SOLUTIONS : CWPS - DIPOLE

1. If an electric dipole is kept in a non-uniform electric field, then it will experience -

(1) only torque (2) no torque
(3*) a resultant force and a torque (4) only a force

2. The force on a charge situated on the axis of a dipole is F. If the charge is shifted to double the
distance, the acting force will be -
(1) 4F (2) F/2 (3) F/4 (4*) F/8
1
Sol. E 3
r
→
3. A dipole of dipole moment p, is placed in an electric field E and is in stable equilibrium. The
torque required to rotate the dipole from this position by angle  will be -
(1) pE cos  (2*) pE sin  (3) pE tan  (4) –pE cos

4. The electric potential at a point due to an electric dipole will be -

→ → → →
k(p . r ) k(p . r ) k (p x r ) k (p x r )
(1*) (2) (3) (4)
r 3
r 2 r r2

5. The ratio of electric fields due to an electric dipole on the axis and on the equatorial line at equal
distance will be -
(1) 4 : 1 (2) 1 : 2 (3*) 2 : 1 (4) 1 : 1
k.2p
Eaxis = 3
r 2
Sol. = =
kp 1
Equi = 3
r

6. An electric dipole is made up of two equal and opposite charges of 2 x 10 –6 coulomb at a

distance of 3 cm. This is kept in an electric field of 2 x 10 5 N/C, then the maximum torque acting
on the dipole -
(1) 12 x 10–1 Nm (2*) 12 x 10–3 Nm (3) 24 x 10–3 Nm (4) 24 x 10–1 Nm
Sol. Maximum torque =  =| P  E | = PE sin 
max = PE
= 0 × 2 × 10–6 × 10–2 × 2 × 105
= 12 × 10–3 NM

7. The distance between two singly ionised atoms is 1Å. If the charge on both ions is equal and
opposite then the dipole moment in coulomb-metre is -
(1*) 1.6 × 10–29 (2) 0.16 × 10–29 (3) 16 × 10–29 (4) 1.6 × 10–29/ 40
Sol. dipde moment
= q×
=e×
= 1.6 × 10–10 × 10–10 = 1.6 × 10–29 c

8. The electric potential in volt at a distance of 0.01 m on the equatorial line of an electric dipole
of dipole moment p is -
(1) p / 4 0 x10 −4 (2*) zero (3) 4 0 p x 10 −4 (4) 4 0 /p x 10−4
Sol. Potential due to dipoleat its equitorial plane is zero.

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9. The electric potential in volt due to an electric dipole of dipole moment 2 x 10–8 C-m at a distance
of 3m on a line making an angle of 600 with the axis of the dipole is -
(1) 0 (2*) 10 (3) 20 (4) 40
−8 1
90  10  2  10 
9
K.Pcos  2
Sol. V= 2
= V = 2
r (3)
= 10 volt

10. A dipole of electric dipole moment P is placed in a uniform electric field of strength E. If  is the
angle between positive directions of P and E, then the potential energy of the electric dipole is
largest when  is :
(1) zero (2) /2 (3*)  (4) /4
Sol. max PE  position of unstable equilibrium  =.

11. Potential due to an electric dipole at some point is maximum or minimum, when axis of dipole
and line joining point & dipole are at angles respectively :

(1) 90° and 180° (2) 0° and 90° (3) 90° and 0° (4*) 0° and
180°
pcos 
Sol. V=
r2
 = 0° Va =
 = 180° Ve =

12. Electric field on the axis of electric dipole, at a distance of r from its centre is E. If dipole is
rotated through 90°; then electric field intensity at the same point will be :

E E
(1) E (2) (3*) (4) 2E
4 2

13. At the equator of electric dipole, angle between electric dipole moment and electric field is :
(1) 0° (2) 90° (3*) 180° (4) None of these
14. The potential of dipole at its axial position is proportional to distance r as :
(1*) r–2 (2) r–1 (3) r (4) r0
Sol. The electric potential of electric dipole on its axial position is
p
v=
40 r 2
where p = dipole moment
1
or V 2 or V  r–2
r

15. An electric dipole has the magnitude of its charge as q and its dipole moment is p. It is placed
in a uniform electric field E. If its dipole moment is along the direction of the field, the force on
it and its potential energy are respectively :
(1) 2qE and minimum (2) qe and pE (3*) zero and minimum (4) qE and maximum

Sol. An electric dipole is an arrangement of two equal an opposite charges placed at a distance 2I.
The dipole is placed in electric field as such its dipole moment is in direction of electric field as
shown in figure.

Now force on the charge q is F2 = qE along the direction of E and force on charge –q is
F1 = – qE in the direction opposite to E.
Since forces on the dipole are equal and opposite, so net force on the electric dipole is zero.

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 Now potential energy of the dipole.
U = – pE cos 
Where  is the angle between direction of electric field and direction of dipole moment.
   = 0°
Hence, UJ = – pE cos 0° = – pE (minimum)
16. An electric dipole of moment p is lying along a unifrom electric field E . The work done in
rotating the dipole by 90° is :
pE
(1) 2 pE (2) (3) 2pE ` (4*) pE
2
Sol. When an electric dipole is placed in an electric field E  torque  = P  E acts on it. This
torque tries to rotate the dipole through an angle.
If the dipole is rotated from an angle 1 to 2. then work done by external force is given by
w = pE (cos 1 – cos 2) … (i)
putting 1 = 0°, 2 = 90° in the Eq. (i), we get
w = pE (cos 0° – cos 90°)
= pE (1 – 0) = pE

17. Three point charges +q, –2q and + q are placed at points (x = 0, y = a, z = 0), (x = 0, y = 0, z =
0) and (x = a, y = 0, z = 0), respectively. The magnitude and direction of the electric dipole
moment vector of this charge assembly are :

(1) 2 qa along + y direction

(2*) 2 qa along the line joining points (x = 0, y = 0, z = 0) and (x = a, y = a, z = 0)
(3) qa along the line joining points (x = 0, y = 0, z = 0) and (x = a, y = a, z = 0)
(4) 2 qa along + x direction

Sol. Key Idea : Electric dipole moment is a vector quantity directed from negative charge to the
similar positive charge.
Choose the three coordinate axes as x, y and z and plot the charges with the given coordinates
as shown.
O is the origin at which –2q charge is placed. The system is equivalent to two dipoles along x
and y-directions respectively. The dipole moments of two dipoles are shown in figure.

The resultant dipole moment will be directed along OP where P  (a, a, 0). The magnitude of
resultant dipole moment is
p' = p2 + p2 = (qa)2 + (qa)2 = 2 qa

18. An electric dipole is placed at an angle of 30o to a non-uniform electric field. The dipole will
experience
(1*) A torque as well as a translational force.
(2) A torque only.
(3) A translational force only in the direction of the field.
(4) A translational force only in a direction normal to the direction of the field.

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Sol. The dipole will have some distance along the electric field, so, option (1) is correct.

19. Due to an electric dipole shown in fig., the electric field intensity is parallel to dipole axis :

(1) at P only (2) at Q only (3*) both at P and at Q (4) neither at P nor at
Q

Sol. Since P & Q are axial & equatorial points, so electric fields are parallel to axis at both points.

20. Two opposite and equal charges of magnitude 4 × 10–8 coulomb each when placed 2 × 10–2 cm
apart form a dipole. If this dipole is placed in an external electric field of 4 × 108 N/C, the value
of maximum torque and the work required in rotating it through 180º from its initial orientation
which is along electric field will be : (Assume rotation of dipole about an axis passing through
centre of the dipole):
(1) 64 × 10–4 N-m and 44 × 10–4 J (2) 32 × 10–4 N-m and 32 × 10–4 J
–4 –4
(3) 64 × 10 N-m and 32 × 10 J (4*) 32 × 10–4 N-m and 64 × 10–4 J
Sol. max = PE = 4 × 10 × 2 × 10 × 4 × 10
–8 –4 8
= 32 × 10–4 N-m.
Work done W = (P.E.)f – (P.E.)i = PE – (–PE) = 2PE = 64 × 10–4 N-m

22. At a point on the axis (but not inside the dipole and not at infinity) of an electric dipole

(1) The electric field is zero

(2) The electric potential is zero
(3*) Neither the electric field nor the electric potential is zero
(4) The electric field is directed perpendicular to the axis of the dipole

Sol.
2kp kp
At a point 'P' on axis of dipole electric field E = 3
and electric potential V =
r r2
both nonzero and electric field along dipole on the axis.

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