DGD2 Solutions

PHY1122, Spring 2022

May 13, 2022

P 21.61 (modified)

• 1)Analyze all the forces

• 2)Decompose the forces into x and y components
• 3)Use Newton’s 2nd law
𝑘𝑞2
• In 𝑥 direction: 𝑇 sin 𝜃 = 𝐹𝑒 = 𝑑2

• In 𝑦 direction: 𝑇 cos 𝜃 = 𝑚𝑔

• Divide the 𝑥 equation by the 𝑦 equation and get:

𝑘𝑞 2
tan 𝜃 =
𝑚𝑔𝑑 2

• d is the distance between both spheres.

P 21.61 (modified)
(a)

• Note that :
•
𝑑
2
= 𝐿𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 = 1.2 m sin 25° = 0.507 m → d = 1.014 m
1/2
𝑘𝑞2 𝑚𝑔𝑑2 tan 𝜃
• tan 𝜃 = → 𝑞=
𝑚𝑔𝑑2 𝑘
1/2
0.015 kg 9.8 m/s2 1.014 m 2 tan 25°
• 𝑞=
9×109 N∙m2 /C2

• 𝑞 = 2.80 × 10−6 C
• Don’t forget to convert all units to SI units.
P 21.61 (modified)
(b)

sin2 𝜃 tan 𝜃
• We had
𝜃

𝑑 25 0.0833
• = 𝐿𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 → 𝑑 = 2𝐿 sin 𝜃 30 0.1444
2
35 0.2304
• Use this new d in 40 0.3467
𝑘𝑞2 𝑘𝑞 2 𝑘𝑞2
• tan 𝜃 =
𝑚𝑔𝑑2
= 𝑚𝑔4𝐿2 sin2 𝜃 → sin2 𝜃 tan 𝜃 = 4𝑚𝑔𝐿2 37.5 0.2844
39.0 0.3207

• Find the value on the RHS first: 39.5 0.3335

2 39.4 0.3309
𝑘𝑞2 9×109 N∙m2 /C2 2.80×10−6 C
• = = 0.3333
4𝑚𝑔𝐿2 4 0.015 kg 9.8 m/s2 0.6 m 2

• The angle will be larger than 25° because the length of the threads has shortened. So we’ll use some
trial and error to find the angle down to 1 decimal place.
• We see that the angle that works is 𝜃 = 39.5° which is the new angle the spheres would make with the
vertical.
Q 23.3

• Q 23.3:

• We must take the potential energy for two charges that are infinitely far apart to be zero since potential
energy is inversely proportional to distance: 𝑈𝐸 = 𝑘𝑞1 𝑞2 /𝑟. For two charges separated by a finite
distance, it would be impossible to have their potential energy be zero.

• However, for a system of three charges a finite distance away, it is possible to have a potential energy of
zero since the charges can have different signs, we simply need to arrange it so that
• 𝑈 = 𝑈12 + 𝑈13 + 𝑈23 = 0
• The figure shows an example (3 charges on corners of an isosceles triangle):
𝑒2 −𝑒 2 −𝑒 2
𝑈=𝑘 + + =0
1.0 m 2.0 m 2.0 m
Q 23.5

• Recall the definition of work done by the electric force on a test charge as it moves along this path:
• 𝑊𝐴→𝐵 = ‫𝑞 𝐵𝐴׬ = 𝒍𝑑 ∙ 𝑭 𝐵𝐴׬‬0 𝑬 ∙ 𝑑𝒍 = 𝟎
• In terms of the electric potential, it means that 𝑉𝑎 = 𝑉𝑏 so the difference is zero.
• It does not mean that 𝐸 must be zero along any path that connects 𝑎 to 𝑏. But the work done on a test
charge must be zero along any of the paths since the potential difference is zero. Remember that the
electric force is a conservative force which means the work done by this force is path-independent (only
concerns the beginning and end points).
Q 23.8

Answer is “NO” for both cases. We provide two examples:

(a)
All points on the vertical line that separates the two charges of a dipole have a potential of zero since each
+𝑞 −𝑞
point is equidistant from both the negative and positive charges: 𝑉 = 𝑘 𝑟 + 𝑟 = 0However, the electric
field is clearly not zero at the points along this line since field lines always point from the positive to the
negative charge
Q 23.8

• b)
At the center of the axis of two equal positive charges, the electric field will be zero since each of the
Ԧ = 𝐸 𝑥ො + 𝐸 −𝑥ො = 0 . However, the potential at this point is not
vectors will cancel the other out 𝑬
zero since both the charges are positive and the distance to both charges is finite.
E 23.20

• Use conservation of energy

• 𝑚𝑒 = 9.1 × 10−31 kg and 𝑒 = −1.6 × 10−19 C
• (a)
The electron has kinetic energy both before and after the collision:

Δ𝐾 + Δ𝑈 = 0 → 𝐾2 − 𝐾1 + 𝑈2 − 𝑈1 = 0
1
𝑚𝑒 𝑣22 − 𝑣12 + 𝑞 𝑉2 − 𝑉1 = 0
2
𝑚𝑒 2 2
9.1 × 10−31 kg
Δ𝑉 = 𝑉2 − 𝑉1 = 𝑣1 − 𝑣2 = −19 3 × 106 m/s 2 − 8 × 106 m/s 2
2𝑞 2 −1.6 × 10 C
Δ𝑉 = +156.6 V
We see that the electron gains kinetic energy (speeds up) when it moves from low potential to higher
potential (Δ𝑉 > 0, ie. 𝑉2 > 𝑉1 ).
E 23.20

• (b)
Apply the same equation, except this time 𝑣1 = 8 × 106 m/s and 𝑣2 = 0.

𝑚𝑒 2 9.1 × 10−31 kg
Δ𝑉 = 𝑣1 − 0 = −19 8 × 106 m/s 2
2𝑞 2 −1.6 × 10 C
Δ𝑉 = −182 V

• The electron loses kinetic energy (slows down) when it moves from high to low potential (Δ𝑉 < 0).
E 23.22

• (a) For a point charge, the equations of electric field and electric potential are:
𝑞 𝑞
𝐸=𝑘 and 𝑉 = 𝑘
𝑟2 𝑟
• The charge 𝑞 must be positive since 𝑉 = 4.98 V is positive. To find the distance we can take the ratio of
𝑉 and 𝐸 to get:
𝑉 𝑘𝑞/𝑟
= =𝑟
2
𝐸 𝑘𝑞/𝑟
4.98 V
𝑟 = = 0.307 m
16.2 V/m
E 23.22

• b) Rearrange the equation for potential:

𝑟𝑉 0.307 m 4.98 V
−10
𝑞 = = = 1.70 × 10 C
9 2 2
𝑘 9 × 10 N ∙ m /C
E 23.22

• (c) Since 𝑞 > 0, the electric field must be directed away from the point charge.
P 23.76 (a,b,c)

• (a)
Take the negative gradient of the potential:

𝜕𝑉 𝜕𝑉 𝜕𝑉
𝑬 = −∇𝑉 = − 𝒊Ƹ − 𝒋Ƹ − ෡
𝒌
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
𝑬 = −2𝐴𝑥 𝒊Ƹ + 6𝐴𝑦𝒋Ƹ − 2𝐴𝑧𝒌 ෡

•
P 23.76 (a,b,c)

• (b)
A charge is moved along the 𝑧-axis. Initally it is at 𝑧0 = 0.25 m and stops at the origin.
The work done is given by:
0 0
𝑊 = 𝑞 න 𝐸𝑧 𝑑𝑧 = 𝑞 න −2𝐴𝑧 𝑑𝑧 = 𝐴𝑞𝑧02
𝑧0 𝑧0

• The charge only moves in the z-direction.

• Now we can solve for 𝐴 in terms of the work:

−5
𝑊 6 × 10 J V
𝐴 = = = 640
2
𝑞𝑧0 1.5 × 10−6 C 0.25 m 2
m2
• Note that we used SI units.
P 23.76 (a,b,c)

• (c)
The electric field is obtained from the equation in part (b):
V V
Ԧ 0, 0, 0.25 = −2𝐴𝑧𝒌Ƹ = −2 640 2 0.25 m 𝒌Ƹ = −320 𝒌Ƹ
𝑬
m m