Physics 72 Recit 1

TWHFX-, 2nd sem, A.Y. 2016-2017

August 18, 2016
Instructions: Answer all problems. You may discuss with your classmates but the submission is individual. Show your
complete solution. Box your final answer. The instructor has the right to deem your answer wrong if your solution is
incomplete and/or unclear.

1. If you bring a negatively charged insulator near two neutral insulating spheres that are in contact, then separate
the spheres, the sphere on the right will have
A. no net charge.
B. a positive charge.
C. a negative charge.

2. Small spheres of charges q and +3q are a distance 2L apart along some axis. At which of the points (A to E) will
a positively charged particle most likely feel zero electric force?

3. Three charges are arranged as shown. What is the y-component of the net electric force on charge 1?
1 qQ
A. k 2
5 d
1 qQ
B. k 2
5 5 d
1 qQ
C. k 2
5 d
5 qQ
D. k 2
5 d
4. Point A is a distance L to the left of a charge Q. Point B is a distance 3L to the left of point A. If the electric field
magnitude at point A due to charge Q is E, what is the electric field magnitude at point B?
A. E
B. E/3
C. E/9
D. E/16

5. An electron (q = 1.60 1019 C, m = 9.11 1031 kg) was projected horizontally midway between the two parallel
plates 1.00 cm apart, as shown. The field in between the plates uniformly points downward. If 1.25 108 s elapsed
before the electron hit one plate, what is the electric field magnitude?
A. 4.56 106 N/C
B. 364 N/C
C. 182 N/C
D. 2.28 106 N/C
6. Three charges are arranged as shown. What is the net electric field at the point marked with ?
!
2 kq
A. 1
( + )
2
a2
!
2 kq
B. 1 +
( + )
2
a2
!
2 kq
( )
C. 1
2
a2
D. zero
7. A positive charge Q is distributed uniformly on a rod. The rod is bent to form a half-circle with radius R. What
is the electric field magnitude at the center of curvature P ?
Hint: you should end up with some expression containing the integral
Z

+/2

cos d = 2
/2

A. k

Q
R

B. k

2Q
R

C. k

2Q
R2

D. k

Q
2R2

1. Since the spheres are insulators, electrons are bound to their parent atom, and thus are unable to move from one
sphere to another. A .
2. For points B, C, and D, both spheres will apply a force to the particle going to the left. So the force wont be zero.
At point E, the negatively charged sphere will pull the particle to the left while the positively charged sphere will
push the particle to the right. But since the magnitude of the positive charge is larger and it is closer to E, the
push will be stronger than the pull.
At point A, the negatively charged sphere will pull the particle to the right while the negatively charged sphere will
push the particle to the left. The magnitude of the positive charge is larger but it is farther from A, so the push
will be around the same strength as the pull. A .
3. Note that the force on 1 due to 2 has no y-component. Hence the y-component of the net force on 1 is just the
y-component
p of the forceon 1 due to 3. The separation is the hypotenuse of the triangle formed by 1, 2 and 3,
which is d2 + (2d)2 = 5d, and the sine function can be simplified using SOHCAHTOA.
qQ
F3on1,y = k
sin
( 5d)2 |{z}
1
qQ

= k 2
5d
5
1 qQ
= k 2 ; B .
5 5 d
4. From point A to point B, the separation increased by a factor of 4. Since E
factor of 16. D .
5. Use a kinematic equation to solve for the acceleration.
2y
1
*t0+ at2 a =

y = 
v0y
2
t2
2(0.005 m)
=
1.25 108 s
= 6.4 1013 m/s2
Use Newtons 2nd law to solve for the electric force.
F = ma
= (9.11 1031 kg)(6.4 101 3 m/s2 )
= 5.83 1017 N
Use the definition of the electric field to solve for the field magnitude.
F
q
5.83 1017 N
=
1.60 1019 C

E=

= 364 N/C ; B .

1
, the force should decrease by a
r2

6. Figure out the directions of the individual field contributions, solve for the individual magnitudes, then get the
vector sum.

2q
2q

~ = k q + k q +
225 + k
sin 225
E
k 2 cos
a2
a2
( 2a) | {z }
( 2a)2 | {z }
2/2

2/2

!
q
2
1
k 2 ( + ) ; A .
2
a

dq
7. Divide the half-circle into very, very small segments, each would have an electric field magnitude dE = k R
2 . By
symmetry, the y-component of the electric fields of each segment would cancel each other out, leaving only the
x-component:

dEx = k

dq
cos
R2

Sum up the contributions of each segment.

Z
Ex =

k
all charge

Use the fact that

dq
cos
R2

dq
Q
=
(R is the length of the rod), where ds is the very, very small length of the rod.
R
ds
 
Q
Z
R ds
Ex =
k
cos
R2
half-circle

Use the fact that ds = R d (this relates arc length with the angle subtended by the arc).
 
Q
Z +/2
R (R d)
Ex =
k
cos
R2
/2
Z +/2
Q
cos d
=k
R2 /2
2Q
=k
; C .
R2