Version 106 – douglas (jed3339) – Midterm 02 – yao – (54790) 1

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q1
R1
001 10.0 points O
An air-filled parallel-plate capacitor with a ca- R2
pacitance of 6 µF is connected across a 100 V
voltage source. While the voltage source re-
A
mains connected, the capacitor is immersed in R3
an oil of dielectric constant 4.5. How much ad-
ditional charge flows from the voltage source Find the magnitude of the electric field at
to the capacitor as a result? A , where the distance between O and A is a.

1. 2.7 mC |q2 − q1 |
1. EA = k
a2
2. 1.7 mC |q1 |
2. EA = k 2
a
3. 3.5 mC
|q2 |
3. EA = k 2
4. 2.1 mC correct a
|q1 + q2 |
4. EA = k correct
5. 1.2 mC a2
5. EA = 0
6. 4.5 mC

Explanation:
Consider a spherical Gaussian surface
through A. A is outside of the entire charge
distribution a distance a from the center, so
the enclosed charge Qencl = q1 + q2 can be
treated as a point charge, and the electric
field is

Explanation:
The initial charge on the capacitor is Q =
C0 V. After the capacitor is immersed in oil, |q1 + q2 |
the capacitance becomes C ′ = κC0 , where κ is EA = k .
a2
the dielectric constant of the oil, resulting in
a new charge of Q′ = κC0 V . The additional
charge that is accumulated on the capacitor
is therefore ∆Q = (κ − 1)C0 V = 2.1 µC.

002 10.0 points 003 10.0 points

Consider a charge q1 on a conducting ball with Two resistors are connected to an ideal bat-
radius R1 at the center, inside of a concentric tery as shown. If the current out of the bat-
conducting shell with total charge q2 of inner tery is I = 2.0 A, what is the current through
radius R2 and outer radius R3 . the 4.0 Ω resistor?
 Version 106 – douglas (jed3339) – Midterm 02 – yao – (54790) 2

3. 96 s correct

4. 87 s

5. 78 s
Explanation:
The current in the circuit is given by

I = I0 e−t/RC
∆V0 −t/RC
= e
R
Solving for t gives

∆V0
t = RC ln
1. 1.5 A correct IR
80 V
= (2.8 MΩ)(22 µF) ln
2. 0.5 A (6.0 µA)(2.8 MΩ)
= 96 s
3. 2.0 A

4. 1.0 A 005 10.0 points

Three capacitors, with capacitances C1 =
5. 1.7 A 8.0 µF, C2 = 3.0 µF, and C3 = 1.0 µF, are
connected to a 12 V voltage source between
Explanation:
a and b, as shown in the figure. What is the
The two resistors are combined in parallel
charge on capacitor C3 ?
to produce an equivalent resistance of 3.0 Ω.
Given the current in the circuit of 2.0 A, the
battery must have a voltage of 6.0 V. Thus the
current in the 4.0 Ω resistor is 6.0 V/4.0 Ω =
1.5 A.

004 10.0 points

For the circuit shown in the figure, the switch
S is initially open and the voltage on the
capacitor is 80 V. The switch is then closed at 1. 24 µC
t = 0. How long after closing the switch will
the current in the resistor be 6.0 µA? 2. 8.0 µC correct

3. 4.0 µC

4. 12 µC

5. 16 µC
1. 61 s
6. 32 µC
2. 69 s Explanation:
 Version 106 – douglas (jed3339) – Midterm 02 – yao – (54790) 3
C2 and C3 are combined in parallel to give much work must be done to remove a single
an equivalent capacitance of C23 = C2 + C3 = sodium ion (charge +e) ?
4.0 µF. Since C1 = 8.0 µF and C23 are con-
nected in series, the potential difference of the 1. 1.6 × 10−19 J
voltage source is divided in a ratio of 1 to 2,
i.e., the potential differences across C1 and 2. 2.1 × 10−10 J
C23 are 4 V and 8 V, respectively. The charge
on C3 is therefore (1.0 µF)(8.0 V) = 8.0 µC. 3. 1.5 × 10−20 J correct

006 10.0 points 4. 0.095 J

An unknown resistor dissipates 0.5 W when
connected to a 3 V potential difference. When 5. 9.5 × 10−20 J
connected to a 1 V potential difference, this Explanation:
resistor will dissipate: The change in electrostatic energy (and
thus, the work done, per the work-energy
1. 0.167 W theorem)of the sodium ion is given by the
definition of voltage:
2. 0.056 W correct
W = ∆P E = q∆V
3. 0.5 W
= (1.6 × 10−19 C)(0.095 V)
4. 1.5 W = 1.5 × 10−20 J

5. none of these 008 10.0 points

Explanation: A solid conducting sphere of radius 30 cm
The power dissipated across a resistor is carriers a net positive charge of 10−8 C. What
V2 is the electric potential at the center of the
given by P = IV = . sphere relative to infinity? (The Coulomb
R
Since we know that the resistance of the constant is k = 9.0 × 109 N · m2 /C2 )
resistor is the same in both cases, we have:
1. 1000 V

Rf = R0 2. 0 V
Vf2 V2
= 0 3. −300 V
Pf P0
 2
Vf 4. 300 V correct
Pf = P0
V0
 2 5. −1000 V
1V
= (0.5 W) = 0.056 W Explanation:
3V When the conductor is in equilibrium, the
electric field is zero inside and the conductor
007 10.0 points has the same potential everywhere, which is
The electric potential inside a living cell is equal to that on the surface given by:
lower than the potential outside. Suppose the q
V =k
electric potential difference between the inner r
−8 C
and the outer cell wall is 0.095 V, a typical 9 2 2 10
= (9.0 × 10 N · m /C )
value. To maintain the internal electrical 0.3 m
balance, the cell pumps out sodium ions. How = 300 V
 Version 106 – douglas (jed3339) – Midterm 02 – yao – (54790) 4
Given the battery voltage of 10 V and the
009 10.0 points current of 0.20 A in the circuit, the equiva-
A parallel-plate capacitor has a capacitance lent resistance of the resistor combination is
C0 . A second parallel-plate capacitor has 50 Ω. On the other hand, in terms of R, the
plates with twice the area and twice the sepa- 5
equivalent resistance is R. Thus R = 30 Ω.
ration. 3
What is the capacitance of the second ca-
011 10.0 points
pacitor?
All the bulbs in the figure below have the
1. 2 C0
same resistance R. The switch S is initially
closed.
2. C0 correct
1
3. C0
2
iD
1
4. C0 S
4
5. 4 C0 iB
Explanation: iA

A′ 2A A V iC
C ′ = ǫ0 = ǫ0 = ǫ0 = C0 .
d′ 2d d
i0
010 10.0 points If bulb B is removed from the circuit, i.e.,
When four identical resistors are connected the switch S is opened, what happens to the
to an ideal battery of voltage 10 V as shown currents through
in the figure, the current I in the circuit is 1) the battery,
0.20 A. What is the value of the resistance R 2) bulb A, and
of the resistors? 3) bulb D;
Notice that in the diagram the current
through the battery, ibattery , is labeled as i0 .

1. iA increases, iD increases, ibattery remains

the same

2. iA increases, iD remains the same, ibattery

increases

1. 30 Ω correct 3. iA decreases, iD decreases, ibattery de-

creases
2. 20 Ω
4. iA remains the same, iD remains the same,
3. 40 Ω ibattery remains the same

4. 50 Ω 5. iA increases, iD increases, ibattery de-

creases
5. 60 Ω
6. iA decreases, iD remains the same, ibattery
Explanation:
 Version 106 – douglas (jed3339) – Midterm 02 – yao – (54790) 5
decreases correct Qualitatively, if bulb B is removed, this in-
creases the equivalent resistance of the center
7. iA decreases, iD decreases, ibattery remains branch, so iA decreases. The voltage drop
the same across bulb D remains the same since it is
in parallel with the battery; so iD remains
8. iA increases, iD decreases, ibattery de- the same. Since the equivalent resistance
creases of the center branch increases, the equivalent
resistance of the entire circuit also increases.
9. iA remains the same, iD increases, ibattery Hence ibattery decreases.
increases
012 10.0 points
10. iA increases, iD increases, ibattery in- A light bulb, a capacitor, a resistor, an ideal
creases battery, and a switch are connected in the
Explanation: circuit as shown with the switch S initially
open and the capacitor uncharged. Which
statement best describes the brightness of the
1 1 1 2
= + = bulb after closing the switch?
RBC R R R
R
RBC =
2
R 3R
RL = RA + RBC = R + =
2 2
1 1 1 2 1 5
= + = + =
Req RL R 3R R 3R
3R
Req =
5
Therefore
V 2V
iA = =
3R 3R
2
V
iD =
R
5V
ibattery =
3R
1. At first the bulb is bright and it gets
Without bulb B: dimmer and dimmer until it goes off.
RL = 2 R
1 1 1 3 2. The bulb is dim and remains dim.
= + =
Req 2R R 2R
2R 3. At first the bulb is dim and it gets brighter
Req = and brighter until the brightness levels off.
3 correct
Therefore
V 4. The bulb is bright and remains bright.
iA =
2R
V
iD =
R
3V
ibattery = Explanation:
2R
 Version 106 – douglas (jed3339) – Midterm 02 – yao – (54790) 6
Because the capacitor is initially un- of 6.0 Ω? The resistivity of the metal is
charged, it behaves as a short circuit at t = 0 1.68 × 10−8 Ω · m.
when the the switch is closed. Since the
bulb is connected in parallel with the capac- 1. 3.25 mm
itor, it must be dim at the beginning and
gets brighter and brighter as the capacitor is 2. 0.0325 mm
charged. After a long time, the capacitor is
fully charged and can be treated as open cir- 3. 0.65 mm correct
cuit, and now the bulb and the resistor are
simply connected in series across the battery, 4. 0.065 mm
so the brightness of the light bulb will level
off. 5. 0.325 mm

013 10.0 points 6. 6.5 mm

A proton that is initially at rest is accelerated
Explanation:
through a potential difference of magnitude
The resistance of a wire is
500 V. What final speed does the proton
gain? ρℓ ρℓ ρℓ
The elementary electron charge is R= = 2 =
A πr π(d/2)2
1.6 × 10−19 C, and the mass of the proton r
is 1.67 × 10−27 kg. 4ρℓ
d=
s πR
1. 2.2 × 105 m/s 4(1.68 × 10−8 Ω · m)(120 m)
=
π(6.0 Ω)
2. 5.4 × 105 m/s
= 6.5 × 10−4 m = 0.65 mm
3. 3.1 × 105 m/s correct

4. 9.6 × 105 m/s 015 10.0 points

5. 1.1 × 105 m/s
Explanation:
The change in potential energy is equal to
the change in kinetic energy of the proton:
Two parallel conducting plates separated by
a distance d are connected to a battery of
voltage E.
What is correct if the plate separation is
doubled while the battery remains connected?

q∆V = ∆KE 1. The electric charge on the plates is dou-

1 bled.
q∆V = mv 2
2
r 2. The electric charge on the plates is halved.
2q∆V
v= correct
m
s
2(1.6 × 10−19 C)(500 V) 3. The potential difference between the
= plates is doubled.
1.67 × 10−27 kg
= 3.1 × 105 m/s 4. The capacitance is unchanged.

5. The potential difference between the

014 10.0 points
plates is halved.
What diameter of a certain metal wire of
length 120 m is needed to have a resistance Explanation:
 Version 106 – douglas (jed3339) – Midterm 02 – yao – (54790) 7
The capacitance of the two parallel con-
ducting plates is given by
ǫ0 A
C= , so
d
ǫ0 A ǫ0 A 1 ǫ0 A 1
C′ = = = = C
d ′ 2d 2 d 2
and when the separation d is doubled, the
capacitance is halved.
The battery remains connected during the
whole process, so the potential difference re-
mains the same throughout. Q = C V, so the
electric charge on the plates is also halved.