Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

1. Equipotential lines due to an electric field in a certain region of space are illustrated in the figure above.
Points A and B are located on lines V2 and V4 , respectively, and points C and D are located within the equipotential
region V6 . How much work is required by an external force to move a 2.0 µ𝐶 charge from rest at point A to rest at
point D via the path ABCD?
A. 2.0 𝜇𝐽 B. 12 𝜇𝐽 C. 3.0 𝜇𝐽
D. 16 𝜇𝐽 E. 4.0 𝜇𝐽

2. As shown in the figure above, six particles, each with charge +Q, are held fixed and are equally spaced around
the circumference of a circle of radius 𝑅.
With the six particles held fixed, how much work would be required to bring a seventh particle of charge +Q from
very far away and place it at the center of the circle?
A. 0 9 𝑄2 3 𝑄2
B. C.
𝜋𝜀0 𝑅 2𝜋𝜀0 𝑅
√6 𝑄 3 𝑄2
D. E.
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑅 2𝜋𝜀0 𝑅 2

3. The work that must be done by an external agent to move a point charge of 2 mC from the origin to a
point 3 m away is 5 J. What is the potential difference between the two points?
A. 4 × 10−4 𝑉 B. 2.5 × 103 𝑉 C. 2.5 × 106 𝑉
D. 10−2 𝑉 E. 6 × 106 𝑉

4. Three small spheres are brought together from large distances away and positioned in the equilateral triangle
shown above. Which of the following expressions is correct for the work done by an external force in bringing the
spheres together?

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

4𝑘𝑞 2 4𝑘𝑞 2 16𝑘𝑞 2

A. − B. − C. −
𝑠 𝑠 𝑠
9𝑘𝑞 2 16𝑘𝑞 2
D. + E. +
𝑠 𝑠

5. Two small spheres have charges of equal magnitude Q and opposite signs. The spheres are initially at rest and
separated by a very large distance, as shown in the initial configuration. The sphere on the right is then moved at
constant speed to another position closer to the charge on the left, as shown in the final configuration. Assume the
spheres are small compared to both the initial and final separations.
The work done by an external force to move the sphere of charge −Q from the initial configuration to the final
configuration is W. The sphere with charge of −Q is then replaced with an identical sphere charge of +2Q. This new
sphere is moved from the initial configuration to the final configuration shown. Which of the following expressions
is correct for the work done by the external force to move the sphere with charge +2Q, in terms of W?
1
A. 2𝑊 B. − 𝑊 C. −𝑊
2
1
D. −2𝑊 E. 𝑊
2

6. The diagram above shows a cross section of equipotential lines produced by a charge distribution. Points A, B, C,
and D lie in the plane of the page. For which two points can a negatively charged particle be moved from rest at
one point to rest at the other with no work being done by the electric field?

A. A and B B. A and D C. B and C

D. B and D E. A and C

7. Points A and B shown above are in the plane of the page and 5 meters apart. The points are located in a uniform
electric field of magnitude 1000V/m directed toward the bottom of the page. When a proton (of charge +e ) moves
from point A to point B, how much work is done on the proton by the electric field?

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

A. −5000 𝑒𝑉 B. +5000 𝑒𝑉 C. −3000 𝑒𝑉

D. +3000 𝑒𝑉 E. +4000 𝑒𝑉

8. The diagram above shows equipotential lines produced by an unknown charge distribution. A, B, C, D, and E are
points in the plane. At which point does the electric field have the greatest magnitude?

A. A B. B C. C
D. D E. E

9. A thin ring of radius R has charge +Q distributed uniformly around the ring. The center of the ring is at the origin
of an x-axis perpendicular to the plane of the ring, as shown in the figure above. A point charge +q on the x-axis at
position x = R is released from rest. What is its kinetic energy when it reaches position P at x = 2R on the x-axis?
3 𝑘𝑄𝑞 1 𝑘𝑄𝑞 1 𝑘𝑄𝑞
A. B. C.
10 𝑅 2 𝑅 √3 𝑅
𝑘𝑄𝑞 𝑘𝑄𝑞 1 1
D. E. ( − )
𝑅 𝑅 √2 √5

10. From the electric field vector at a point, one can determine which of the following?
I. The direction of the electrostatic force on a test charge of known sign at that point
II. The magnitude of the electrostatic force exerted per unit charge on a test charge at that point
III. The electrostatic charge at that point
A. I only B. III only C. I and II only
D. II and III only E. I, II and III only

11. Two particles each with a charge −𝑄 are fixed a distance 𝐿 apart as shown above. Each particle experiences a
net electric force 𝐹. A particle with a charge +𝑞 is now fixed midway between the original two particles. As a result,
the net electric force experienced by each negatively charged particle is reduced to 𝐹/2. The value of 𝑞 is

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

𝑄 𝑄
A. 𝑄 B. C.
2 4
𝑄 𝑄
D. E.
8 16

12. Two protons and an electron are assembled along a line, as shown above. The distance between the electron
and each proton is 𝑎. What is the work done by an external force in assembling this configuration of charges?
𝑘𝑒 2 3 𝑘𝑒 2 1 𝑘𝑒 2
A. −2 B. − C.
𝑎 2 𝑎 2 𝑎
3 𝑘𝑒 2 𝑘𝑒 2
D. E. 3
2 𝑎 𝑎

13. Two concentric metal spheres X and Y are shown above. X carries a positive charge, and Y is connected to
ground. True statements include which of the following?
I. The electric field inside X is zero.
II. The electric field outside Y is zero.
III. The charge density on both spheres is the same.
A. I only B. III only C. I and II only
D. II and III only E. I, II, and III

14. Three small spheres are arranged on the 𝑥𝑦-coordinate system shown. The magnitude of the net force on the
sphere at the origin is most nearly

A. 0.23 𝑁 B. 0.46 𝑁 C. 0.66 𝑁

D. 0.94 𝑁 E. 0.74 𝑁

15. Small spheres A and B are attached by a 20cm long string. The charges on spheres A and B are
+2.4 𝜇𝐶 and +3.6 𝜇𝐶, respectively. The tension in the string holding them together is most nearly

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

A. 0.019 𝑁 B. 0.39 𝑁 C. 1.30 𝑁

D. 1.94 𝑁 E. 2.92 𝑁

16. The figure above shows a thin, circular nonconducting sheet of positive charge uniformly distributed over its
area. The radius of the sheet is 𝑅. Point O is at the center of the sheet. Point S is a distance x from the center of
the sheet, and point T is a distance 4x from the center of the sheet. Assume 𝑅 ≫ 𝑥. A small sphere of mass m and
charge –q is released from rest at point T. If the electric potentials at points S and T are VS and VT, respectively,
what is the speed of the sphere when it reaches point S? Ignore the effects of gravity.
2𝑞 4𝑞
A. (𝑉𝑆 + 𝑉𝑇 ) B. (𝑉𝑆 + 𝑉𝑇 ) C. √
𝑞
(𝑉𝑆 − 𝑉𝑇 )
𝑚 𝑚
2𝑚
𝑞 𝑞
D. √ (𝑉𝑆 + 𝑉𝑇 ) E. √ (𝑉𝑆 − 𝑉𝑇 )
2𝑚 2𝑚

𝟏𝟕. A small sphere of mass m and charge +q is constrained to move vertically in an insulating cylinder, as shown
above. At the bottom of the cylinder is a point charge +Q. At what height 𝐻 above the bottom of the cylinder will the
small sphere of mass m be in equilibrium?
𝑘𝑄𝑞 𝑘𝑄𝑞
𝑘𝑄𝑞 B. C.
A. √ 𝑚𝑔 √𝑚𝑔
𝑚𝑔
𝑚𝑔 𝑚𝑔
D.
𝑘𝑄𝑞 E. √
𝑘𝑄𝑞

18. A negatively charged particle initially in region I, as shown above, is accelerated from rest by an electric field of
magnitude E0 between two parallel plates separated by a distance 𝑑. The particle then enters region II, the space

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

between two parallel plates with a separation 2d and an electric field of magnitude 3E0 in the opposite direction.
How far into region II does the particle travel before reversing direction?
𝑑 𝑑 2𝑑
A. B. C.
3 2 3
D. 𝑑 3𝑑
E.
2

19. A small sphere has a charge +𝑞. Spherical Gaussian surfaces A and B are concentric with the sphere, as
shown in the figure above. The radii of surfaces A and B are 𝑟 and 2𝑟, respectively. The magnitude of the electric
field at surface A is EA. The magnitude of the electric field at surface B is EB. The ratio EA / EB is

A. 4/1 B. 2/1 C. 1/1

D. 1/2 E. 1/4

20. The numeric components of the electric field in a region of space can be calculated using the equations 𝐸𝑥 =
6𝑥𝑦 and 𝐸𝑦 = −5. Which of the following expressions yields the potential difference between the points (0, 𝑌) and
(𝑋, 𝑌)?

A. −6𝑌 B. 6𝑌 C. −3𝑋 2 𝑌
D. 3𝑋 2 𝑌 E. 3𝑋 2 𝑌 − 5

21. In a certain region, the electric field along the x-axis is given by 𝐸 = 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏, where a = 40 V/m2 and b = 4 V/m.
The potential difference between the origin and x = 0.5 m is

A. −36 𝑉 B. −7 𝑉 C. −3 𝑉
D. 10 𝑉 E. 16 𝑉

22. The figure above shows a thin, square, nonconducting sheet of positive charge uniformly distributed over its
area. The length of each side of the sheet is a. Point C is at the center of the sheet. Point X is 𝑎 distance d above
the center of the sheet, and point Y is a distance 2𝑑 above the center of the sheet. Assume 𝑎 >> 𝑑. The effect of

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

gravity is negligible. A positive point charge +𝑞 is released from rest at point X. If the magnitude of the electric field
at point X is E, what is the kinetic energy of the charge at point Y?

A. 𝑞𝐸𝑑 B. √2𝑞𝐸𝑑 C. 2𝑞𝐸𝑑

D. 2√2𝑞𝐸𝑑 E. 4𝑞𝐸𝑑

23. A particle of charge +q is released from rest at position B, which is a distance 2d from the center of a fixed
nonconducting sphere that has a charge of –Q distributed uniformly throughout its volume, as shown in the figure
above. When the particle reaches position A, which is a distance d from the center of the charged sphere, its
kinetic energy is K0. The same particle is now released from rest at position C, which is a distance 4d from the
center of the nonconducting sphere. The kinetic energy of the particle when it again reaches position A is

A. 𝐾0 B. 3𝐾0 ⁄2 C. 2𝐾0
D. 5𝐾0 ⁄2 E. 3𝐾0

24. Particles of charge 𝑄 and – 4𝑄 are located on the x-axis as shown in the figure above. Assume the particles are
isolated from all other charges. At which of the labeled points on the x-axis is the electric field zero?
A. A B. B C. C
D. D E. E

25. Charge is distributed uniformly throughout a long nonconducting cylinder of radius 𝑅. Which of the following
graphs best represents the magnitude of the resulting electric field 𝐸 as a function of 𝑟, the distance from the axis
of the cylinder?

A. B. C.

D. E.

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

26. A battery or batteries connected to two parallel plates produce the equipotential lines between the plates shown
above. The force on an electron located on the 0-volt potential line is

A. 0 𝑁 B. 1 𝑁, directed to the right C. 1 𝑁, directed to the left

D. directed to the right, but its E. directed to the left, but its
magnitude cannot be determined magnitude cannot be determined
without knowing the distance without knowing the distance
between the lines between the lines

27. A solid conducting sphere carries a charge +Q. Which of the following is true of the electric field E and the
electric potential V inside the sphere?

A. 𝐸 = 0 and 𝑉 = 0 B. 𝐸 = 0 and 𝑉 ≠ 0 C. 𝐸 ≠ 0 and 𝑉 = 0

D. 𝐸 ≠ 0 and 𝑉 ≠ 0 E. It cannot be determined without
knowing the radius of the sphere.

28. Two concentric, spherical conducting shells have radii 𝑟1 and 𝑟2 and charges 𝑄1 and 𝑄2 , as shown above. Let 𝑟
be the distance from the center of the spheres and consider the region 𝑟1 < 𝑟 < 𝑟2.
In this region the electric field is proportional to
𝑄1 𝑄1 +𝑄2 𝑄1 +𝑄2
A. B. C.
𝑟2 𝑟2 𝑟
𝑄1 𝑄2 𝑄1 𝑄2
D. + E. +
𝑟1 𝑟2 𝑟 𝑟2

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Test 2 AP Physics C – Quarter 2 2021

29. A fixed charge distribution produces the equipotential lines shown in the figure above.
The direction of the electric field at point P is most nearly

A. toward the left B. toward the right C. toward the bottom of the page
D. toward the top of the page E. perpendicular to the plane of the
page

30. An electric dipole consists of two small spheres which carry charges of equal magnitude q and opposite signs
as shown in the figure above. The center of the dipole is at the origin. Two labeled points M and N are on the y-
axis and x-axis, respectively.

The electric field at the origin due to the electric dipole has a magnitude of E. Which of the following correctly
expresses the magnitude and direction of the electric field at point N ?

5 5 4
A. 𝐸, to the right B. 𝐸, to the left C. 𝐸, to the right
9 9 9
4
D. 𝐸, to the left E. 𝐸, to the left
9

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