Problems Chapter 2
(1) Charges of 3.00 nC, −2.00 nC, −7.00 nC, and 1.00 nC are contained inside a rectangular box with length
1.00 m, width 2.00 m, and height 2.50 m. Outside the box are charges of 1.00 nC and 4.00 nC. What is
the electric flux through the surface of the box?
(a) 0 (b) − 5.64 × 102 N . m2 ⁄C (c) − 1.47 × 103 N . m2 ⁄C
(d) 1.47 × 103 N . m2 ⁄C (e) 5.64 × 102 N . m2 ⁄C
Solution
Only charges which are inside the rectangular box have flux through the surface of the box, such that
𝑞𝑖𝑛 (3.00 − 2.00 − 7.00 + 1.00) × 10−9
Φ𝐸 = = = −0.564 × 103 N . m2 ⁄C
𝜖0 8.85 × 10−12
Φ𝐸 = −5.64 × 102 N . m2 ⁄C
The total flux is independent of the shape of the surface.
(2) A uniform electric field of 1.00 N/C is set up by a uniform distribution of charge in the 𝑥𝑦-plane. What is
the electric field inside a metal ball placed 0.500 m above the 𝑥𝑦-plane?
(a) 1.00 N/C (b) −1.00 N/C (c) 0
(d) 0.250 N/C (e) varies depending on the position inside the ball.
Solution
The electric field inside any conductor is zero, and since the metal ball is a conductor then the electric field inside
it zero.
(3) Rank the electric fluxes through each gaussian surface shown in Figure from largest to smallest. Display
any cases of equality in your ranking.
Solution
𝑞𝑖𝑛
Since Φ𝐸 = , then
𝜖0
𝑄
(a) Φ𝐸 =
𝜖0
𝑄
(b) Φ𝐸 =
𝜖0
3𝑄
(c) Φ𝐸 =
𝜖0
0
(d) Φ𝐸 =
𝜖0
Therefore, descending order of the electric fluxes through each gaussian surface: c then (a = b) then d
(4) A vertical electric field of magnitude 2 × 104 N/C exists above the Earth’s surface on a day when a
thunderstorm is brewing. A car with a rectangular size of 6 m by 3 m is traveling along a dry gravel
roadway sloping downward at 10°. Determine the electric flux through the bottom of the car.
Solution
The area of the bottom of the car
𝐴 = (3 m) × (6 m) = 18 m2
The electric flux through the bottom of the car is given by
Φ𝐸 = 𝐸𝐴 cos 𝜃 = (2 × 104 N/C)(18 m2 ) cos 10 °
Φ𝐸 = 355 kN. m2 /C
(5) Four closed surfaces, 𝑆1 through 𝑆4 , together with the charges −2𝑄, +𝑄 and −𝑄 are shown in the Figure.
Find the electric flux through each surface.
Solution
The electric flux through each of the surfaces is given by:
𝑞𝑖𝑛
Φ𝐸 = .
𝜖0
Flux through 𝑆1:
−2𝑄 + 𝑄 −𝑄
Φ𝐸 = =
𝜖0 𝜖0
Flux through 𝑆2 :
+𝑄 − 𝑄
Φ𝐸 = =0
𝜖0
Flux through 𝑆3 :
−2𝑄 + 𝑄 − 𝑄 −2𝑄
Φ𝐸 = =
𝜖0 𝜖0
Flux through 𝑆4 : Φ𝐸 = 0 (There is no enclosed charges on 𝑆4 )
(6) A charge of 170 𝜇C is at the center of a cube of edge 80 cm. No other charges are nearby.
(a) Find the flux through each face of the cube.
(b) Find the flux through the whole surface of the cube.
(c) What If? Would your answers to either part (a) or part (b) change if the charge were not at the
center? Explain.
Solution
𝑞𝑖𝑛 170 × 10−6 C
Φ𝐸 = = = 1.92 × 107 N. m2 /C
𝜖0 8.85 × 10−12 C2 /N. m2
(a) By symmetry, the flux through each face of the cube is the same.
1 1
(Φ𝐸 )𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = Φ𝐸 = (1.92 × 107 N. m2 /C) = 3.2 × 106 N. m2 /C
6 6
𝑞𝑖𝑛 170 × 10−6 C
(b) Φ𝐸 = = = 1.92 × 107 N. m2 /C
𝜖0 8.85 × 10−12 C2 /N. m2
(c) The answer to part (a) would change because the charge could now be at different distances from each face of
the cube.
The answer to part (b) would be unchanged because the flux through the entire closed surface depends only
on the total charge inside the surface.
(7) The charge per unit length on a long, straight filament is −90 𝜇C/m. Find the electric field (a) 10 cm,
(b) 20 cm, and (c) 100 cm from the filament, where distances are measured perpendicular to the length
of the filament.
Solution
Note that the electric field in each case is directed radially inward, toward the
filament. We use
2𝑘𝑒 𝜆
𝐸 =
𝑟
and substitute numerical values, where 𝜆 = −90 𝜇C/m
(a) At 𝑟 = 10 cm = 0.1 m
2𝑘𝑒 𝜆 2 × (8.99 × 109 𝑁. 𝑚2 /𝐶 2 ) × (−90 × 10−6 𝐶/𝑚)
𝐸 = = = 1.62 × 107 N/C = 16.2 MN/C
𝑟 0.1 𝑚
(b) At 𝑟 = 20 cm = 0.2 m
2𝑘𝑒 𝜆 2 × (8.99 × 109 N. m2 /C2 ) × (−90 × 10−6 C/m)
𝐸 = = = 8.09 × 106 N/C = 8.09 MN/C
𝑟 0.2 m
(c) At 𝑟 = 100 cm = 1 m
2𝑘𝑒 𝜆 2 × (8.99 × 109 N. m2 /C2 ) × (−90 × 10−6 C/m)
𝐸 = = = 1.62 × 106 N/C = 1.62 MN/C
𝑟 1m
(8) A solid sphere of radius 40 cm has a total positive charge of 26 𝜇C uniformly distributed throughout its
volume. Calculate the magnitude of the electric field (a) 0 cm, (b) 10 cm, (c) 40 cm, and (d) 60 cm from
the center of the sphere.
Solution
(a) At the center of the sphere, the total charge is zero, so
𝑘𝑒 𝑄
𝐸= 𝑟=0
𝑎3
(b) At a distance of 10 cm = 0.1 m from the center,
𝑘𝑒 𝑄 (8.99 × 109 N. m2 /C2 ) × (26 × 10−6 C/m) × (0.1 m)
𝐸= 𝑟 = = 365 kN/C
𝑎3 (0.4 m)3
(c) At a distance of 40 cm = 0.4 m from the center, all of the charge is enclosed, so
𝑘𝑒 𝑄 (8.99 × 109 N. m2 /C2 ) × (26 × 10−6 C/m)
𝐸= = = 1.46 MN/C
𝑎2 (0.4 m)2
(d) At a distance of 60 cm = 0.6 m from the center,
𝑘𝑒 𝑄 (8.99 × 109 N. m2 /C2 ) × (26 × 10−6 C/m)
𝐸= = = 1.46 MN/C
𝑟2 (0.6 m)2
The direction for each electric field is radially outward.
(9) In the air over a particular region at an altitude of 500 m above the ground, the electric field is 120 N/C
directed downward. At 600 m above the ground, the electric field is 100 N/C downward. What is the average
volume charge density in the layer of air between these two elevations? Is it positive or negative?
Solution
Consider as a gaussian surface a box with horizontal area A, lying between 500 and 600 m elevation.
From Gauss’s Law,
𝑞𝑖𝑛
⃗ .A
E ⃗ = , where 𝑞𝑖𝑛 = 𝜌V = 𝜌Ah
𝜀0
⃗E . ⃗A = |E
⃗ ||A
⃗ | cos 𝜃, where ⃗A = An̂
𝑞𝑖𝑛
E A cos 𝜃 =
𝜀0
𝜌A(100)
120 A + (−100) A =
𝜀0
𝜌A(100) 100 𝜌 20
20 A = ⟶ 20 = ⟶ 𝜌= 𝜀
𝜀0 𝜀0 100 0
(20 N/C)
𝜌= (8.85 × 10−12 C2 /N. m2 ) = 1.77 × 10−12 C/m3
(100 m)
The charge is positive.
(10) A particle with charge 𝑄 = 5.00 μC is located at the center of a cube of edge 𝐿 = 0.100 m. In addition, six
other identical charged particles having 𝑞 = −1.00 μC are positioned symmetrically around 𝑄 as shown in
Figure. Determine the electric flux through one face of the cube.
Solution
The total charge is 𝑄 − 6𝑞. The total outward flux from the cube is (for all six faces of the cube)
𝑄 − 6𝑞
(Φ𝐸 )𝑠𝑖𝑥 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 =
𝜖0
For one face of the cube, we have
𝑄 − 6𝑞 (5.00 − 6.00) × 10−6
(Φ𝐸 )𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = = = −18.8 × 103 N. m2 /C
6 𝜖0 6 × 8.85 × 10−12
(11) A long, straight metal rod has a radius of 5.00 cm and a charge per unit length of 30.0 nC⁄m. Find the
electric field (a) 3.00 cm, (b) 10.0 cm, and (c) 100 cm from the axis of the rod, where distances are
measured perpendicular to the rod’s axis.
Solution
𝑅 = 5.00 cm = 5.00 × 10−2 m
𝜆 = 30.0 nC⁄m = 30.0 × 10−9 C⁄m
The electric field at a distance 𝑟 from long infinite length and constant
charge per unit length 𝜆 is given by
𝜆
𝐸=
(2𝜋𝜖0 )𝑟
𝐼. 𝑟 < 𝑅
(a) For 𝑟 = 3.0 cm = 0.03 m ⇒ Charges on the metal rod are on its
surface Due to charge repelling each other to get as far as possible, all
the way to the surface. Therefore, electric field at 𝑟 = 0.03 m is zero.
𝐼𝐼. 𝑟 > 𝑅
(b) For of 𝑟 = 10 cm = 0.1 m from the center,
𝜆 30.0 × 10−9
𝐸= = = 5.39 × 103 N⁄C outward
(2𝜋𝜖0 )𝑟 2 𝜋(8.85 × 10−12 ) × 0.1
(c) For of 𝑟 = 100 cm = 1 m from the center,
𝜆 30.0 × 10−9
𝐸= = = 5.39 × 102 N⁄C outward
(2𝜋𝜖0 )𝑟 2 𝜋(8.85 × 10−12 ) × 1