Chapter 2 Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
[Link] given graph shows the variation of charge ‘q’ versus potential difference ‘V for two
capacitors C1 and C2. Both the capacitors have the same plate separation but the plate area of
C2 is greater than that of C1 Which line (A or B) corresponds to C1 and C2 why?
Answer:
Since C = ε0 A/d, since the area for C2 is more, therefore capacitance of C2 is more. From the
graph greater the slope greater is than the capacitance, therefore, graph A belongs to capacitor
C2. While graph B belongs to capacitance C1
Q2. A point charge ‘q’ is placed at O as shown in the figure. Is VA – VB positive, negative, or
zero, if ‘q’ is an (i) positive, (ii) negative charge?
Answer:
If VA – VB = q/4πε0(1/OA−1/OB)
∴ If q is positive then VA– VB is positive and
As OA < OB
if q is negative VA – VB is also negative.
Q3. A test charge ‘q’ is moved without acceleration from A to C along the path from A to B and
then from B to C in electric field E as shown in the figure,
(i) Calculate the potential difference between A and C
(ii) At which point (of the two) is the electric potential more and why?
Answer:
(i) dV = – E dr = – E (6 – 2) = – 4E
(ii)Electric potential is more at point C as dV = – Edr, i.e. the electric potential decreases in the
direction of the electric field.
Q4. Two-point charges 2 μC and —2 μC are placed at points A and B 6 cm apart.
(a) Draw the equipotential surfaces of the system.
Answer:
The diagram is as shown.
(b) Why do the equipotential surfaces get closer to each other near the point charges? (
Answer:
We know that E = – dV/dr
Therefore, dr =- dV/E
Since near the charge, electric field E is large, dr will be less.
Q5. (i) Draw the equipotential surfaces corresponding to a uniform electric field in the z-
direction.
Answer:
The equipotential surfaces are as shown.
Equipotential surfaces
Q6. A network of four capacitors, each of capacitance 15 µF, is connected across a battery of
100 V, as shown in the figure. Find the net capacitance and the charge on the capacitor C4.
Answer:
Capacitors C1 C2 and C3 are in series, therefore their equivalent capacitance is
1/Cs=1/C1+1/C2+1/C3=1/15+1/15+1/15=3/15
Hence CS = 5 µF
Now CS and C4 are in parallel, hence
CP = CS + C4 = 5 + 15 = 20 µF
Now C4 is connected to 100 V, therefore charge on it is
Q = CV=15 × 10-6 × 100=15 × 10-4 C
Q7. An isolated air capacitor of capacitance C0 is charged to a potential V0. Now if a dielectric
slab of dielectric constant K is inserted between its plates, completely filling the space between
the plates, then how to do the following change, when the battery is disconnected
(i) charge
(ii) potential difference and electric field between the plates,
(iii) capacitance
(iv) energy stored by the capacitor
Answer:
(I)If battery is disconnected then charge remains same, Q = Q0
∴E = E0/K ,
(ii) V = V0/K ,
(iii) C = KCO [∵ C = Q0V=Q0V0/K=KQ0V0]
(iv) U = U0/K[U=1/2CV2=1/2(KC0)(V0K)2]
Q8.(a) Derive the expression for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor having plate area A
and plate separation d.
(b) Derive an expression for the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor when the space between
the plates is partially filled with a dielectric medium of dielectric constant ‘K’.
Answer: (a)Suppose Q. is the charge on the capacitor, and c is the uniform surface charge density
on each plate as shown in the figure. Therefore by Gauss’s theorem, the electric field between
the plates of the capacitor (neglecting fringing of electric field at the edges) is given by
E = σ/ε0=Q/ε0A …. (1)
The field is uniform, and the distance between the plates is d, so the potential difference between
the two plates is
V = Ed = (Q/ε0A )d ….. (2)
Therefore by the definition of capacitance we have
C = Q/V=ε0A/d …. (3)
This gives the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with a vacuum between plates.
(b)Consider a parallel plate capacitor having each plate of area A and separated by a distance d.
When there is a vacuum between the two plates, the capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor is
given by
C0 = ε0 A/d.
Suppose that when the capacitor is connected to a battery, the electric field of strength E 0 is
produced between the two plates of the capacitor. Further, suppose that when a dielectric slab of
thickness t (t < d) is introduced between the two plates of the capacitor as shown in the figure,
the electric field reduces to E due to the polarisation of the dielectric. Therefore between the two
plates of the capacitor, over a distance of t, the strength of the electric field is E, and over the
remaining distance (d – f)
the strength is E0. If V is the potential between the plates of the capacitor, then
V = E.t + E0(d – t)
Since E = E0/K where K is the dielectric constant, the above equation becomes
V = E0t/K+E0(d−t)=E0(d−t+t/K)
The electric field between the plates of the capacitor is given by
E0 = σ / ε0 = Q/ A ε0
Hence the potential between the two plates becomes.
V = E0(d−t+tK)=Q/ε0A(d−t+t/K)
Hence the capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor is given
∴ clearly, C > C0. Therefore, capacitance increases in the presence of a dielectric medium.
Q9. A capacitor of unknown capacitance is connected across a battery of V volts. The charge
stored in it is 360 μC. When the potential across the capacitor is reduced by 120 V, the charge
stored in it becomes 120 μC. Calculate:
(i) The potential V and the unknown capacitance C.
(ii) What will be the charge stored in the capacitor, if the voltage applied had increased by 120
V?
Answer:
Given Q1 = 360 μC, Q2 = 120 μC,
V2 = (V- 120) volt, V1 = V
(i) We know that C = QV
Since capacitance is same, we have
Q1V1=Q2V2
Or
360×10−6V=120×10−6(V−120)
Solving for V we have V= 180 volt
Also C = Q1/ V1 = 360 × 10-6 / 180 = 2 × 10-6 C = 2 µF
(ii) V= 180 + 120 = 300 V
Therefore Q = CV = 2 x 10-6× 300 = 600 x 10-6 = 600 µC
10. Draw a plot showing the variation of (i) electric field (E and (ii) electric potential (V) with
distance r due to a point charge Q.
11. There is a point charge Q at a distance R/2 from the centre of a circle of radius R. Another
point charge q is to be moved from A to B, where A and B are two points on the circle
diametrically opposite to each other. How much work is done by the electrostatic force exerted
by Q on q?
.