UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA

2014/2015 END-OF-SEMESTER SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS

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COURSE No.: PHY241 DURATION: 2 HRS. DATE: July 2015

TITLE OF PAPER: ADVANCED ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM

SUBJECT: PHYSICS TITLE OF EXAMINATION: BSc Level 200

MORNING / AFTERNOON

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN SECTION A; AND

2. ANSWER ANY THREE (3) QUESTIONS FROM SECTION B.

EACH QUESTION IN SECTION A IS WORTH 2 MARKS

EACH QUESTION IN SECTION B IS WORTH 20 MARKS

You may find the following information useful:

Electric charge, e = 1.60 x 10-19 C

Coulomb’s constant, k = 1/(4o) = 9.00 x 109 N.m2.C-2
Permittivity of free space, o = 8.85 x 10-12 F.m-1
Permeability of free space, o = 4 x 10-7 H.m-1
Page 5 contains mathematical formulae

No. of Pages
DO NOT OPEN THIS PAPER UNTIL YOU HAVE
5
BEEN TOLD TO DO SO BY THE SUPERVISOR
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Section A: ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN THIS SECTION (2 Marks Each).

A1. An HCL molecule has a dipole moment of 3.4 x 10 -30 C.m. The two atoms are separated
by 1.0 x 10-10 m. Determine the net charge on each atom.

A2. The electric potential in a certain region is given by V = ax2 + bx + c where a = 12 V/m2, b
= -10 V/m and c = 62 V. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field at x
= +2 m.

A3. A circular wire loop of diameter 13.0 cm is placed such that its area vector is
perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field between the pole pieces of a large magnet.
When a current of 7.10 A flows in the loop, the torque on it is 0.185 Nm. Determine the
magnetic field strength.

A4. A 26 cm diameter wire loop lies in a plane perpendicular to a 0.90 T magnetic field. The
loop is removed from the field in 0.15 s. Calculate the average induced emf.

A5. A 12-V battery is connected in series with a resistor and an inductor. The circuit has a
time constant of 500 s, and the maximum current is 200 mA. Calculate the value for the
inductance.

Section B: ANSWER ANY THREE (3) QUESTIONS OUT OF THE FIVE (5)
IN THIS SECTION (Each Question is worth 20 Marks).
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B1.

(a)

Show that the magnitude of the electric field at any

point P a distance x from a very long straight wire (see
figure on the left) carrying a uniformly distributed
charge Q is given by

where λ is the linear charge density and x is assumed to be far

much smaller than the length of the wire.
[14 marks]

Continued on page 2
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(b) An electron moves in a circle of radius r around a very long uniform charge wire in a
vacuum chamber as shown in the Figure below. The value of the charge density on the
wire is λ = 0.14μC/m. Determine the electric field (i.e. its magnitude and direction) at the
position of the electron. [6 marks]

B2.
(a) A non-conducting ring , has a radius R and carries a charge Q uniformly distributed.

(i) Show that the potential at a point P along the perpendicular axis of the ring at a distance x
from the centre of the ring is given by:

[5 marks]

(ii) From the electric potential, find the electric field at the point P.
[4 marks]
(a) Two concentric spherical conducting shells are separated by vacuum. The inner shell has
total charge +Q and outer radius ra, and the outer shell has charge –Q and inner radius rb
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(see figure below).

(i) Use Gauss’s law to show that the expression

for the voltage between the shells is given by

[7

marks]

(ii) Determine the expression for the capacitance

of this device. [2 marks]

(iii) If ra = 9.5 cm and rb = 10.5 cm, calculate

the value of the capacitance of this
capacitor.

[2 marks]

Continued on page 3
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B3.

The figure below shows a cross-section of a short solenoid of length L and radius a.

(a) Show that the magnitude of the magnetic field at an axial point P is given by

where all the symbols have their usual meanings.

Hint: Magnitude of magnetic field at some point P a distance x along the axis of a ring
of radius a is
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[10 marks]
(b)
(i) Calculate the magnitude of the magnetic field along the axis, at a distance of 20 cm
from the right-hand end of a solenoid that has 500 turns, length of 50 cm, radius of
8.9 cm, and carries a current of 5.0 A.
[6 marks]
(ii) Using the equation given above, derive the expression for the magnetic field at (1)
the centre of the axis of a long solenoid, and (2) the right-hand end of a long
solenoid.
[4 marks]

Continued on page 4
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B4.

(a) Use Biot-Savart law to show that the magnitude of the magnetic field at a point R
(shortest possible distance) away from a long straight wire carrying a current I is given
by:
[10 marks]

(b)
(i) State Ampere’s law for magnetic fields. [1 mark]

(ii) A straight wire segment of length l carries a current I. Use Ampere’s law to show
that the magnitude of the magnetic field associated with this segment, at a
position P, distance a from the segment along a perpendicular bisector (see the
Figure below) is given by

l a P [9 marks]

B5.
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(a) From first principles and with the aid of a clearly labelled diagram of a series RC circuit
connected to a battery, show that if the battery connected at t = 0, the current at any time t
is given by
[10 marks]

where Vo is the supply voltage of the battery and is the time constant of the circuit.

(b) Consider a series RC circuit for which R = 1.0 MΩ, C = 5.0 μF, and emf ε = 30 V.
Calculate the following:
(i) the time constant of the circuit, [3 marks]
(ii) the maximum charge on the capacitor after the switch is closed, and [3 marks]
(iii) the current in the resistor 10.0 seconds after the switch is closed. [4 marks]

Continued on page 5
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Derivates and Integrals

In what follows, the letters u and v stand for any function of x, and a and m are constants. To
each of the indefinite integrals should be added an arbitrary constant of integration.
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1. 4.

2. 5.

3. 6.
7.
4. 8.
9.
5.
10.
6. 11.
7. 12.
8.
13.
9.
14.
10.
15.
11.
16.
12.
17.
13.
18.
14.

15. 19.

16. 20.

21.
1. 22.
2.
3. 23.
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