Electric Fields Questions
Electric Fields Questions
1. Fig. 1.1 shows the uniform electric field between two vertical parallel plates A and B.
The potential difference between the plates is 6 V. An electron of kinetic energy 4 eV is fired in a direction
parallel to the electric field through a tiny hole in plate A.
Describe and explain the subsequent motion of the electron in the space between A and B. The weight of the
electron has negligible effect on its motion between the plates.
[3]
What is the magnitude of the electric potential at the mid-point between the α-particle and the electron at this
instant?
A –7.2 × 10 J C
–4 –1
B +2.4 × 10 J C
–4 –1
C +4.8 × 10 J C
–4 –1
D +7.2 × 10 J C
–4 –1
Your answer
[1]
What is the magnitude of the force experienced by the same electron when it is at point Q?
A 0.28 µN
B 0.55 µN
C 1.0 µN
D 1.8 µN
Your answer
[1]
The electric potential at point X is +1800 V. Point X is at a distance of 2R from the surface of the sphere.
V = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ V [2]
Calculate
Q = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C [2]
D The electric field strength between the plates remains the same.
The velocity of the proton at P is 7.2 × 106 m s−1 and the velocity at Q is 2.4 × 106 m s−1. The distance between
P and Q is 1.2 cm.
Calculate
deceleration = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ m s−2[2]
E = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N C−1[2]
Fig. 20.1
On Fig. 20.1, draw a minimum of five electric field lines to show the field pattern between the sphere and the
plate.
[2]
(b). Define electric potential at a point in space.
[1]
(c). A metal sphere is given a positive charge by connecting its surface briefly to the positive terminal of a power
supply. The electric potential at the surface of the sphere is + 5.0 kV. The sphere has radius 1.5 cm.
(i) Show that the charge Q on the surface of the sphere is 8.3 × 10−9 C.
[2]
The weight of the sphere is 1.7 × 10−2 N. The string makes an angle of 4.0° with the vertical.
1 Show that the electric force on the charged sphere is 1.2 × 10−3 N.
[1]
2 Calculate the uniform electric field strength E between the parallel plates.
E = _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N C−1[2]
Total 3
2 B 1
Total 1
3 B 1
Total 1
4 i V ∝ 1/r or distance = 3R C1
i V = 5400 (V) A1
Total 6
5 D 1
Total 1
i a = (–) 1.9 × 1015 (m s–2) A1 Allow 1 mark for 1.9 × 1013; distance left in
cm
Note answer to 3 s.f. is 1.92 × 1015 (m s–2)
Ignore sign
ii E = F/Q and F = ma C1
Total 4
Correct direction of the field B1 Note: This may be shown on just one line
Examiner’s Comment
Most candidates drew decent field patterns
and showed the correct direction of the
electric field. It is difficult to draw curved
field lines, but those who were careful and
had the field lines perpendicular at both the
surface of the sphere and the metal plate
were rewarded.
b (Electric potential) is the work done per B1 Allow: work done / energy required to bring
(unit) charge in bringing a positive charge a unit positive charge from infinity (to the
from infinity (to the point). point)
Examiner’s Comment
This was not well-answered; the modal
mark was zero. Definition for electric
potential lacked precision and often made
no reference to a ‘unit positive charge’ or
‘per unit positive charge’. At times, other
quantities such as electric field strength
and gravitational field strength were being
defined. This was a missed opportunity
-definitions just need to be learnt.
Q = 4π × 8.85 × 10-12 × 0.015 × 5000 C1 Note if the value of ε0 is not given here, it
could be implied in the correct 3sf answer
Allow any subject here if the answer is
given to more than 2sf
Allow the use of 1/4πε0 = 9 × 109
Q = 8.3(4) × 10-9 (C) A0
Examiner’s Comment
By contrast to the last question, the
answers here were perfect. Correct values
were substituted into the equation for
electric potential to show that the charge
was that stated in the question. In a ‘show’
question, always give the final answer to
more significant figures than the required
answer. It was good to see many scripts
with the final answer written as
8.34 × 10-9 C.
ii 1 (electric force =) 1.7 × 10-2 × tan4.0 M1 Not 1.7 × 10-2 sin4 or 1.7 × 10-2 cos86
(Allow any subject) Allow 1.7 × 10-2 × sin4/cos4
Examiner’s Comment
This was a good discriminator with high-
scoring candidates either using triangle of
forces, or resolution of forces, to determine
the electric force on the sphere. The value
of the force was given so that it could be
used to answer the next question.
More than half of the candidates correctly
calculated the electric field strength using
the information provided in (c)(i) and
(c)(ii)1. Some candidates used the
elementary charge rather than the value
from (c)(i) to calculate the field strength;
this gave an incorrect answer of
7.5 × 1015 N C-1.
Total 8