Assignment 1

Last Date for submission is 29-09-2020

Q.1 There are two identical spherical dust grains having 50 µm diameter, with mass density 2.5 g/𝑐𝑚3 .
They are at distance d apart. If the grains are electrically charged, each having n “extra” electrons. Find
the minimum value of n that would prevent the gravitational collision.

Q.2 A point charge 𝑄1=3 µC is placed at the origin and a point charge 𝑄2 =-7 µC is placed at x = 0.4m on
x-axis of a Cartesian co-ordinate system.

(a) Determine the electric field,⃗⃗⃗𝐸 (𝑥) = E(x) 𝑥̂ , at all points along the x-axis.

(b) Plot E(x) vs x for x < 0.

(c) At what point if any (other than |x| = ∞) is E(x) = 0?

Q.3 A disk of radius R carries uniform surface charge density σ. The z-axis passes through the center. The
total charge on the disk is q = π𝑅 2 𝜎. Using gauss law, calculate E(z) near point O for 𝑧 2 ≪ 𝑅 2 .
Q.4 There is an infinite non-conducting sheet of negligible thickness carrying negative uniform charge
density σ and next to it, an infinite parallel slab of thickness D with positive uniform volume charge
density ρ (Fig.1). All charges are fixed. Calculate the direction and the magnitude of the electric field.

Fig.1

(a) Above the negative charged sheet.

(b) Below the slab.
(c) In the slab.
(d) Make a plot of 𝐸⃗ as a function of z from the sheet.