THE EAST AFRICAN UNIVERSITY (TEAU)

SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND IT

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
JAN – APRIL 2019, MAIN EXAMINATION

COURSE : PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS

CODE : PHY 1101
TIME : 2 Hours

INSTRUCTIONS
1. The Paper is made up of FIVE (5) Questions, question ONE is compulsory plus any other
TWO questions.
2. Credit is given for legibility, clarity of expressions and use of relevant illustrations.
3. Clearly write your registration number on each answer sheet used.

DO NOT WRITE ANYWHERE ON THIS QUESTION PAPER

QUESTION ONE (30mks)

a) Define :
i. The structure of Atom with the use of diagram representation (4mks)
ii. Electric charge (Q) and give its unit (2mks)
iii. Conductors and Insulators (2mks)
iv. Electric field; Electric force and Electric field lines (2mks)
v. Capacitors and Capacitance of capacitors (C) (2mks)
vi. Electric current (I) and give its unit (2mks)
b) State the following
i. Coulombs' Law
ii. Ohms' law
iii. Kirchhoff's law (3mks)
c)
i. Explain the process of charging a metal sphere positively and negatively by the
process of induction clearly illustrating using diagrams (3mks)
ii. Explain why the nucleus of Atom is positively (3mks)
iii. Explain the properties of (2mks)
 d) Using the appropriate electric circuits show that the series and parallel combination of
capacitors give the following equivalence capacitances
(5mks)

QUESTION TWO (20mks)

a) Three identical resistors with resistances of 6.0 V are connected as shown in bellow
Figure to a battery with an emf of 18.0 V and zero internal resistance.
i. Find the equivalent resistance of the resistor network (Req). (10mks)
ii. Find the current in each resistor. (10mks)

QUESTION THREE (20mks)

a) Point charges Q1 and Q2 of +12 nC and -12 nC, respectively, are placed 10.0 cm apart
(Figure bellow). This combination of two charges with equal magnitude and opposite
sign is called an electric dipole. Compute the resultant electric field (magnitude and
direction) at:
i. Point a, midway between the charges Q1 and Q2. (5mks)
ii. Point b, 4.0 cm to the left of Q1 . (5mks)
iii. Determine the direction of the resultant electric field produced by these two
charges at points along the perpendicular bisector of the line connecting the
charges? Consider points both above and below the line connecting the charges
(that is point c and d). (10mks)
QUESTION FOUR

a) Define Magnetic field and Magnetic Field Lines (10mks)

b) In Figure bellow, a beam of protons moves through a uniform magnetic field with magnitude
2.0 T, directed along the positive z-axis. The protons have a velocity of magnitude 3.0 105 m
s in the x-z plane at an angle of 30° to the positive z-axis. Find the force on a proton. The
charge of the proton is 1.60 ¿ 10−19 (10mks)

QUESTION FIVE (20mks)

a) A magnetron in a microwave oven emits microwaves with frequency ( f= 2450 MHz). Determine
the magnetic field strength would be required for electrons to move in circular paths with this
frequency? (Take mass and charge absolute value of electron be respectively 9.11∗10−31 Kg and

1.60 ¿ 10−19C) (10mks)

b) Two point charges are located on the positive x-axis of a coordinate system.
Charge Q1 =3.0 nC is 2.0 cm from the origin, and charge Q2= -7.0 nC is 4.0 cm from the
origin. Calculate the total force (magnitude and direction) exerted by these two charges
on a third point charge Q3= 5.0 nC located at the origin? (10mks)