National University of Singapore

PC1222 Fundamentals of Physics II

Test

(AY2016/17, Semester 2)

Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes

9 March 2017

Instructions to Students:

1. This test paper consists of 30 multiple choice questions with different grading.
2. Please shade all your answers with a full dark circle on the optical answer sheet provided.
3. This is a closed book test. However, you are allowed to bring in a double-sided helpsheet no
larger than A4 in size.
4. A list of physical constants is provided on page 2.
5. Please submit both question paper and answer sheet at the end of the test.
 List of Physical Constants

Base of natural logarithm:

e = 2.71828

Gravitational acceleration:
g = 9.80 m/s2

Coulomb’s constant:
k = 8.99 x 109 N·m2/C2

Permittivity of vacuum:
ε0 = 8.85 x 10-12 C2/(N·m2)

Permeability of vacuum:
0  4 x 10-7 T  m/A

Mass of electron:
me = 9.1094 x 10-31 kg

Mass of proton:
mp = 1.6726 x 10-27 kg

Magnitude of the charge of an electron:

e = 1.6022 x 10-19 C

Electron volt:
1 eV = 1.6022 x 10-19 J

Speed of light:
c = 2.9979 x 108 m/s

Planck’s constant:
h = 6.63 x 10-34 J·s

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 Answer all questions

Questions 1 to 15 carry one mark each.

1. Three spherical balls each carries a charge. As shown in the figure,

balls A and B attract each other, and balls A and C also attract each
other. Which one of the following statements concerning B and C
is true?
(a) They attract each other.
(b) They repel each other.
(c) They neither attract nor repel each other.
(d) There is not enough information to answer this question.

2. How many electrons must be removed from an electrically neutral silver dollar to give it a charge
of +2.5 µC?
(a) 0.64 x 1013
(b) 1.56 x 1013
(c) 3.24 x 1013
(d) 4.00 x 1013

3. The figure shows electric field lines due to three charges positioned
near each other. If q denotes an amount of charge, what are the
relative amounts of charges and sign carried by all the three charges?
q1 q2 q3
(a) –q +q –q
(b) –q +2q –q
(c) +q –q +q
(d) +q –2q +q

4. The sketch below shows cross sections of equipotential surfaces (10 V difference with adjacent
surface) between two charged conductors that are shown in solid grey. Various points on the
equipotential surfaces near the conductors are labeled A, B, C, ..., I. Between which two pairs
of points is the work required to move a charge non-zero and exactly the same in magnitude?

(a) Between G and I and between A and B

(b) Between E and H and between A and D
(c) Between E and F and between C and D
(d) Between F and G and between B and C

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5. Which of the following actions would increase the energy stored in a parallel plate capacitor
that has a dielectric inserted midway into the capacitor? Assume the battery has been
disconnected after the insertion of the dielectric midway into the capacitor.
(a) Increase the area of the plates
(b) Decrease the separation between the plates
(c) Increase the dielectric constant of the dielectric
(d) Remove the dielectric completely from the parallel plate capacitor

6. Find the equivalent capacitance between points a and b

in the figure given that all the capacitors have the same
capacitance C.
(a) C/2
(b) C
(c) 2C
(d) 3C/2

7. Rank the currents at points a through f from largest to smallest.

(a) Ia > Ib > Ic > Id > Ie > If
(b) Ia > Ib > Ie > If > Ic > Id
(c) Ia = Ib > Ic = Id > Ie = If
(d) Ia = Ib > Ie = If > Ic = Id

8. Which of the following equations does not

describe the circuit in the figure based on
Kirchoff’s rules?
(a) I1 + I 5 = I2
(b) I1R1 + I4R4 + I2R2 – 5.0 = 0
(c) 2.0 – I4R4 – I3R3 = 0
(d) 12.0 – I2R2 – I3R3 = 0

9. A battery has a terminal voltage of 12 V when no current flows and an internal resistance of
2 Ω. The battery is then placed in series with a 1-Ω resistor to form a complete circuit. Which of
the following is correct concerning the terminal voltage and the power dissipated through the
1-Ω resistor?
Terminal voltage Power dissipated through the 1-Ω resistor
(a) 12 V 48 W

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(b) 10 V 40 W
(c) 8V 32 W
(d) 4V 16 W

10. Which of the following statements concerning the magnetic force on a charged particle in a
magnetic field is false?
(a) It is zero if the particle is stationary.
(b) It is maximum if the particle moves perpendicular to the field.
(c) It depends on the component of the particle's velocity that is perpendicular to the field.
(d) It acts in the same direction as the motion for a positively charged particle.

11. Two charged particles of equal mass are traveling in circular orbits in a region of uniform,
constant magnetic field as shown. The particles are observed to move in circular paths of radii
R1 and R2 with speeds v1 and v2, respectively. Which of the following statements is true?

(a) Particle 2 carries a negative charge.

(b) Particle 1 gains more energy from the magnetic field than Particle 2.
(c) The particle velocities have no components parallel to the magnetic field.
(d) |v1/Q1| < |v2/Q2|

12. Four views of a horseshoe magnet and a

current-carrying wire are arranged as
shown. The wire is perpendicular to the
screen and the current is directed into
it. In which one or more of the
arrangements does the magnetic force
on the current point due south?
(a) A only
(b) B only
(c) A and C
(d) B and D

13. Two long, straight, parallel wires separated by a distance d carry

currents in opposite directions as shown. The bottom wire carries
a current of I. Point O is a distance 0.5d below the bottom wire.
The total magnetic field at point O is zero. What is the current
carried by the top wire?
(a) 1.5I
(b) 3I
(c) 5I
(d) 7I

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14. A flexible, circular conducting loop lies in a uniform magnetic field that
is directed out of the page. If the loop is pulled on opposite sides by
equal forces and stretched until its enclosed area becomes almost
zero, in which direction will the induced magnetic field be?
(a) Into the page
(b) Out of the page
(c) Clockwise
(d) Counterclockwise

15. In which of the following situations would the

current in the resistor R flow from a to b?
(i) The switch S is closed.
(ii) With the switch S closed, the variable resistor in
series with the battery has its resistance value
increased.
(iii) With the switch S closed, the circuit containing resistor R is moved to the right.
(iv) The switch S is opened after being closed for a long time.
(a) (i) only
(b) (ii) only
(c) (ii) and (iii)
(d) (ii), (iii) and (iv)

Questions 16 to 25 carry two marks each.

16. Two identical spheres A and B separated by a distance d carry equal amounts of excess charges
that are oppositely charged (Scenario 1). A third sphere C which is uncharged and held by an
insulating rod touches sphere A (Scenario 2) followed by sphere B (Scenario 3). Given that the
magnitude of the electrostatic force between spheres A and B is F in Scenario 1, determine the
magnitude of the electrostatic force between spheres A and B in Scenario 4 when sphere C is
removed and spheres A and B are brought closer together to a distance of d/2.

(a) F
(b) F/2
(c) F/4
(d) F/8
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17. A styrofoam ball covered with a conducting paint has a mass of 6.0 x 10-3 kg and has a charge of
+5.0 µC. What electric field (magnitude and direction) will produce an electric force on the ball
that will balance its weight?
(a) 1.2 x 104 N/C upward
(b) 1.2 x 104 N/C downward
(c) 8.5 x 105 N/C upward
(d) 8.5 x 105 N/C downward

18. Equipotential surface A has a potential of 4320 V, while equipotential surface B has a potential
of 5890 V. A particle has a mass of 4.50 x 10-2 kg and a charge of +7.2 x 10-4 C and moves with a
speed of 8.12 m/s on surface A. An outside force is applied to the particle, and it moves to
surface B, arriving there with a speed of 22.5 m/s. How much work is done by the outside force
in moving the particle from A to B?
(a) 5.78 J
(b) 8.78 J
(c) 9.91 J
(d) 11.0 J

19. An empty capacitor stores 2.4 × 10-4 J of energy when connected to a certain battery. If the
battery is then disconnected and the distance between the plates halved and then filled with a
dielectric (κ = 2.0), how much energy would the capacitor store then?
(a) 0.6 × 10-4 J
(b) 4.8 × 10-4 J
(c) 9.6 × 10-4 J
(d) There is no change in the energy stored

20. A certain metal has a temperature coefficient of resistivity of 0.0062 (C°)-1. A wire made from
that material is connected to a source of constant voltage via a switch. At the instant the switch
is closed, the temperature of the wire is 24°C, and the initial power dissipated in the wire is P0.
At what wire temperature has the power dissipated in the wire decreased to (1/2)P0?
(a) 137°
(b) 161°
(c) 185°
(d) 299°

21. The light bulbs in the figure are identical. Rank the bulbs
from the brightest to dimmest.
(a) A=B>C>D=E
(b) C>A=B>D=E
(c) C>D=E>A=B
(d) D=E>A=B>C

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22. A simple RC circuit consists of a 10-µF capacitor in series with a resistor
of resistance R. Initially, the switch is open as shown in the figure. The
capacitor has been charged to a potential difference of 100 V. At t = 0
s, the switch is closed. How much charge is left on the capacitor after
one time constant (τ = RC)?
(a) 1.84 x 10-4 C
(b) 3.68 x 10-4 C
(c) 6.32 x 10-4 C
(d) 8.16 x 10-4 C

23. At a certain location, the earth has a magnetic field of 0.62 x 10-4 T, pointing 55° below the
horizontal towards the north. A long straight wire of length 12.0 m carries a 20-A current
directed horizontally toward the east. What are the magnitude and direction of the magnetic
force on the wire?
(a) 1.2 x 10-2 N, 35° above horizontal in a northward direction
(b) 1.2 x 10-2 N, 35° below horizontal in a southward direction
(c) 1.5 x 10-2 N, 35° above horizontal in a northward direction
(d) 1.5 x 10-2 N, 35° below horizontal in a southward direction

24. A spark can jump between two non-touching conductors if the potential difference between
them is sufficiently large. A potential difference of approximately 940 V is required to produce
a spark in an air gap of 1.2 x 10-4 m. Suppose the light bulb in the figure is replaced by such an
air gap. How fast would a 4.80-m rod have to be moving in a magnetic field of 5.20 T (directed
into the page as shown) and in what direction in order to cause a spark to jump across the gap
and for a current to flow in the direction as shown?

(a) 31.4 m/s, to the right

(b) 31.4 m/s, to the left
(c) 37.7 m/s, to the right
(d) 37.7 m/s, to the left

25. The magnetic flux that passes an N-turn coil of wire changes from 5.0 x 10-4 Wb to 8.2 x 10-4 Wb
in a time of 0.040 s. If the average induced current in the coil is 2.30 mA and the resistance of
the wire is 60 Ω, which of the following is closest to the value of N?
(a) 20
(b) 30
(c) 40
(d) 50

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Questions 26 to 30 carry three marks each.

26. Three identical charges are located at the three corners of

a rectangle as shown. A charge is to be placed at the empty
corner to make the net force on the charge at corner P
point along the vertical direction. Find the magnitude and
sign of the charge to be placed at the empty corner.
5 5q
(a) , negative
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5 5q
(b) , positive
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(c) 5 5q , negative
(d) 5 5q , positive

27. The graph in the figure shows the electric potential

energy as a function of separation for two point charges.
If one charge is +0.24 x 10-9 C, what are the sign and
magnitude of the other charge?
(a) +0.37 x 10-9 C
(b) –0.37 x 10-9 C
(c) +1.85 x 10-8 C
(d) –1.85 x 10-8 C

28. In the circuit on the right, find the potential

difference between points a and b and the
current in the 20-Ω resistor.
(a) 5.0 V, 0.17 A
(b) 5.0 V, 0.25 A
(c) 6.25 V, 0.21 A
(d) 6.25 V, 0.31 A

29. Two parallel conductors separated by 10 cm carry

currents in opposite directions as shown. One conductor
carries a current of 10 A. Point A is midpoint between
the wires, and point C is 5 cm to the right of the 10-A
current. I is adjusted so that the magnetic field at C is
zero. Find the value of the current I and the value of the
magnetic field at A.
(a) 20 A, 1.2 x 10-4 T
(b) 20 A, 4.0 x 10-5 T
(c) 30 A, 1.6 x 10-4 T
(d) 30 A, 8.0 x 10-5 T

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30. A solenoid has a cross-sectional area of 4.8 x 10-4 m2, consists of 500 turns per meter, and carries
a current of 0.32 A. A 12-turn coil is wrapped tightly around the circumference of the solenoid
and its ends are connected to a 1.8-Ω resistor. When the switch connected to the solenoid is
opened, the current in the solenoid drops to zero in a time of 0.056 s. Find the average current
induced in the 12-turn coil.
(a) 9.57 x 10-6 A
(b) 1.15 x 10-5 A
(c) 2.07 x 10-5 A
(d) 2.39 x 10-5 A

-------------------End of test paper-----------------------

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Answers
1. (b) 11. (c) 21. (b)
2. (b) 12. (a) 22. (b)
3. (d) 13. (b) 23. (c)
4. (a) 14. (b) 24. (c)
5. (d) 15. (d) 25. (a)
6. (a) 16. (b) 26. (a)
7. (d) 17. (a) 27. (d)
8. (c) 18. (d) 28. (c)
9. (d) 19. (a) 29. (c)
10. (d) 20. (c) 30. (b)

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