6A

Electric Fields Worksheet

Practice makes perfect ;)
Instructions: Show all calculations
Given: (Coulombs constant )k = 9 x 109Nm2C-2, 0 = 8.85 x 10-12
Fm-1 (permittivity of free space)

1. What is the potential gradient (V/d) between two parallel

plane conductors when their separation is 20mm and a p.d
of 400V is applied to them? Calculate the force on an oil drop
between the plates if the drop carries a charge of 8 x 10 -19C.
2. Four charges of +5.0nC, +8.0nC, -2.0nC and -4.0nC are
positioned in air at the corners of a square of side 10cm.
Calculate:
a) The field strength at the centre of the square
b) The potential at the centre of the square.
c) What does the sign of the calculated potential in part (b)
indicate
3. In the diagram shown below, calculate:
a) The resultant field strength (magnitude and direction) at
point P.

4. Two point charges are separated by a distance of

3.00 m. One has a charge of 0.0250 C and the other
+0.0550 C. What is the magnitude and direction of the
electric field at a point P 2.00 m from the -0.0250 charge?

5. Use Coulombs law to determine the force experienced by

the +2C in the diagram below

6. An electron travels at a speed of 3.2 x107m/s in a horizontal

path through a vacuum. The electron enters the uniform field
between two parallel plates 30mm long and 15mm apart. A
p.d of 1400V is maintained across the plates, with the top
plate having a positive polarity.
a) Show that the electric field between the plates is 9.3 x
104 V/m
b) Calculate the time taken by the electron to pass through
the electric field
c) Show that the acceleration of the electron whilst in the
field is 1.6 x 1016 ms-2 and state the direction of this
acceleration.
d) Determine the magnitude and direction of the velocity of
the electron at the point where it leaves the field
7.
How do
a) The magnitude of the gravitational field, and
b) The magnitude of the electrostatic field, vary with
distance from a point mass and charge respectively?

Sketch a graph illustrating the variation of electrostatic

field E with distance r from the centre of a uniformly solid
metal sphere of radius ro which is positively charged.
Explain the shape of your graph,
i)

For r > r0 Charge on surface of sphere

ii)

For r <ro No charge inside sphere.

8. Three point charges are fixed in place in a right triangle.

a) What is the electric force on the 0.60-C charge due to
the other two charges?

9. Two charges are placed on the x-axis. One charge (q 1 =

+8.5C) is x1 =3.0cm and the other (q2 = -21C) is at x2 =
+9.0cm. Find the net electric field (magnitude and direction )
at x = +6.0cm.

10. State

three (3) applications of electrostatics in industry and

briefly explain one.