UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA

Department of Physics
PHY 122 - Electricity & Magnetism, Introduction to Modern Physics 2020/2021
ASSIGMENT – EM 3 Tutorial Dates 22-26 February, 2021

1. At a certain position in space the

electric potential is V = 24 000 V. What
is the potential energy at this point of
(a) an electron and,
(b) a proton
2. Two small spherical objects that carry
charges of +3 µC and -8 µC are initially
separated by 4 cm.
(a) What is the change in electrostatic
potential energy if the separation is
increased by 2 cm?
(b) How much work has been done?
(c) What is the change in electrostatic
potential energy if the separation is
reduced to 2 cm?
(d) Is the work done on the charges in
the latter case?
3. At a distance of 100 km from a small,
electrically charged asteroid, it is found
that there is an electric field of 300 V/m.
How much charge does the asteroid
carry?
4. A charge Q1 = +6.0 µC is located at x =
0 cm; a charge Q2 = -8 µC is located at
x = 1m.
(a) What is the potential difference
between the points A(x = 0.2 m) and
B(x = 0.7m)?
(b) Which point (A or B) is at a higher
potential?
(c) At which points on the x-axis will the
electric potential due to the two
charges be zero?
(d) Calculate the work required to bring
a third charge q3 = +2 μC from
infinity to point B.
(e) Calculate the work needed to move a
charge q3 from B to A.
5. Two parallel plates are separated by an
air gap of 4 cm. What voltage (potential
difference) must be placed across the
plates to produce an electric field
strength of 2 KV/m?

6. Four charges are arranged as shown calculate its speed by the time it
in figure. reaches point B.

(a) Calculate the energy required to

assemble the charges into the
shown configuration.
(b) Calculate the electric potential at
point A and B (at the centre).
(c) Find the energy required to bring
a charge q0 = -15 μC
(i) from infinity to point B
(ii) from point A to B.
(d) If q0 is released from rest at point
A and accelerates towards B,

ZGK/LR/VRKM/MT 2020/21