after the supply was disconnected.
Solution:
C = KCo = 6 x 17.7 = 106.2 pF
(a) If the voltage supply remained connected, then the potential difference across the
capacitor will remain the same i.e. 100 V.
Charge on the capacitor becomes
Q = CV
Q = 106.2 x 10–12 x 100
Q = 106.2 x 10–10 C
(b) If the voltage supply was disconnected, then the charge on the capacitor remains the
same i.e. Q = 17.7 x 10–10 C.
Potential difference across the capacitor becomes
Q 17.7 x 10 −10 1 100
V= = 12
= 2
= = 16.67 V
C 106.2 x 10 −
6 x 10 − 6
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2.10. A 12 pF capacitor is connected to a 50 V battery. How much electrostatic energy is
stored in the capacitor?
Solution:
1
U= CV 2
2
1
U= x 12 x 10–12 x (50)2
2
U = 6 x 10–12 x 2500
U = 15000 x 10–12
U = 1.5 x 10–8 J
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2.11 A 600 pF capacitor is charged by a 200 V supply. It is then disconnected from the supply
and is connected to another uncharged 600 pF capacitor. How much electrostatic energy
is lost in the process?
Solution:
The common potential V across the capacitors is
net ch arg e C V + C2 V2
V= = 1 1
net capaci tan ce C1 + C2
600 x 10 −12 x 200 + 0 12 x 10 −8 10 −8 10 −8
V= = = = = 100 V
600 x 10 −12 + 600 x 10 −12 1200 x 10 −12 100 x 10 −12 10 −10
Energy stored in the capacitor before connection is
1 1
UI = C1V12 + 0 = x 600 x 10–12 x (200)2 = 300 x 4 x 10–8 = 1200 x 10–8
2 2
UI = 12 x 10–6 J = 12 µJ
Energy stored in the capacitor after connection is
1 1
UF = (C1 + C2 ) V 2 = x (600 x 10–12 + 600 x 10–12) x (100)2
2 2
1
UF = x 1200 x 10–12 x 104 = 600 x 10–8
2
UF = 6 x 10–6 J = 6 µJ
Therefore the energy lost in the process is
∆U = UF – UI = 6 – 12 = – 6 µJ
