Chapter 16 Static electricity (MCQs)

11. An electron e is placed near a positive point charge as shown. In which direction
will the electron move?

A
D B
e D
C

12. Which of the following are correct?

1. An electron will accelerate when placed in an electric field.
2. An electron will always move towards a positively charged object in a
straight line.
3. The direction of an electric field at any point is the direction of the force on
a small positive charge placed at the point

A. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 3 only
D. 1,2, and 3
B
13. Which of the following is /are possible field pattern(s)?

A. 1 only B. 3 only
C. 1 and 2 only D. 1 and 3 only

A
14. Which of the following is a possible field pattern?

A
15. The diagram below shows a positive point charge in
between a positively charged object and a negatively
charged object.

In which direction will be the positive point charge move?

A. Up B. down
C. Right D. left

C
16. The diagram below shows a positive point charge in
between two positively charged objects.

In which direction will the positive point charge move?

A. Up B. down
C. Right D. left

A
17. The diagram below shows a negative point charge near
positively charged object and a negatively charged object.

C
18. Two neutral conducting spheres are placed touching each
other and supported by insulating stands as shown. Which is
the correct sequence to induce opposite charges to the two
spheres?

1. Separate the two spheres by pulling the insulating stand away from each
other.
2. Earth the spheres instantaneously.
3. Remove the charged rod.
4. Place a charged rod near the conducting spheres.

A. 1→ 4 → 2 → 3 B. 4 → 1 → 2 → 3
C. 4 → 1 → 3 D. 4 → 2 → 3
C
19. Which of the following is the correct sequence to induce
positive charge in a neutral conducting sphere?

1. Place a positively charged rod near the conducting sphere.

2. Earth the sphere instantaneously.
3. Remove the charged rod.
4. Place a negatively charged rod near the conducting
sphere.

A. 4 → 1 → 2 → 3 B. 1 → 2 → 3
C. 4 → 2 → 3 D. 1 → 2 → 4

C
20. A positively charged rod is brought near the conducting sphere A
as shown. If the two spheres are separated by pulling the insulating
stands away from each other while the charged rod is near, what are
the charges in sphere A and sphere B?

Sphere A Sphere B
A. positive negative
B. positive positive
C. negative negative
D. negative positive
D
21. Two identical light conducting balls are being suspended
freely and placed close to one another. From the diagram below.
What could be the charges in the conducting balls?

1. One is positively charged and the other is negatively charged.

2. Both are positively charged.
3. Both are negatively charged.

A. 1 only B. 1 and 2 only

C. 1 and 3 only D. 2 and 3 only
D
22. Two identical light conducting balls of equal and opposite charge
are being suspended freely. They are pushed towards each other as
shown.

+ 2C - 2C

Which of the following shows the positions of the two balls after they
touch each other?

A. B. C. D.

B
23. Two identical light conducting balls of different charge are being
suspended freely. They are pushed towards each other as shown.

+ 4C - 2C

Which of the following shows the positions of the two balls after they touch each
other?

A. B. C. D.

A
24. Two identical neutral light conducting balls, suspended by
insulating threads, touch each other as shown.

Which of the following shows the positions of the balls when a heavy positively-
charged sphere is placed near them?

C
25. Two identical neutral light conducting balls, suspended by
insulating threads, touch each other as shown.

Which of the following shows the positions of the balls when a heavy positively-
charged conducting sphere touches one of them?
D

A. B. C. D.
26. Three conductors are placed close to each other. Conductor X is
negatively charged. Both conductor Y and conductor Z are neutral. What
will be the charge in conductor Z after it is being earthed momentarily?
X Y Z

A. Neutral
B. Positive
C. Negative
D. Cannot be determined. B
27. A positive charged rod is placed near the brass cap of the
electroscope. The gold leaf flips away from the brass plate because

A. Protons are repelled downwards from the

brass cap causing both gold leaf and brass
plate to be positively charged and repel each
Brass cap other.

B. Electrons are attracted upwards to the brass

cap causing both gold leaf and brass plate to
Brass the positively charged and repel each other.
rod Gold leaf
Brass C. Electrons are repelled downwards from the
plate brass cap causing both gold leaf and brass
plate to be negatively charged and repel each
other.

D. Protons are attracted upwards to the brass cap

causing both gold leaf and brass plate to be
negatively charged and repel each other.
28. The diagram below shows a positively charged rod being placed
near the brass cap of the electroscope causing the gold leaf to move
away from the brass plate. What will happen to the gold leaf when
the brass cap is momentarily earthed?

A. The gold leaf will move further away from

Brass cap
the brass plate.
B. The gold leaf will move nearer but not touch

Brass the brass plate.

rod Gold leaf C. The gold leaf will not be affected.
Brass
D. The gold leaf will move back to the brass
plate
plate.
29. Lightning is seen flashing from the sky to the ground. What is expected to
flow down from the sky?

A. Protons B. electrons
C. Neutrons D. air molecules

30. Lightning from the clouds strikes the Earth. Which of the following will
the lightning most probably strike?

A. A 10-meter tall tree

B. A 1.5-meter tall man
C. A 10-meter tall metal flagpole
D. A pool of water at ground level
31. A neutral light conducting ball, suspended between two light conducting
charged plates, touches the positively charged conducting plate as shown.
What will be the subsequent motion of the conducting ball between the
positively charged conducting plate and the negatively charged conducting
plate?

Conducting
ball

A. The light conducting ball will be attracted to the positive plate.

B. The light conducting ball will be attracted to the negative plate.
C. The light conducting ball will stay at the centre of the two charged conducting
plates.
D. The light conducting ball will oscillate to and fro between the two conducting
plates.
32. A neutral light conducting ball, suspended between two light conducting
charged plates, touches the positively charged plate as shown. What will be
the subsequent motion of the light insulating ball between the positively
charged conducting plate and the negatively charged conducting plate?

insulating
ball

A. The light insulating ball will be attracted to the positive plate.

B. The light insulating ball will be attracted to the negative plate.
C. The light insulating ball will stay at the centre of the two charged conducting
plates.
D. The light insulating ball will oscillate to and fro between the two conducting
plates.
 Extension Questions

33. After rubbing insulator X with insulator Y, insulator X repels a negatively

charged rod. Which of the following statement is true?
A. Electrons have moved from X to Y.
B. Electrons have moved from Y to X.
C. Protons have moved from X to Y.
D. Protons have moved from Y to X.

34. Material Y becomes negatively charged after it is rubbed with fur. Which statement
below is true for material Y?
A. Material Y gains positive ions.
B. Material Y gains electrons.
C. Material Y loses positive ions.
D. Material Y loses electrons.
35. What is the final effect on a neutral conducting sphere after it has

undergone the following procedures?

1. Place a negatively charged insulator near the conducting sphere.
2. Touch the conducting sphere with a finger.
3. Remove the negatively charged insulator.
4. Remove the finger from the conducting sphere.

A. The conducting sphere becomes negatively charged.

B. The conducting sphere becomes positively charged.
C. The conducting sphere becomes neutral.
D. One side of the conducting sphere becomes negatively charged and the
other side becomes positively charged.
36. A metal ball is to be charged by induction. A charged rod is
held close to one side of the ball and the other side is earthed.
Which of the diagrams shows the charge distribution at this stage
of the experiment?

A. No B.
charge

C. D.
37. The reason for a conducting strip being dragged behind a
petrol truck is

A. To attract electrons from the ground.

B. To conduct heat away from the petrol truck.
C. To discharge the petrol truck.
D. To make the petrol truck positively charged.
38. Two identical insulators carry charges of +1 C and -3C respectively. What will be the
charge on the first insulator after they touch each other momentarily?

A. -2 C B. -1 C C. 0 C D. 1 C

39. Two identical conductors carry charges of +1 C and -3C respectively. What will
be the charge on the first insulator after they touch each other momentarily?

A. -2 C B. -1 C C. 0 C D. 1 C

40. Paint is charged before spraying onto the target. This is to

1. Attract the paint to the target.
2. Prevent the paint from attracting dust.
3. Ensure an even spread of paint on the target.
A. 1 and 2 only B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only D. 1,2 and 3 only
41. What is the amount of charge in an electron?

A. -1.6 x 1019 C B. -1.6 x 10-19 C

C. 1.6 x 10-19 C D. 1.6 x 1019 C

42. What is the amount of charge in a proton?

A. -1.6 x 1019 C B. -1.6 x 10-19 C

C. 1.6 x 10-19 C D. 1.6 x 1019 C

43. Which of the following combinations is possible for the charge on the light
sensitive drum and the charge on the toner?

Charge on the light Sensitive drum Charge on the toner

1. Positive Positive
2. Negative Negative
3. Positive Negative

A. 1 only B. 2 only C. 3 only D. 1 and 2 only

44. The diagram below shows a positively charged sphere Y placed
near a neutral conducting sphere X.
X Y

P R

At which point should a finger touch the sphere X, to make sphere X negatively
charged?

A. P only B. R only C. either P or Q only D. either P,Q or R

45. A negatively charged rod moves near a conducting sphere s shown.
What will be the movements of the electrons and protons in the
conducting sphere?

Negatively charged rod

Conducting sphere

Electrons Protons
A. Move to left move to right
B. Move to right move to left
C. Does not move move to left
D. Move to right does not move
46. A positively charged oil drop is suspended in the air by two charged
plates as shown. What will happen to the oil drop if the positive charge
in it decreases?

A. The oil drop will move to either side.

B. The oil drop will move upwards.
C. The oil drop will move downwards.
D. The oil drop will remain stationary.