Problems on Electrostatics I : CU problems

Scottish Church College, Kolkata(CU)

2. (a) A metal sphere of radius a is surrounded by to radius b by a linear dielectric material of permittivity ϵ. Find out the
capacitance of the sphere.
q2 q 2 (b−a)
(b) If q amount of charge be given to the surface of the sphere , then show that the field energy is U = 8πϵ 0b
+ 8πϵ ab
[1997]

3. A point charge q/2 is situated at the centre of a spherical cavity (radius r) inside a neutral spherical conductor of radius
4r. Using Gauss theorem or otherwise, find the surface density of charge induced on the boundary surface of cavity .
What is the sign of the charge ? [1998]

4. Check which of the following functions may be possible electrostatic fields : (i) E ⃗ = 4y î−2xĵ−k̂ , (ii) E
⃗ = 2xî−yz 2 ĵ−y 2 xz k̂
⃗ = xy î+2yz ĵ +3xz k̂ (iv) E
[1998] (iii) E 2 2 ⃗ = xy î+2yz ĵ +3xz k̂ [2010] (vi) E
⃗ = y î+(2xy +z )ĵ +2yz k̂ [2007] (v) E ⃗ = xî−y ĵ
[2012]

5. AN electron is constrained to move along the axis of a charge ring of radius r carrying a uniform charge q. Show that the
electron can perform oscillation whose frequency is given by ω = ( 4πϵeq
0 mr
3)
3/2
[1999]

6. What is the volume charge density in a region of space where potential is given by V = a − b(x2 + y 2 ) − c log(x2 + y 2 )
[2000]
7. A uniformly charged sphere of radius a carries a total charge Q and a volume charge density ρ. Find out the electrostatic
energy . [2000]

8. A long cylinder carries a volume charge density which is proportional to the distance from its axis ρ = kr. Find the electric
field inside a cylinder at a distance d from the axis . [2001]
q e−r/λ
9. The potential in a medium is given by ϕ(r) = 4πϵ0 r . [2002]
10. The distance between the plates of a parallel plate air condenser is d. A dielectric slab of thickness x is introduced in the
2x
air gap. Show that the capacity will be doubled if the dielectric constant of the slab is K = 2x−d . [2002]

11. A parallel plate capacitor’s space between the plates is filled with a medium whose dielectric constant increases uniformly
with distance . If d be the distance between the plates and K1 and K2 be the dielectric constants of the medium at the
two plates respectively , determine the capacity per unit area. [2003]
12. A circular area of radius R has a point charge Q on its axis at a distance d from the centre of the area. Calculate the flux
of the electric field due to Q through the circular area. [2003]

13. A circle of radius a has a linear charge density λ = λ0 cos θ . Calculate the electric field and potential at the centre of the
circle. [2004]
14. Two concentric spheres of radii r1 and r2 carry electric charges +Q and −Q respectively. The region between the spheres is
filled with two insulating layers of dielectric constants ϵ1 and ϵ2 and width d1 and d2 respectively. Compute the capacitance
of the system . [2004]
⃗ = kr3 r̂. Prove that charge contained within a spherical surface of radius a
15. The electric field in a region is given by E
5
centered at the origin is 4πϵ0 ka . [2005]
16. A metal sphere of radius a is surrounded out to a radius b by a linear dielectric material of permittivity ϵ. Determine the
capacitance of the sphere. [2005]
17. point charge q is introduced at the center of spherical conducting shell. Apply Gauss theorem to find the surface density
of charge induced on the inner surface of the shell having radius R. What is the charge induced on the outer surface ?
[2006]

1
18. Two point charges −q1 and q2 (q1 ̸= q2 ) are placed at the origin (0, 0, 0) and (a, 0, 0) respectively. Show that equipotential
surface corresponding to zero potential is a sphere. What happens when the magnitude of the changes are identical ?
[2007]
19. Two dipoles p⃗1 and p⃗2 are placed in mutually perpendicular direction. What is the torque on p⃗2 due to p⃗1 ? [2007]
20. Show that V (x, y) = e−y sin x represents an electrostatic field in free space. [2008]

21. The potential in a certain region is given by V (x, y, z) = x2 y(z + 3) volts. Calculate the total charge enclosed within the
cube 0 ≤ x, y, z ≤ 1. [2008]
22. Determine the interaction energy between two dipoles separated by a distance r. Hence find the condition for minimum
energy. [2008]
23. +q charges are placed on the vertex of a regular pentagon. Determine the electric field at its centre. [2009]

24. A charge q is distributed uniformly over the surface of a thin circular insulating disc of radius a. Find the potential at a
point on the rim of disc. [2009]
25. Given Coulomb’s law, show that the electrostatic field is conservative . [2011]
26. A pure dipole is situated at the origin pointing in the z direction. What is the force on a point charge q at (a, 0, 0)? [2011]

27. Find out the electrostatic potential and field at a point lying on the axis of a uniformly charged circular disc. [2011]
28. Two particles, each of mass m and carrying charge q are suspended by massless strings of length L from a common point.
If θ is the angle that each each string makes with the vertical line and g is the acceleration due to gravity, show that
16πϵ0 mgL2 sin3 θ = q 2 cos θ. [2012]

29. A dipole p⃗ is at a distance r from a point charge q and oriented so that p⃗ makes an angle θ with the vector ⃗r from q to p⃗.
Find out the force on p⃗. [2012]
30. Three point charges are located at the following places 2q at (0, a, a); q at (0, −a, a) and −q at (0, 0, −a). Calculate the
dipole moment and the dipole potential of this distribution at the point (0, 0, z) where z >> d. [2012]

31. A dipole moment p⃗1 is fixed at the origin of coordinate system. Another coplanar dipole p⃗2 is placed defined by the
position vector ⃗r and free to rotate. Shaw that for equilibrium tan θ1 = −2 tan θ2 where θ1 and θ2 are the angles that ⃗r
makes with p⃗1 and p⃗2 respectively. [2012]