1

ELCTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE

Potential difference: The potential difference between two points in an electric field may be
defined as the amount of work done in moving a unit positive charge from one point to the other
against the electrostatic forces.

Consider a point charge +q located at a point ‘O’. When a test charge q 0 is moved from A to B, a
work W AB has to be done in moving against the repulsive force exerted by the charge +q. Then the
potential difference between points A and B is given by

Potential difference is a scalar quantity. The S.I. unit of potential difference is volt (V).
Def. Of volt: The potential difference between two points in an electric field is said to be 1 volt if 1
joule of work has to be done in moving a positive charge of 1 coulomb from one point to the other
against the electrostatic forces.

Electric potential: The electric potential at a point in an electric field is the amount of work done
in moving a unit positive charge from infinity to that point against the electrostatic forces.

The S.I. unit of electric potential is volt. Electric potential is a scalar quantity. The dimensional
formula for electric potential difference and electric potential is [ML 2T3A1].

Electric potential due to a point charge: Consider a positive charge q placed at the origin ‘O’.
We wish to calculate its electric potential at a point P at distance ‘r’ from it, as shown in figure.

Suppose a test charge q0 is placed at point A at distance ‘x’ from ‘O’. By Coulomb’s law, the
electrostatic force acting on charge q 0 is
 2

The force F acts away from charge q. The small work done in moving the test charge q 0 from A to
B through small displacement dx against the electrostatic force is

The total work done in moving the charge q 0 from infinity to the point P will be

Hence the work done in moving a unit test charge from infinity to the point P (or) the electric
potential at point P is

(or)

NOTE: 1. Electric potential due to a single charge is spherical symmetric.

2. Potential due to a point charge ‘q’ varies with distance ‘r’ as V  1/r and electric field due to a
point charge ‘q’ varies with distance ‘r’ as E  1/r2.

Variation of potential ‘V’ and field ‘E’ with ‘r’ for a point charge ‘q’:
 3

Variation of electric potential V with r for charge q >0 and for charge q < 0:

Variation of electric potential V with 1/r due to a point charge q > 0 and for charge q < 0:

1/r

q>0 q<0

1/r

Electric potential at an axial point of a dipole:

Consider an electric dipole consisting of two point charges q and +q are separated by a distance
‘2a’. Let P be a point on the axis of the dipole at a distance ‘r’ from its centre ‘O’.

Electric potential at point P due to the dipole is

[ p = q  2a]
 4

Electric potential at an equatorial point of a dipole:

Consider an electric dipole consisting of charges q and +q and separated by distance ‘2a’. Let P
be a point on the equatorial line of the dipole at distance ‘r’ from its centre ‘O’.

Electric potential at point P due to the dipole is

Electric potential at any general point due to a dipole: Consider an electric dipole consisting of
two point charges q and +q and separated by distance ‘2a’ as shown in figure. We wish to
determine the potential at a point P at a distance ‘r’ from the centre ‘O’, the direction of OP making
an angle ‘’ with dipole moment p.

Let AP = r1 and BP = r2. Net potential at point P due to the dipole is

If the point P lies far away from the dipole, then

 5

Special cases: (i) When the point P lies on the axial line of the dipole,  = 00 or 1800 , then

(ii) When the point P lies on the equatorial line of the dipole,  = 900 and V = 0, i.e., the potential at
any point on the equatorial line of the dipole is zero.

Electric potential due to a group of point charges: Suppose N point charges q1, q2, q3, .....,qN
lie at distances r1, r2, r3, ......, rN from a point P.

Electric potential at point P due to charge q1 is

 6

Similarly, electric potentials at point P due to other charges will be

The total potential at point P is

(or)

NOTE: 1. Electric potential at a point due to a charge is not affected by the presence of other
charges. 2. Electric potential at infinity is zero.

Relation between electric field and potential:

Consider the electric field due to charge +q located at the origin ‘O’. Let A and B be two adjacent
points separated by distance dr. The two points are so close that electric field E between them
remains almost constant. Let V and v + dV be the potentials at the two points.

The external force required to move the test charge q0 (without acceleration) against the electric
field E is given by
 7

The work done to move the test charge from A to B is

Also, the work in moving the test charge from A to B is

W = charge  potential difference = q0 (VB  VA) = q0 dV

Equating the two works done, we get

(or) Electric field = Negative of potential gradient at any point (dV/dr)

NOTE: (i) Electric field is in that direction in which the potential decrease is steepest.

(ii) Electric potential is a scalar quantity; whereas potential gradient is a vector quantity.

Equipotential surface: Any surface that has same electric potential at every point on it is called
an equipotential surface.

(i) For a positive point charge (q > 0):

Nature: The equipotential surfaces of a point charge are concentric spherical shells with
their centre at the point charge.

(ii) Equipotential surfaces for two equal and opposite charges (electric dipole):
 8

(iii) Equipotential surfaces of two equal positive charges:

(iv) For uniform electric field:

Nature: The equipotential surfaces for a uniform electric field are equidistant parallel
planes perpendicular to the lines of force.

Properties of equipotential surfaces:

1. No work is done in moving a test charge from one point to another on an

equipotential surface.
Consider two points A and B on an equipotential surface. Potential difference3 between
points A and B is given by

Since on equipotential surface VA = VB


Thus, no work is done in moving a test charge from one point to another point on the
equipotential surface.
 9

2. The electric field is perpendicular to the equipotential surface.

As no work is done in moving a test charge on the equipotential surface i.e., dW = 0

 E. dr = 0
(or) Edr cos  = 0 (or) cos  = 0 (or)  = 900
Thus, E is perpendicular to dr.
3. Equipotential surfaces indicate regions of strong (or) weak electric fields.
We know,

Since dV is constant on the equipotential surface, so

If E is large, dr will be small i.e., the separation of equipotential surfaces will be smaller.
Thus, equipotential surfaces are closer in the region of strong electric field and farther apart
in the region of weak electric field.
4. Two equipotential surfaces cannot intersect.
If two equipotential surfaces intersect, then at the points of intersection, there will be two
values of the electric potential due to a point charge. This is not possible. Hence, two
equipotential surfaces cannot intersect.

Importance of equipotential surfaces: Like the lines of force, the equipotential surfaces give a
visual picture of both the direction and the magnitude of field E in a region of space.

Electric potential energy: The electric potential energy of a system of point charges may be
defined as the amount of work done in assembling the charges at their locations by bringing them
in, from infinity.

Potential energy of a system of two point charges:

Suppose a point charge q1 is at rest at a point P1 in space, as shown in figure. It takes no work to
bring the first charge q1 because there is no field yet to work against.

W 1 = 0
 10

Electric potential due to charge q1at point P2 at distance r12 from P1 will be

If charge q2 is moved in from infinity to point P2, the work required is

As the work done is stored as the potential energy U of the system, so U = W 1 + W 2

(or)

Graphical representation of potential energy with distance:

U O r

O r U

{q1 & q2 is same sign} {q1 & q2 are opposite sign}

Potential energy of a system of three point charges:

Suppose a point charge q1 is at rest at a point P1 in space, as shown in figure. It takes no work to
bring the first charge q1 because there is no field yet to work against.

W 1 = 0
 11

Electric potential due to charge q1at point P2 at distance r12 from P1 will be

If charge q2 is moved in from infinity to point P2, the work required is

Now we bring on the charge q3 from infinity to the point P3. Work has to be done against the forces
exerted by q1 and q2. Therefore,

W 3 = Potential at point P3 due to q1 and q2  charge q3

Hence the electrostatic potential energy of the system is

U = Total work done to assemble the three charges = W 1 + W 2 + W 3

Potential energy of a dipole placed in a uniform electric field:

As shown in figure, consider an electric dipole placed in a uniform electric field E with its dipole
moment p making an angle  with the field. Two equal and opposite forces +qE and qE act on its
two ends. The two form a couple. The torque exerted by the couple will be

 = qE  2a sin  = pE sin 
 12

Where q  2a = p, is the dipole moment.

If the dipole is rotated through a small angle d against the torque acting on it, then the small work
done is

dW =  d = pE sin  d

The total work done in rotating the dipole from its orientation making an angle 1, with the direction
of the field to 2 will be

This work done is stored as the potential energy U of the dipole.

 U = pE (cos 1  cos 2)

If 1 = 900 and 2 = , then U = pE ( cos 900  cos ) = pE (0  cos )

(or) U =  pE cos  =  p. E

Special cases:

(i) Position of stable equilibrium: When  = 00, U = pE cos 00 = pE

Thus the potential energy of a dipole is minimum when its dipole moment is parallel to
the external field. This is the position of stable equilibrium.
(ii) Position of zero energy: when  = 900; U = pE cos 900 = 0
Thus the potential energy of a dipole is zero when it is held perpendicular to the external
field.
(iii) Position of unstable equilibrium: When  = 1800; U = pE cos 1800 = +pE
Thus the potential energy of a dipole is maximum when its dipole moment is antiparallel
to the external field. This is the position of unstable equilibrium.

Behaviour of conductors in the electrostatic field:

(i) Just outside a conductor, electric field is perpendicular to the surface:

If the electric field is not normal to the surface, it will have a component tangential to the
surface which will immediately cause the flow of charges, producing surface currents.
But no such currents can exist under static conditions. Hence electric field is normal to
the surface of the conductor at every point.
(ii) Electrostatic potential is constant for the entire conductor:
We know

But inside a conductor E = 0, so

 13

Hence electrostatic potential is constant for the entire conductor. Thus the surface of a
conductor is an equipotential surface.

(iii) Net electric field is zero in the interior of a conductor:

When a conductor is placed in an electric field E ext its free electrons begin to move in the
opposite direction of Eext. Negative charges are induced on the left end and positive charges
are induced on the right end of the conductor. The process continues till the electric field E ind
set up by the induced charges becomes equal and opposite to the field E ext.
The net field E = Eext  Eind inside the conductor will be zero.

(iv) Net charge in the interior of a conductor is zero:

Consider a conductor carrying an excess charge q. Choose a Gaussian surface inside

the conductor just near its outer boundary. As the field E = 0 at all points inside the
conductor, the flux E through the Gaussian surface must be zero. According to Gauss’s
theorem,

Hence there can be no charge in the interior of the conductor because the Gaussian
surface lies just near the outer boundary. The entire excess charge q must reside at the
surface of the conductor.
 14

(v) Electric field is zero in the cavity of hollow charged conductor:

Consider a charged conductor having a cavity, with no charges inside the cavity.
Imagine a Gaussian surface inside the conductor quite close to the cavity. Everywhere
inside the conductor, E = 0. By Gauss’s theorem, charge enclosed by this Gaussian
surface is zero (E = 0  q = 0). Consequently, the electric field must be zero at every
point inside the cavity (q = 0  E = 0). The entire excess charge +q lies on its surface.

Electrostatic shielding: The phenomenon of making a region free from any electric field is called
electrostatic shielding.

Ex: During lightning it is safest to sit inside a car, rather than near a tree. The metallic body of the
car becomes an electrostatic shielding from lightning.

Electrical capacitance of a conductor: When a charge Q is put on an insulated conductor, its

potential increases proportionally by V. Thus,

QV (or) Q = CV

The proportionality constant C is called the capacitance of the conductor. Thus C=Q/V

Hence capacitance of a conductor may be defined as the charge required to increase the potential
of the conductor by unit amount.

The S.I. unit for capacitance of a conductor is farad. The capacitance of a conductor is 1 farad if
the addition of a charge of 1 coulomb to it, increases its potential by 1 volt.

Dimensional formula for capacitance is [M1L2T4A2]

Capacitance of an isolated spherical conductor:

 15

Consider an isolated spherical conductor of radius R. The charge Q is uniformly distributed over its
entire surface. The potential at any point on the surface of the spherical conductor is

Capacitance of the spherical conductor situated in vacuum is

(or) C = 40R

Capacitor: A capacitor is an arrangement of two conductors separated by an insulating medium

that is used to store electric charge and electric energy.

and

{Fixed capacitor} {Variable capacitor}

Principle of a capacitor:

Consider a positively charged metal plate A and place an uncharged plate B close to it, as shown
in figure(a). Due to induction, the closer face of plate B acquires negative charge and its farther
face acquires a positive charge. The negative charge on plate B tends to reduce the potential on
plate A, while the positive charge on plate B tends to increase the potential on A. As the negative
charge of plate B is closer to plate A than its positive charge, so the net effect is that the potential
of A decreases by a small amount and hence its capacitance increases by a small amount.

Now if the positive face of plate B is earthed as shown in figure (b), its positive charge gets
neutralised due to the flow of electrons from the earth. This further reduces the potential on A and
increases its capacitance.

Hence the capacitance of an insulated conductor is considerably increased when we place an

earthed connected conductor near it. Such a system of two conductors is called a capacitor.
 16

Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor:

Let A = area of each plate, d = distance between the two plates

 = uniform surface charge densities on the two plates

Q = A = total charge on each plate.

In the outer regions above the upper plate and below the lower plate, the electric fields due to the
two charged plates cancel out. The net field is zero.

In the inner region between the two capacitor plates, the electric field is

Potential difference between the plates = electric field  distance between the plates

Capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor is

(or)

Factors on which the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor depends:

(i) Area of the plates (C  A)

(ii) Distance between the plates (C  1/d)
(iii) Permittivity of the medium between the plates (C  0)
 17

Series combination of capacitors:

Figure shows three capacitors of capacitances C1, C2 and C3 connected in series. A potential
difference V is applied across the combination. This sets up charges Q on the two plates of each
capacitor.
The potential differences across the various capacitors are

For the series circuit, the sum of these potential differences must be equal to the applied potential
difference.

........................(1)

If CS is the equivalent capacitance of the series combination, then

(or) ..........................(2)
Form equations (1) and (2), we get

NOTE: 1. For series combination of ‘n’ capacitors, we write

2. The reciprocal of equivalent capacitance is equal to the sum of the reciprocals of the individual
capacitors.
3. The equivalent capacitance is smaller than the smallest individual capacitance.
4. The charge on each capacitor is same.
5. The potential difference across any capacitor is inversely proportional to its capacitance.
 18

Parallel combination of capacitors:

Figure shows three capacitors of capacitances C1, C2 and C3 connected in parallel. A potential
difference V is applied across the combination. All the capacitors have a common potential
difference V but different charges given by

Total charge stored in the combination is

If Cp is the equivalent capacitance of the parallel combination, then

From equations (1) and (2), we get

NOTE: (1) For a parallel combination of ‘n’ capacitors, we can write

(2) The equivalent capacitance is equal to the sum of the individual capacitances.
(3) The equivalent capacitance is larger than the largest individual capacitance.
(4) The potential difference across each capacitor is same.
(5) The charge on each capacitor is proportional to its capacitance.

Energy stored in the capacitor:

The process of charging a capacitor is equivalent to that of transferring charge from one plate to
the other of the capacitor as shown in figure.
Some work must be done to charge a capacitor. This work done is stored as electrostatic potential
energy in the capacitor.
Let at any instant, a charge q be on the plate of a capacitor. Then potential difference between the
plates of the capacitor is given by V = q /C.
 19

If extra charge dq is transferred to the capacitor, then work done to do so is stored as electric
potential energy in the capacitor.

The total increase in potential energy in charging the capacitor from q = 0 to q = Q is the total
energy stored in the capacitor.

....................................(ii)
which is the expression for the energy stored in the capacitor.
Other relations for potential energy of a capacitor:
1. We know that Q = CV
Hence equation (ii) becomes

2. Also, C = Q / V
 Equation (ii) becomes,

3. The energy stored in the capacitor is equal to the area under V – Q graph shown in figure.
 20

NOTE: When air is replaced by a medium of dielectric constant ‘k’ and the battery remains
connected across the capacitor

Hence energy stored becomes

Energy stored in a series combination of capacitors: For a series combination, Q = constant.

Total energy,

(or) U = U1 + U2 + U3 +..........
Energy stored in a parallel combination of capacitors: For a parallel combination, V = constant

Total energy,

(or) U = U1 + U2 + U3 +..........
Hence total energy is additive in series and parallel combinations of capacitors.
Energy density of an electric field: Consider a parallel plate capacitor, having plate area A and
plate separation d. Capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor is given by

If  is the surface charge density on the capacitor plates, then electric field between the capacitor
plates will be
 21

Charge on either plate of capacitor is

 Energy stored in the capacitor is

But Ad = volume of the capacitor between its two plates. Therefore, the energy stored per unit
volume (or) the energy density of the electric field is given by

Loss of energy in redistribution of charges when connected in parallel: Let C1 and C2 be the
capacitances and V1 and V2 be the potentials of the two capacitors before they are connected
together.
Potential energy before connection is

After connection, let V be their common potential. Then,

New charges on the two capacitors is

Potential energy after connection is

Loss in energy, U = Ui  Uf
 22

During the flow of charges from one capacitor to the other, the energy is lost in the form of heat
and electromagnetic radiation.
Dielectrics: Generally, a non-conducting medium or insulator is called a ‘dielectric’. Precisely, the
non-conducting materials in which induced charges are produced on their faces on the application
of electric fields are called dielectrics.
Eg. Air, H2, glass, mica, paraffin wax, transformer oil, wood, rubber, stone, plastic etc.

Polar dielectrics: A molecule in which the centre of mass of positive charges does not coincide
with the centre of mass of negative charges is called a polar molecule.

The dielectrics made of polar molecules are called polar dielectrics. The polar molecules are
unsymmetrical in shapes.

Ex: H2O, HCl, CO, CH3OH etc.,

Non – polar dielectrics: A molecule in which the centre of mass of positive charges coincides
with the centre of mass of negative charges is called non – polar molecule.

The dielectrics made of non – polar molecules are called non – polar dielectrics. Non – polar
molecules have symmetrical shapes.

Ex: H2, N2, O2, CO2, CH4 etc.,

 23

Polarisation of a non – polar dielectric in an external electric field:

In the absence of external electric field, the centres of positive and negative charges of the non -
molecules coincide. The dipole moment of each molecule is zero. In the presence of external
electric field E0, the centres of positive charges are displaced in the direction of external field while
the centres of negative charges are displaced in the opposite direction. The displacement of the
charges stops when the force exerted on them by the external field is balanced by the restoring
force due to the internal fields in the molecules. This induces dipole moment in each molecule.
The induced dipole moments of different molecules add up giving a net dipole moment to the
dielectric in the direction of the external field.
Polarisation of a polar dielectric in an external electric field:

The molecules of a polar dielectric have permanent dipole moments. In the absence of any
external field, the dipole moments of different molecules are randomly oriented due to thermal
agitation in the material. So the total dipole moment is zero. When an external field is applied, the
dipole moments of different molecules tend to align with the field. As a result, there is net dipole
moment in the direction of the field.

Hence polar and non – polar dielectrics develop a net dipole moment in the presence of an
external electric field. This fact is called polarization of the dielectric.

The polarization P is defined as the dipole moment per unit volume and its magnitude is called
polarization density. The direction of P is same as that of the external field E 0.

Reduction of electric field by the polarization of a dielectric:

Consider a rectangular dielectric slab placed in a uniform electric field E0 acting parallel to two of
its faces as shown in figure (a). Its molecular dipoles align themselves in the direction of E 0. This
results in uniform polarization of the dielectric i.e., every small volume of the slab has a dipole
moment in the direction of E0. The positive charge of the dipoles of first vertical cancels the
 24

negative charges of the dipoles of second column and so on. Thus the volume charge density in
the interior of the slab is zero. However, there is a net uncancelled negative charge on the
negative charge on the left face and uncancelled positive charge on the right face of the slab.
Thus the polarized dielectric is equivalent to two charged surfaces with induced surface charge
densities P.

Reduced field inside a dielectric and dielectric constant: The induced surface charges set up
an electric field EP inside the dielectric in a direction opposite to that of external field E 0, thus
tending to reduce the original field in the dielectric. The resultant field E in the dielectric will be
equal to E0  EP and directed in the direction of E0.

The ratio of the original electric field E0 and the reduced field E0  EP in the dielectric is called
dielectric constant (k) or relative permittivity (r). Thus

Polarization density: The induced dipole moment developed per unit volume of a dielectric when
placed in an external electric field is called polarization density. It is denoted by P.
Suppose a dielectric slab of surface area A and thickness‘d’ acquires a surface charge density P
due to its polarization in the electric field and its two faces acquire charges QP. Then,

The polarization density will be

Thus polarization density may be defined as the charge induced per unit surface area.

Electric susceptibility (): The polarization P is proportional to the resultant field E existing in the
dielectric i.e.,

Where  is a proportionality constant called electric susceptibility. Now,

 25

Thus the ratio of the polarization to 0 times the electric field is called the electric susceptibility of
the dielectric. The electrical susceptibility has no dimensions and no units.
The relation between dielectric constant (k) and electric susceptibility () is given by k = 1 +.

Dielectric strength: The maximum electric field that can exist in a dielectric without causing the
breakdown of its insulating property is called dielectric strength of the material.
The unit of dielectric strength is V/m. The dimensional formula for dielectric strength is [MLT3A1]

Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with a dielectric slab: The capacitance of parallel
plate capacitor of plate area A and plate separation‘d’ with vacuum between its plates is given by

Suppose initially the charges on the capacitor plates are Q. Then the uniform electric field set up
between the capacitor plates is

When a dielectric slab of thickness t < d is placed between the plates, the field E0 polarises the
dielectric. This induces charge QP on the upper surface and +QP on the lower surface of the
 26

dielectric. These induced charges set up a field EP inside the dielectric in the opposite direction of
E0. The induced field is given by

The net field inside the dielectric is

Where ‘k’ is the dielectric constant of the slab. So between the capacitor plates, the field E exists
over a distance ‘t’ and field E0 exists over the remaining distance (d  t). Hence the potential
difference between the capacitor plates is

The capacitance of the capacitor on introduction of dielectric slab becomes

Special case: If the dielectric fills the entire space between the plates, then t = d, and we get

Thus the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor increases k times when its entire space is filled
with a dielectric material.

Clearly, k=C
C0
Thus the dielectric constant of a dielectric material may be defined as the ratio of the capacitance
of a capacitor completely filled with dielectric to the capacitance of the same capacitor with
vacuum between its plates.
 27

Important information:

1. When dielectric of dielectric constant k is introduced between the plates of a parallel

plate capacitor and the battery remains connected across the capacitor:
(i) Charge on the plates increases by k times. i.e., Q = kQ 0
(ii) Capacitance of the capacitor increases by k times. i.e., C = kC0.
(iii) Potential difference between the plates remains same. i.e., V = V 0.
(iv) Electric field decreases by k times. i.e., E = E0 / k
(v) Energy in the capacitor increases by k times. i.e., U = kU 0

2. When dielectric of dielectric constant k is introduced between the plates of a parallel

plate capacitor and the battery is disconnected:
(i) Charge on the plates remains same. i.e., Q = Q 0.
(ii) Capacitance of the capacitor increases k times. i.e., C = kC 0.
(iii) Potential difference between the plates decreases by k times. i.e., V = V0/k
(iv) Electric field between the plates decreases by k times. i.e, E = E 0/k
(v) Energy in the capacitor decreases by k times. i.e., U = U 0 / k

ADDITIONAL NUMERICAL
1. (i) Calculate the potential at a point P due to a charge 4  107C located 9 cm away.
(ii) Hence obtain the work done in bringing a charge of 2  109C from infinity to the point P.
Does the answer depend on the path along which the charge is brought?
[A: (i) 4  104 V (ii) 8  105J. No]
2. The electric field at a point due to a point charge is 20 N/C and the electric potential at that
point is 10 J/C. Calculate the distance of the point from the charge and the magnitude of the
charge. [A: 0.5 m; 0.55  109C]
3. Two charges 3  108C and 2  108C are located 15 cm apart. At what point(s) on the line
joining the two charges is the electric potential zero? Take the potential at infinity to be
zero. [A: 9 cm; 45 cm]
4. Calculate the electric potential at the centre of a square of side 2 m, having charges
+100 C, 50 C, +20 C and 60 C at the four corners of the square. [A: 9  104V]
5. Three points A, B and C lie in a uniform electric field of 5  103 N/C as shown in figure. Find
the potential difference between (i) C and B and (ii) A and C. [A: (i) zero (ii) 200 V]

6. An infinite place sheet of charge density 10 8 C/m2 is held in air. In this situation how far
apart are two equipotential surfaces, whose potential difference is 5 V? [A: 8.85 mm]
7. Three charges q, +Q and q are placed at equal distances on a straight line in the same
order. If the potential energy of the system of three charges is zero, find the ratio Q/q.
[A: 1:4]
0
8. An electric dipole of length 4 cm, when placed with its axis making an angle of 60 with a
uniform electric field experiences a torque of 43 Nm. Calculate the (i) magnitude of the
electric field (ii) potential energy of the dipole, if the dipole has charges of 8 nC.
[A; (i) 2.5  1010 N/C (ii) 4 J]
 28

9. An electric dipole consists of two opposite charges each of magnitude 1 C separated by

2 cm. The dipole is placed in an external electric field of 105 N/C. Find (i) the maximum
torque exerted by the field on the dipole (ii) the work which the external agent will have to
do in turning the dipole through 180 0 starting from the position  = 00.
[A: (i) 2  103 Nm (ii) 4  103J]
10. Three capacitors of equal capacitance, when connected in series have net capacitance C 1,
and when connected in parallel have net capacitance C 2. What is the value of C1/C2? [1:9]
11. Find the equivalent capacitance of the combination of capacitors between the points A and
B as shown in figure. Also calculate the total charge that flows in the circuit when a 100 V
battery is connected between the points A and B. [A: 20 F; 2 mC]

12. If C1 = 3 pF and C2 = 2 pF, calculate the equivalent capacitance of the given network
between the points A and B. [A: 60/61 pF]

13. From the network shown in figure, find the value of the capacitance C if the equivalent
capacitance between points A and B is to be 1 F. All the capacitances are in F.
[A: 32/23 F]

14. Four capacitors are connected as shown in figure. Calculate the equivalent capacitance
between the points X and Y. [A: 5 F]

15. Two capacitors of capacitances C1 = 3F and C2 = 6F arranged in series are connected in
parallel with a third capacitor C3 = 4F. The arrangement is connected to a 6.0 V battery.
Calculate the total energy stored in the capacitors. [A: 1.08  104 J]
 29

16. A parallel plate capacitor with air between the plates has a capacitance of 8 F. The
separation between the plates is now reduced by half and the space between them is filled
with a medium of dielectric constant 5. Calculate the value of capacitance of the capacitor
in the second case. [A: 80 pF]
17. Two parallel plate capacitors, X and Y, have the same area of plates and same separation
between them. X has air between the plates while Y contains a dielectric medium of k = 4.
(i) Calculate capacitance of each capacitor if equivalent capacitance of the combination is
4 F. (ii) Calculate the potential difference between the plates of X and Y. (iii) what is the
ratio of electrostatic energy stored in X and Y? [A: (i) 5 F & 20 F (ii) 9.6 V & 2.4 V (iii) 4:1]

18. Four point charges are placed at the four corners of a square in the two ways (i) and (ii) as
shown in figure. Will the (i) electric field (ii) electric potential, at the centre of the square, be
the same or different in the two configurations and why? [A: E = 0 & V = 0 in both cases]

19. A uniform electric field exists between two charged plates as shown in figure. Calculate the
work done in moving a charge q along the closed rectangular path ABCDA. [A: zero]

20. The two graphs drawn here, show the variation of electrostatic potential (V) with 1/r (r being
distance of the field from the point charge) for two point charges q 1 and q2. (i) What are the
signs of the two charges? (ii) Which of the two charges has a larger magnitude and why?

21. Three concentric metallic shells A, B and C of radii a, b and c (a<b<c) have surface charge
densities +,  and + respectively, as shown in figure.
(i) Find potential of three shells A, B, C.
(ii) If shells A and C are at the same potential, obtain the relation between radii a, b and c.

(i) (ii)
 30

22. The given figure shows the variation of electrostatic potential V with distance ‘x’ for a given
charge distribution. From the points marked A, B and C, identify the point at which the
electric field is; (i) zero (ii) maximum. Explain your answer in each case.

23. Two identical plane metallic surfaces A and B are kept parallel to each other in air,
separated by a distance of 1 cm, as shown in figure. A is given a positive potential of 10 V
and the other surface of B is earthed.
(i) What is the magnitude and direction of the uniform electric field between Y and Z?
(ii) What is the work done in moving a charge of 20 C from X to Y?

24. The electric potential as a function of distance ‘x’ is shown in figure. Construct a graph of
the electric field strength E.

25. Draw 3 equipotential surfaces corresponding to a field that uniformly increases in

magnitude but remains constant along z – direction. How are these surfaces different from
that of a constant electric field along z – direction?
26. Find the capacitance of three parallel plates, each of area A m2 and separated by d1 and d2
metre. The in between spaces are filled with dielectrics of relative permittivity 1 and 2. The
permittivity of free space is 0.
 31

27. (i) Two circular metal plates, each of radius 10 cm, are kept parallel to each other at a
distance of 1 mm. What kind of capacitor do they make? (ii) If the radius of each of the
plates is increased by a factor of 2 and their distance of separation decreased to half of its
initial value, calculate the ratio of the capacitance in the two cases. [A: 1:4]
28. Find the ratio of the potential differences that must be applied across the parallel and the
series combination of two capacitors C1 and C2 with their capacitances in the ratio 1:3 so
that the energy stored in the two cases, becomes the same.
29. Three identical parallel plate (air) capacitors C1, C2 and C3 have capacitances C each. The
space between their plates is now filled with dielectrics as shown. If all the three capacitors
still have equal capacitances, obtain the relation between the dielectric constants k1, k2 k3
and k4.

30. Two dielectric slabs of dielectric constant k1 and k2 are filled in between the two plates,
each of area A, of the parallel plate capacitor as shown in figure. What would be the
capacitance of the capacitor?

31. Two dielectric slabs of dielectric constants k1and k2 have been put in between the plates of
a capacitor as shown in the figure. What would be the capacitance of the capacitor?

32. A parallel plate capacitor of area A, plate separation d and capacitance C is filled with three
different dielectric materials having dielectric constants k 1, k2 and k3 as shown in figure. If a
single dielectric material is to be used to have the same capacitance C in this capacitor,
then what is its dielectric constant k?

$$$$$ ALL THE BEST $$$$$