22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Application
Electric fields
Specification references
6.2.1 a) b) c) d)
6.2.2 b)
6.2.3 a)
6.2.3 c)
6.2.4 a) b) d) e)
HSW1, 2, 5
Introduction
An electric field is the region around an electric charge where another charged body will
experience a force. The electric field strength is defined as the force per unit charge at that
point in the field, whereas the electric potential is defined as the energy required to bring unit
charge from infinity to that point in the field. These terms apply regardless of whether the
electric field is uniform or non-uniform in nature. In this activity you will apply your knowledge
and understanding of electric fields to a task that focuses on a uniform field. The questions
focus on uniform fields and on the most common example of a non-uniform field, that is, the
field generated from a point or spherical charge.
Learning outcomes
After completing this worksheet you will be able to:
know and understand that electric fields are due to electric charges
understand and apply the terms electric field strength and electric potential to problems
involving uniform electric fields and the electric field around a spherical or point charge
explain the motion of a charged particle in the vicinity of a uniform electric field
and a non-uniform electric field.
Background
A charged particle, of charge q, will have its motion affected when it is in the region of
an electric field. The force that is exerted on the charged particle, of charge q, by
Qq
another charge of size Q is given by F if their separation in metres is r. The
4 0 r 2
electric field strength, defined as the force per unit charge, is given by the equations
F V Q
E= and E = for a uniform electric field or by the equation E for a
Q d 4 0 r 2
point charge. The electric potential is defined as the energy required to bring unit
charge from infinity to that point in the electric field and is given by the equation
Q
V . The relationships between the electric force, field strength, and potential
4 0 r
© Oxford University Press 2016 [Link]
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 1
22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Application
can all be considered mathematically through the use of equations or via the analysis
of graphs.
Task
The behaviour of an α particle within a uniform electric field can be demonstrated
using the parallel plate arrangement shown in Figure 1.
The α particle is the nucleus of a helium atom and is composed of two protons and
two neutrons, giving it a mass of 6.64 × 1027 kg and a charge of 3.2 × 1019 C.
Figure 1
Complete the following:
Show the direction and the pattern of the electric field lines inside the plates.
Calculate the magnitude of the electric field strength.
Draw four lines of equipotential inside the plates.
Describe and explain the motion of the charged particle that enters along the
mid-line with a velocity v.
Explain how the acceleration of a charged particle can be determined if we know
the mass of the particle.
(9 marks)
© Oxford University Press 2016 [Link]
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 2
22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Application
Questions
1 Explain why electric field strength is a vector quantity.
(1 mark)
2 State two different S.I. units for electric field strength.
(1 mark)
3 State how, if at all, the following quantities change between the plates.
a electric potential
b electric field strength
(2 marks)
4 Describe how changing the following would affect the magnitude of the electric field.
a Increasing the potential difference across the plates and decreasing the separation.
b Doubling the potential difference and doubling the separation of the plates.
c Keeping the potential difference the same and increasing the separation of the plates.
(3 marks)
© Oxford University Press 2016 [Link]
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 3
22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Application
5 The behaviour of a charged particle inside parallel plates is different from the
electric field at a distance R from a point positive charge.
Explain how doubling the distance of the positively charged particle from:
a the positively charged point source
b the positively charged plate
impacts on the size of the electric field strength that it experiences.
(2 marks)
6 State what can be determined from the gradient and area under the following
graphs.
(2 marks)
© Oxford University Press 2016 [Link]
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 4