Ch.
15/16 – Electrostatics Problem Set
1. A 4.5 × 10–9 C charge is located 3.2 m from a –2.8
× 10–9 C charge. Find the electrostatic force exerted
by one charge on the other.
3. An alpha particle (charge = +2.0e) is sent at high
speed toward a gold nucleus (charge = +79e). What is
the electrical force acting on the alpha particle when
it is 2.0 × 10–14 m from the gold nucleus?
9. Two identical conducting spheres are placed with
their centers 0.30 m apart. One is given a charge of
12 x 10–9 C and the other a charge of –18 × 10–9 C.
(a) Find the electrostatic force exerted by one sphere 13. Three point charges are located at the corners of
on the other. (b) The spheres are connected by a an equilateral triangle as in Figure P15.13. Calculate
conducting wire. After equilibrium has occurred, find the net electric force on the 7.00-µC charge.
the electrostatic force between the two.
16. A charge of 6.00 × 10–9 C and a charge of –3.00
× 10–9 C are separated by a distance of 60.0 cm. Find
the position at which a third charge of 12.0 × 10–9 C
can be placed so that the net electrostatic force on it
is zero.
10. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the
Coulomb force on each of the three charges in Figure
P15.10.
18. (a) Determine the electric field strength at a point
1.00 cm to the left of the middle charge shown in
Figure P15.10. (b) If a charge of –2.00 µC is placed
at this point, what are the magnitude and direction of
the force on it?
21. A piece of aluminum foil of mass 5.00 × 10–2 kg
is suspended by a string in an electric field directed
vertically upward. If the charge on the foil is 3.00 µC,
11. Three charges are arranged as shown in Figure find the strength of the field that will reduce the
P15.11. Find the magnitude and direction of the tension in the string to zero.
electrostatic force on the charge at the origin.
22. An electron with a speed of 3.00 × 106 m/s moves
into a uniform electric field of 1 000 N/C. The field is
parallel to the electron’s motion. How far does the
electron travel before it is brought to rest?
23. A proton accelerates from rest in a uniform
electric field of 640 N/C. At some later time, its
speed is 1.20 × 106 m/s. (a) Find the magnitude of the
acceleration of the proton. (b) How long does it take
the proton to reach this speed? (c) How far has it
moved in this interval? (d) What is its kinetic energy
at the later time?
24. Positive charges are situated at three corners of a
rectangle, as shown in Figure P15.24. Find the
electric field at the fourth corner.
26. Two point charges lie along the y axis. A charge
of q1 = –9.0 µC is at y = 6.0 m, and a charge of q2 = – 50. A small 2.00-g plastic ball is suspended by a
8.0 µC is at y = –4.0 m. Locate the point (other than 20.0-cm-long string in a uniform electric field, as
infinity) at which the total electric field is zero. shown in Figure P15.50. If the ball is in equilibrium
when the string makes a 15.0° angle with the vertical
as indicated, what is the net charge on the ball?
Ch.16
1. A proton moves 2.00 cm parallel to a uniform
electric field with E = 200 N/C. (a) How much work
is done by the field on the proton? (b) What change
27. In Figure P15.27, determine the point (other than occurs in the potential energy of the proton? (c)
infinity) at which the total electric field is zero. Through what potential difference did the proton
move?
29. (a) Sketch the electric field lines around an
isolated point charge, q > 0. (b) Sketch the electric 2. A uniform electric field of magnitude 250 V/m is
field pattern around an isolated negative point charge directed in the positive x direction. A positive 12-µC
of magnitude –2q. charge moves from the origin to the point (x, y) = (20
cm, 50 cm). (a) What is the change in the potential
30. (a) Sketch the electric field pattern around two energy of this charge? (b) Through what potential
positive point charges of magnitude 1 µC placed difference does the charge move?
close together. (b) Sketch the electric field pattern
around two negative point charges of –2 µC placed 4. An ion accelerated through a potential difference
close together. (c) Sketch the pattern around two of 115 V experiences an increase in kinetic energy of
point charges of +1 µC and –2 µC placed close 7.37 × 10–17 J. Calculate the charge on the ion.
together.
6. To recharge a 12-V battery, a battery charger must
move 3.6 × 105 C of charge from the negative
terminal to the positive terminal. How much work is
done by the battery charger? Express your answer in
joules.
49. Three point charges are aligned along the x axis
as shown in Figure P15.49. Find the electric field at
the position x = +2.0 m, y = 0.
12. Find the potential at point P for the rectangular
grouping of charges shown in Figure P16.12.
13. (a) Find the electric potential, taking zero at
infinity, at the upper-right corner (the corner without
a charge) of the rectangle in Figure P16.13. (b)
Repeat if the 2.00- µC charge is replaced with a
charge of –2.00 µC. 31. (a) Find the equivalent capacitance of the group
of capacitors in Figure P16.31. (b) Find the charge on
14. Three charges are situated at corners of a and the potential difference across each.
rectangle as in Figure P16.13. How much energy
would be expended in moving the 8.00-µC charge to
infinity?
15. Two point charges Q1 = +5.00 nC and Q2 = –3.00
nC are separated by 35.0 cm. (a) What is the electric
potential at a point midway between the charges? (b)
What is the potential energy of the pair of charges?
What is the significance of the algebraic sign of your
answer?
22. (a) How much charge is on each plate of a 4.00-
µF capacitor when it is connected to a 12.0-V 33. Four capacitors are connected as shown in Figure
battery? (b) If this same capacitor is connected to a P16.33. (a) Find the equivalent capacitance between
1.50-V battery, what charge is stored? points a and b. (b) Calculate the charge on each
capacitor if a 15.0-V battery is connected across
29. A series circuit consists of a 0.050-µF capacitor, a points a and b.
0.100-µF capacitor, and a 400-V battery. Find the
charge (a) on each of the capacitors and (b) on each
of the capacitors if they are reconnected in parallel
across the battery.
30. Three capacitors C1 = 5.00 µF, C2 = 4.00 µF, and
C3 = 9.00 µF are connected together. Find the
effective capacitance of the group (a) if they are all in 34. Consider the combination of capacitors in Figure
parallel, and (b) if they are all in series. P16.34. (a) What is the equivalent capacitance of the
group? (b) Determine the charge on each capacitor.
43. A parallel-plate capacitor has 2.00-cm2 plates that
are separated by 5.00 mm with air between them. If a
12.0-V battery is connected to this capacitor, how
much energy does it store?
35. Find the charge on each of the capacitors in
Figure P16.35.
Spiral Review breaking
strength
of
1
000
N.
Does
he
make
it
safely
across
the
river?
Justify
your
answer.
2.
34.
A
record
of
travel
along
a
straight
path
is
as
follows.
9.33.
An
empty
rubber
balloon
has
a
mass
of
0.012
0
1.
Start
from
rest
with
constant
acceleration
of
kg.
The
balloon
is
filled
with
helium
at
a
density
of
2.77
m/s2
for
15.0
s
0.181
kg/m3.
At
this
density
the
balloon
has
a
radius
2.
Constant
velocity
for
the
next
2.05
min
of
0.500
m.
If
the
filled
balloon
is
fastened
to
a
3.
Constant
negative
acceleration
–9.47
m/s2
for
vertical
line,
what
is
the
tension
in
the
line?
4.39
s
(a)
What
was
the
total
displacement
for
the
complete
trip?
(b)
What
were
the
average
speeds
for
legs
1,
2,
and
3
of
the
trip
as
well
as
for
the
complete
trip?
3.
29.
A
brick
is
thrown
upward
from
the
top
of
a
building
at
an
angle
of
25°
to
the
horizontal
and
with
an
initial
speed
of
15
m/s.
If
the
brick
is
in
flight
for
3.0
s,
how
tall
is
the
building?
12.10.
(a)
Determine
the
work
done
on
a
fluid
that
expands
from
i
to
f
as
indicated
in
Figure
P12.10.
(b)
How
much
work
is
done
on
the
fluid
if
it
is
compressed
from
f
to
i
along
the
same
path?
4.50.
A
2.00-‐kg
block
is
held
in
equilibrium
on
an
incline
of
angle
θ
60.0°
by
a
horizontal
force
F
applied
in
the
direction
shown
in
Figure
P4.50.
If
the
coefficient
of
static
friction
between
block
and
incline
is
μs
=
0.300,
determine
(a)
the
minimum
value
of
F
and
(b)
the
normal
force
of
the
incline
on
13.56.
A
500-‐g
block
is
released
from
rest
and
slides
the
block.
down
a
frictionless
track
that
begins
2.00
m
above
the
horizontal,
as
shown
in
Figure
P13.56.
At
the
5.42.
A
25.0-‐kg
child
on
a
2.00-‐m-‐long
swing
is
bottom
of
the
track,
where
the
surface
is
horizontal,
released
from
rest
when
the
ropes
of
the
swing
make
the
block
strikes
and
sticks
to
a
light
spring
with
a
an
angle
of
30.0°
with
the
vertical.
(a)
Neglecting
spring
constant
of
20.0
N/m.
Find
the
maximum
friction,
find
the
child’s
speed
at
the
lowest
position.
distance
the
spring
is
compressed.
(b)
If
the
actual
speed
of
the
child
at
the
lowest
position
is
2.00
m/s,
what
is
the
mechanical
energy
14.45.
The
human
ear
canal
is
about
2.8
cm
long.
If
it
lost
due
to
friction?
is
regarded
as
a
tube
open
at
one
end
and
closed
at
the
eardrum,
what
is
the
fundamental
frequency
6.27.
A
railroad
car
of
mass
2.00
x
104
kg
moving
at
around
which
we
would
expect
hearing
to
be
most
3.00
m/s
collides
and
couples
with
two
coupled
sensitive?
(Take
the
speed
of
sound
to
be
340
m/s.)
railroad
cars,
each
of
the
same
mass
as
the
single
car
and
moving
in
the
same
direction
at
1.20
m/s.
(a)
What
is
the
speed
of
the
three
coupled
cars
after
the
collision?
(b)
How
much
kinetic
energy
is
lost
in
the
collision?
7.26.
Tarzan
(m
=
85
kg)
tries
to
cross
a
river
by
swinging
from
a
10-‐m-‐long
vine.
His
speed
at
the
bottom
of
the
swing
(as
he
just
clears
the
water)
is
8.0
m/s.
Tarzan
doesn’t
know
that
the
vine
has
a
