Cambridge International AS and A level Physics
6 a The +4 C charge; both charges are at same distance so the c 2.8 × 10 −7 N
bigger charge will exert the greater force. d Its electric potential energy has increased because work
b to the right (away from +4 C) must be done to increase the separation between opposite
2 cm from +4 C, 1 cm from +1 C; ( 4 2 ) = ( 11 )
2 2
c charges.
2 a electric potential at a point: the work done in bringing a unit
Exercise 23.2 Electric potential positive charge from infinity to that point
1 a 392.4 J; 19.62 J kg −1 b 3.2 × 10 −16 J
b Positive charges repel (or the positive charge is being pushed c
against the direction of the electric field).
c 40 J; 2 V
2
d −40 J; the negative charge loses energy in moving to a
higher potential.
V / kV
2 a attract − opposite charges
b Work must be done against the attractive force between the 1
charges.
c higher potential
d 9.0 × 109 V
e 4.5 × 107 J
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
3 a Field lines are equally spaced along their length.
d / cm
b 50 kV m−1
d 25 kV m−1 (or 25 kN C−1)
c straight line
e AB no work; BC 1.20 × 10 −16 J
d gradient = field strength doesn’t vary (is constant)
e Field lines are not equally spaced along their length.
38 Chapter 24:
f Gradient is steepest nearest the charge (small distances).
g Nearest the charge is where the field is strongest. Capacitance
h Furthest from charge, where gradient of curve is least (and
field lines are furthest apart). Exercise 24.1 Charge, voltage and capacitance
i Field is strongest at Earth’s surface; move upwards for weaker 1 a C = capacitance in farad (F)
field (away from surface). Q = charge in coulomb (C)
j V = potential difference in volt (V)
b 1 F = 1 C V−1
c 0.01 F
Gravitational potential
d 0.01 C
e 0.50 C
2 a pico; 10 −12
b i 2.0 × 10 −5 F
ii 1.0 × 10 −2 F
Distance iii 2.0 × 10 −11 F
iv 5.0 × 10 −9 F
4 a 2.5 m
b gradient =
( − ) = 4.6 m = 1.0 V m−1 3 a 0 A (no current)
( − ) 4.5 b V, 0 V
c gradient is negative; the force is repulsive c −Q
d +Q
Exam-style questions e dielectric
1 a Coulomb’s law: Any two point charges exert an electrical f an electric field
force on each other that is proportional to the product of g 0V
their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the h VV
distance between them. V
b 2.8 × 10 −7 N
i I=
R
Answers
4 a 6V Q Q
e V V1 + V2 = +
b 0.06 C C1 C2
c 6V Q Q Q 1 1 1
f V= = + so = +
Ctotal C C Ctotal C1 C 2
d 6.0 × 10 −3 A (6.0 mA)
e 0.006 C; 0.054 C 4 a series b parallel c series
f 5.4 V d series e parallel
g 5.4 × 10 −3 A
Exam-style questions
h because the p.d. across R has decreased
1 a Capacitance of a capacitor: the charge stored on one plate
5 a Graph B; because the p.d. starts to decrease as soon as per unit potential difference between the plates.
charge leaves the capacitor. b 60 μA c 0.048 C d 5.76 J
b More slowly because the current will be smaller and so the
charge will leave the capacitor more slowly. e Electrical energy from the power supply is transferred
to electric potential energy of the charges on the capacitor
plates. The difference between these two values is
Exercise 24.2 Energy stored by a charged thermal energy or internal energy in the wires and the
capacitor power supply.
1 2 a
1 a gradient =
C
b 1.0 mJ
Potential
c 3.0 mJ
three times
d the work done in adding the second mC (or work done in
increasing p.d. from 2 V to 4 V)
e It is necessary to push against the repulsion of the charge that 0
is already present on the plates.
0 Charge
f 16.0 mJ; area of first four strips, or of triangle 39
b 9 × 106 V c 900 J
2 a 50 μF; 900 μJ 3 a 308 μF
Q charge on C1 = charge on C2 = 6.15 × 1−2 C = 62 mC
b C = can be rearranged to Q = CV b
V
substituting in W = QV gives:
Chapter 25:
W = ½ CV × V = ½ CV2
Electronics
c 0.576 J
d 2.78 × 10 −5 F Exercise 25.1 Sensing
r 1 a thermistor
3 a C=
k b microphone or piezo-electric transducer
b larger radius c light-dependent resistor (LDR)
c 2.2 × 10 −11 F d strain gauge
d 4.4 × 10 −7 C
2
e 4.4 × 10 −3 J plastic
Exercise 24.3 Capacitors in series and in parallel
1 a 20 pF c 5 e 260 pF metal wire
b 5 pF d 2 pF f 8 pF
2 a in parallel; 60 μF
b In series; 40 μF
c 50 μF
3 a V, because each is connected directly across the supply V. connecting leads
b Q = C1V + C2V
c Q = CtotalV = C1V + C2V, so Ctotal = C1 + C2
d Q because –Q on C1 must be equal in magnitude to +Q on C2.