MASENO UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL

SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND MATERIALS
SCIENCE
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SPH 102: ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM I

EXECISE QUESTIONS.

CHARGE.
Questions on: Charge, electric current, Coulomb's law, Electric field, Electrostatic potential.

1. a) What does the arrow on electric field lines indicate?

b) Where does an electric field line start and end?
c) Cite any four properties of electric field lines.
2. a) The force (F) exerted by a point charge q1 on another charge q2 located at a
distance r away is given by some equation. Give the equation.
b) The equation in 2 (a) is sourced from some law. Name and state the law.
3. Two small spheres are attached to silk threads and aligned vertically as
shown in figure 1.
A
+
15 cm
-
B
Fig. 1
These spheres have equal masses of 40g and carry charges q1 and q2 of equal
magnitude 2.0 C. The spheres are brought into the positions shown with a vertical
separation of 15 cm between them. By showing the forces acting
in the system, calculate the tension in the lower thread.
(Let g = 9.8 N, k = 9x109 Nm2/C). (6 marks)
4. a) What are the limitations of Coulomb’s law
b) Cite any four uses Coulomb’s law in real life.
c) Two point charges carrying charges of +3x10-9C and -5x10-9C are 2m apart.

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 (i) Determine the magnitude of the force (F) between them. (k = 9.0x109 N.m2.C-2)
(ii) Is the force attractive or repulsive? Explain.
5. Does the charge given to metallic sphere depend on whether it is hollow or solid?
Explain your answer.
6. Two insulated charged copper spheres A and B of identical size have charges q and -3q
respectively. When they are brought together in contact with each other and then
separated, what are the new charges on them?
7. a) What is the net electric flux through a cube of side 1 cm which encloses an electric
dipole?
b) Explain your answer in 7 (a).
8. What orientation of an electric dipole in a uniform electric field corresponds to its:
a) stable equilibrium?
b) unstable equilibrium?
9. a) How many electrons must you have to get a total charge of -1.0 C? (Note: one
electron has a charge of 1.6x10-19C)
b) A metal sphere has a charge of +8.0μC. What is the net charge after 6.0x1013
electrons have been placed on it?
10. Two metallic spheres, each of mass 0.20 gm are suspended as pendulums by light
strings from a common point as shown in figure 2. The spheres are given the same
electric charge and it is found that they come to equilibrium when each string is at an
angle of θ = 5.00 with the vertical. If each string is 30.0 cm long, what is the
magnitude of the charge on each sphere?

θθ

Fig. 2 d

CAPACITORS:
Questions on: Capacitance, Energy of capacitors, capacitors in parallel and in series;

1. A capacitor has been charged by a DC source. What is the magnitude of conduction

current (Ic) and displacement current (Id) when it is fully charged?
2. a) What is the charge taken on by a 5F capacitor at 2V?
b) What is the capacitance if the area of a two plate mica capacitor is 0.0050 m 2 and
the separation between the plates is 0.04 m? the dielectric constant for mica is 7.
Let permittivity of free space ԑ0 be 8.85x10-12F/m
3. A parallel plate capacitor filled with mica having ԑr = 5 is connected to a 10V battery.
The area of the parallel plate is 6 m2 and separation distance is 6 mm.
a) Find the capacitance and stored charge.
b) After the capacitor is fully charged, the battery is disconnected and the dielectric is
removed carefully. Calculate the new values of capacitance, stored enμergy and
charge.

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4. Find the equivalent capacitance between P and Q for the configuration shown in
figure 1.
b
a

P d c Q
f

Fig.1 e

The values of the capacitors are: a = 4μF, b = 1μF, c = 3μF, d = 6pF, e = 2μF
and f = 8μF. (6 marks)

OHM'S LAW
Questions on: Resistance; Resistivity and temperature coefficient, Potentiometer/
potential divider, Potentials and Electromotive force; Kirchhoff’s laws.

1. a) Name and state the Kirchhoff’ laws.

b) Why do Kirchoff’s laws fail at high frequency?
2. a) What are the steps to solving a circuit with Kirchoff’s laws.
b) (i) Find the value of the current i in figure 1.

0.4A

0.2A P 0.6A

i 0.5A
0.7A
Fig. 1 (3 marks)
(ii) Compute the value of the current i passing through the resistance R1 = 10Ω
in the circuit of figure 2. R2 = R3 = 5Ω; E1 = 10V, E2 =5V

R3 E1 R2

E2 R1
Fig. 2

(iii) What are the applications of Kirchoff’s laws in daily life? (4 marks)
3. A common flashlight bulb is rated at 0.30A and 2.9V (the values of the current and
voltage under operating conditions). If the resistance of the bulb filament at room
temperature (200C) is 1.1Ω, what is the temperature of the filament when the bulb is
on? The filament is made of tungsten, for which α = 4.5x10-3/K
4. The resistivity of copper is 1.72x10-8Ωm. What is the resistance of a 1 m length of 2
mm diameter copper wire?

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5. Consider the combination of resistors shown in figure 3. The resistors have the
following values: R1 = 28.0 Ω, R2 = 9.30Ω , R3 = 9.90 Ω, R4 = 1.90Ω , R5 = 8.80 Ω,
R6 = 5.50Ω .
Assume that a DC power supply is connected between points A and B and supplies a
potential difference VAB = 45.0V.
R2 R3
A

R1 R5 R6

Fig. 3 B
R4
Calculate the total current I drawn by this circuit from the power supply?

MAGNETIC FIELDS
Questions on: Flux density, magnetic flux inside a long solenoid; Effect of a magnetic
field on a moving charge.

1. Give any four characteristics of magnetic field lines.

2. Explain the neutral points in resultant magnetic field.
3. Calculate the radius of curvature (r) of the path of an electron having a velocity
of 6.0x107 m/s corresponding to the accelerating voltage of 10.0V perpendicular
to a magnetic field strength B = 0.5T. (Take the mass (m) of electron to be
9.1x10-31kg; electron charge (q) to be 1.6x10-19C) (4 marks)
4. Explain the components of magnetic fields.
5. a) Cite uses of magnetic fields.
b) How can the magnetic field line direction be known/mapped?
c) How do you make a magnetic field visible?
6. a) Briefly, explain what happens to an electron which enters a magnetic field
perpendicular to its direction of motion.
b) What is the direction of magnetic field lines close to a straight current-carrying
conductor?
7. A solenoid carries a current of 1600A. Calculate the magnetic flux density inside the
solenoid which is 2 m long and has 2000 loops. (Note: μ0 = 4π x10-7 TmA-1)
8. a) In TV set with a cathode ray tube, why is it advisable you should NOT put a bar
magnet near the screen when the TV is on?
b) Calculate the radius of curvature of the path of an electron having a velocity of
6.00x107 m/s (corresponding to the accelerating voltage of about 10.0 kV used in
some TVs) perpendicular to a magnetic field strength B = 0.500T (obtainable with
permanent magnets)

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 FORCE ON A CURRENT CARRYING CONDUCTOR
Questions on: Force between current carrying conductors; basic principles of electromagnetic induction;
transformers, moving coil galvanometer.

1. A closed coil of 40 turns and of area 200 cm2 is rotated in a magnetic field of flux
density of 2 Wbm2. It rotates from a position where its plane makes an angle of 300
with the field to a position perpendicular to the field in a time of 0.2 sec.
Find the magnitude of the emf induced in the coil due to its rotation.
2. a) An electrical generator produces electrical power based on a certain principle
captured in some law. Name and state the law.
b) From the law in question 2 (a), cite factors that can influence the magnitude of the
generated power.
3. The magnetic field through a single loop of wire, 12 cm in radius and of 8.5 Ω
resistance, changes with time as shown in figure 1.

B (T)
1.0

0.5

0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 t (s)

Fig. 1
The uniform magnetic field (B) is perpendicular to the plane of the loop.
Calculate the emf (Ԑ) in the loop as a function of time at the time intervals
a) t = 0 to 2.0 s
b) t = 2.0 s to 4 s
c) t = 4.0 s to 6 s. (6 marks)
4. Why is Faraday’s law of induction important?
5. A current of 1A flows in a wire of length 0.1 cm in a magnetic field of 0.5T. Calculate
the force acting on the wire when the wire makes an angle, with respect to the
magnetic field, of:
a) 900
b) 00
6. Find the length ℓ of the current-carrying conductor with 3A current which is placed at
900 in the magnetic field of 0.5T with 0.3 N force acting on it.
7. At what angle the current-carrying conductor of length 0.6 cm with a current 2A is
placed in the magnetic field of 0.2T with 0.24 N force acting on it?

CATHODE RAY OSCILLOSCOPE (CRO)

Questions on: Schematic diagram, various parts and functions.

1. a) How is cathode Ray Tube (CRO) superior to ordinary measuring instruments?

b) Why is a triggering circuit provided in a CRO?
c) Explain what is meant by retrace time in a CRO?
2. What do you understand by analogue verses digital oscilloscopes?

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3. What is the importance of bandwidth in an oscilloscope?
4. State any three common mistakes made when working with an oscilloscope.
5. a) Draw a properly-labeled schematic diagram of a CRO
b) For what are vertical and horizontal plates provided in CRO?
6. a)What are the essential components of a CRT?
b) For what is electron gun assembly provided in CRT?
7. Why is grid in a CRO provided with a hole in it?
8. What is meant by the deflection sensitivity and deflection factor of a CRO?
9. What is astigmatism control, aquadag, graticule, sweep time and Lissajous pattern in a
CRO? (5 marks)
10. How is focusing achieved in CRO?

FOR CAT, ATTEMPT THE SHADED QUESTIONS (i.e. QUESTIONS WITH MARKS AGAINST
THEM) AND SUBMIT, THROUGH CLASS REP, AFTER ONE (1) WEEK.

REVISE WISELY AND GOOD LUCK

END

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