CET

Electrostatic Potential CET

• The work done to move a

unit positive charge, without

any acceleration from

infinity to that point at

consideration.
• SI Unit is

J C -1 = volt (V)
Potential Difference (p.d) CET
P.d across two points is the work done to move a unit
positive charge, from one point to another point.

P.D is +ve,I f q is moved against the

field. ie. from low potential to high
potential.
Question 1 CET
A charge of 5C is given a displacement of 0.5 m and work done
in the process is 10 J. The differences of potential between
the two points is
a) 2V b) 1V c) 0.25V d) 4V
Small conducting drops coalesce CET
Charge of big drop = n times the Charge of small drop
Q=nq

Volume of big drop = n times the Volume of small drop

4/3 π R3 = n X 4/3 π r3
4/3 π R3= n X 4/3 π r3
R3= n r3
R= n1/3 r
Small conducting drops coalesce CET
Question 2 CET
There are 27 drops of a conducting fluid. Each has a radius r
and they are charged to potential Vo. These are combined
to form a bigger drop. Its potential will be
a) Vo b) 3 Vo c) 9 Vo d) 27 Vo
Question 2 CET
Question 3 CET
1000 small water drops each of radius r and charge q coalesce
together to form one spherical drop. The charge of the big
drop is larger than that of a small drop by a factor of
a)1000 b)100 c)10 d)1
Equipotential property of conductor CET
 Electrostatic potential of a conductor is constant
throughout the volume and is equal to that on its
surface.

 For a metallic conductor, the potential is same at all

points.

 The electric field is always perpendicular to the

equipotential surface.
 Equipotential Surface. CET

>> It is a surface with constant

potential at all points on it.

>> surface of a charged

conductor is an example.

>> The electric field is always

perpendicular to the
equipotential surface.
Question 4 CET
Two metallic spheres of radii 1 cm and 2 cm are given charges
10-6 C and 5x10-6 C respectively. if they are connected by a
conducting wire, the final charge on the smaller sphere is
a) 3x10-6 C b) 1x10-6 C
c) 4x10-6 C d) 2x10-6 C
CET Question 4
 CET Question 5
If a positive charge is taken from one point to another point
on the surface of the conductor, then
a) Work is done on the charge
b) work is done by the charge
c) Work done depends on the nature of conductor
d) no work is done

Knowledge based
 CET Question 6
The angle between the equipotential surface and the electric
field (or line of force) at any point on the equipotential
surface is
a) 0o b) 45o c) 90o d) 180o

Knowledge based
 CET Question 7
In the electric field of a point charge q , a certain charge is
carried from point A to B, C, D and E as shown. Then the work
done

a) is least along the path AB

b) is least along the path AD
c) is zero along any of the paths AB, AC, AD and AE
d) is least along AE
 CET Question 7

All the points A, B, C, D and E are at equidistant from

the point charge +q ,Therefore they are equipotential,
hence work done along any path AB, AC, AD, and AE is
zero.
Potential due to a charged spherical conductor CET

Electrostatic potential
is constant
throughout the
volume and is equal
to that on the
surface.
Outside it varies
inversely with r.
Potential due to a charged spherical conductor CET
 CET Question 8
A hollow metal sphere of radius 10 cm is charged such that the
potential on its surface is 80 volts. The potential at the centre
of the sphere is
1) 800 volts 2) Zero
3) 8 volts 4) 80 volts

Knowledge based
 CET Question 9
For a uniformly charged spherical shell of radius r, which one
of the following graph shows the variation of the potential
with distance x from the centre of the shell?

Knowledge based
 CET Question 10
A hollow charged metal sphere has radius r. if the potential
difference between its surface and a point at distance 3r
from the centre is V, then the electric field intensity at a
distance 3r from the centre is
CET Question 10
 CET Question 11
Equal charges are given to two metal spheres of different
radii. The potential will a) be more on the smaller sphere
b) be more on the bigger sphere
c) be equal on both the sphere
d) depend on the nature of the
material of the sphere

Therefore,
V will be more on the smaller
sphere.
Electric field and Electric potential CET
Electrostatic field is negative potential gradient.

In 3 dimensional space.

V = f (x,y,z) , then
 CET Question 12
There charges 2q, -q, -q are located at the vertices of an
equilateral triangle. At the circum centre of the triangle
a) The field is zero, but potential is not zero.
b) The field is non-zero, but the potential is zero.
c) both, field and potential are zero.
d) both, field and potential are non-zero.

The circum centre is at equidistance

from the vertices of an equilateral
triangle.
 CET Question 12

The potential at O is zero, because

CET Question 12
CET Question 12
 CET Question 13
Two metal plates having a potential difference of 800 V are
2cm apart. It is found that a particle of mass 1.96x10-15 kg
remain suspended in the region between the plates. The
charge on the particle must be (e=elementary charge)
a) 3e b) 4e c) 6e d)8e

For a particle to suspend, it must be under the action of

two equal and opposite forces.
The gravitational force is always downward.
Therefore, the electric force must be upward.
 CET Question 13

The electric force

The gravitational
force
 CET Question 13

But,
 CET Question 13

m = 1.96x10-15 kg

E = 4x104 V m-1

But,
Relation between field and potential. CET
The work done to move a
unit positive charge from
B to A

This is equal to the potential

difference, therefore
 CET Question 14
Electric potential is given by V = 6x-8xy2-8y+6yz-4z, then
electric force acting at a point charge of 2C placed at origin
will be

a) 2N b) 6N c) 8N d) 20N
CET Question 14

Differentiating V with respect to x,y & z.

CET Question 14
CET Question 14
Variation Of Electric Field And Electric Potential CET
With Distance
For a point charge.
Variation of Electric potential with distance CET
For a point charge. For an Electric Dipole.
 Electrostatics of conductor CET
1 ) Electric field is always zero inside a conductor.
Otherwise free electrons would experience force and
drift - causing electric current.
 Electrostatics of conductor CET
2) Electrostatic field is always normal to the surface of
charged conductor. Otherwise, it will have component
parallel to the surface causing surface currents.
 Electrostatics of conductor CET
3) Electric charges always reside on the surface of a
charge conductor. If the charges are present inside,
Electric field can exist there.
 Electrostatics of conductor CET
4) Electrostatic potential is constant throughout the
volume and is equal to that on the surface.
Inside the conductor
 Electrostatic shielding. CET
Whatever be the
•size and shape of the cavity
•charge on the conductor
•external fields in which it might be placed.
The electric field inside a charged spherical shell is zero.

This is known as
Electrostatic shielding.

This property is used in

protecting sensitive instruments
from outside electrical influence.
 Dielectrics And Polarisation CET
Dielectrics are non-conducting substances. They have
no charge carriers.
Polar molecules Non-polar molecules
•The centers of positive and •The centers of positive
negative charges coincide. and negative charges do
not coincide.
They have no intrinsic •They have intrinsic
dipole moment. dipole moment.
•Examples are oxygen and •Examples are HCl and
hydrogen . water .
 Capacitors and Capacitance
A capacitor is a system of two conductors separated by
an insulator
The conductors have charges Q and – Q, with potential
difference V = V1 – V2 between them.
The capacitance of the
capacitor is defined as

SI unit of capacitance
is 1 coulomb / volt
= 1 farad or 1 F.
Parallel Plate Capacitors
 Capacitors in Series

1/ CS = 1/ C1 + 1/ C2

For n Capacitors in series,

1/ CS = 1/ C1 + 1/C2 ----- 1/Cn
 Capacitors in Parallel

CS = C1 + C2

For n Capacitors in parallel,

CS = C1 + C2 ------- Cn
 Energy Stored In A Capacitor

The Work is done to add charge to the

capacitor plate.
Therefore Energy is stored as Electric field.
 Energy Stored In A Capacitor
The Work is stored as Energy.
 CET Question 15
Three capacitors of 1pF,2pF and 3pf are connected
across a p.d of 120V. The p.d across 2 pF capacitor is

a) 120 V b) 20 V c) 60 V d) 32.73V
CET Question 15
Numerical Problem - 2
CET Question 15

This is the charge on each capacitor.

 Van De Graff Generator
It is a machine that can
build up high voltages of
the order of a few million
volts.
The resulting large
electric fields are used to
accelerate
charged particles –
Particle accelerators.
Potential inside a charged spherical shell is uniform.
 Van De Graaff Generator
Potential inside a charged spherical shell is uniform.
A small conducting sphere of radius r and with charge
q is located inside a large shell of radius R with charge
Q.
The potentials of the inner sphere V(r) is always
greater than that of outer sphere V(R), irrespective of
Q.
If the two are connected, charge always flows from
the inner sphere to the outer sphere, raising its potential.