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CHAPTER -2
ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE
Work sheet-2

1) Three-point charges, +Q, +2Q and -3Q are placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle ABC of
side l. If these charges are displacing to the midpoints A1, B1 and C1 respectively, find the amount
𝟕𝑸𝟐
of the work done in shifting the charges to the new locations. [𝒌 ]
𝒍
2) (a) Determine the electrostatic potential energy of a system consisting of two charge 7μC and −2μC
(and with no external filed) placed at (−9 cm, 0, 0) and (9 cm, 0, 0) respectively.
(b) How much work is required to separate the two charges infinitely away from each other?
(c) Suppose the same system of charges is now placed in an external electric field E = A(1/r2);
A = 9 x 105 Cm-2. What would the electrostatic energy of the configuration be?
[(a) -0.7 J (b) 0.7 J (c) 49.3 J]
3) The given graph shows the variation of voltage V across the plates of two capacitors A and B
versus increase of charge Q stored on them. Which of the capacitors has higher capacitance? Give
reason. [ A , VA < VB ]

.
4) The given graph shows the variation of charge q versus potential difference V for two capacitors C1
and C2. They have same plate separation but the plate area of C2 is double than that of C1. Which of
the lines in the graph corresponds to C1 and C2 and why? [ A – C2 & B – C1]

5) Find the equivalent capacitance between the points P and Q as in figure. Given C = 18 μF and
C1 = 12 μF. [11 μF]

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6) (a) A 900 μF capacitor is charged by a 100 V battery. How much electrostatic energy is stored by the
capacitor?
(b) The capacitor is disconnected from the battery and connected to another uncharged 900 μF
capacitor. What is the electrostatic energy stored by the system?
(c) Where has the remaining energy gone? [(a) 4.5x10-6 J (b) 2.25 x 10-6 J]
7) In the following arrangement of capacitors, the energy stored in the 6 μC capacitor is E. Find the
value of the following:
(a) Energy stored in 12 μC capacitor.
(b) Energy stored in 3 μC capacitor.
(c) The total energy drawn from the battery. [(a) 2E (b) 18 E (c) 21 E]

8) Calculate the total charge and the energy stored in the network. [4 x 10-4 C & 0.02 J]

9) A capacitor of unknown capacitance is connected across a battery of V volts. The charge stored in it
is 360 μC. When potential across the capacitor is reduced by 120 V, the charge stored in it becomes
120 μC. Calculate:
(a) The potential V and the unknown capacitance C
(b) What will be the charge stored in the capacitor, if the voltage applied had increased by 120 V?
[ 180V, 2µF, 600µC]
10) A 600 pF capacitor is charged by a 200 V supply. It is then disconnected from the supply and is
connected to another uncharged 600 pF capacitor. How much electrostatic energy is lost in the
process? [6 x 10-6 J]
11) Obtain the equivalent capacitance of the network in figure. For a 300 V supply, determine the charge
and voltage across each capacitor.

[V4 = 200V, Q4 = 2 x 10-8 C, V1 = 100V, Q1 = Q2= Q3 = 10-8 C,V2 = V3 = 50 V ]

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12) Two capacitors of capacitance of 6 μF and 12 μF are connected in series with a battery. The voltage
across the 6 μF capacitor is 2 V. Compute the total battery voltage. [3V]

13) Four capacitors of values 6 μF, 6 μF, 6 μF and 2 μF are connected to a 6 V battery as shown in the
figure. Determine the (i) equivalent capacitance of the network, (ii) the charge on each capacitor.
[(i) 4 μF (ii) 12 μF]

14) Two capacitors of unknown capacitance C1 and C2 are connected first in series and then in parallel
across a battery of 100 V. If the energy stored in the two combinations is 0.045 J and 0.25 J
respectively, determine the value of C1 and C2. Also calculate the charge on each capacitor in
parallel combination. [0.38 x10-4 F, 0.12 x 10-4 F, 0.38 x10-2 C, 0.12 x 10-2 C]
15) A 12 pF capacitor is connected to a 50 V battery. How much electrostatic energy is stored in the
capacitor? If another capacitor of 6 pF is connected in series with it with the same battery connected
across the combination, find the charge stored and potential difference across each capacitor.
[ 1.5 x 10-8 J, 2 x 10-10 C, 50/3 V, 100/3 V]
16) Figure shows two identical capacitors C1 and C2, each of 1 μF capacitance connected to a battery of
6 V. Initially switch ‘S’ is closed. After some time ‘S’ is left open and dielectric slabs of dielectric
constant κ =3 are inserted to fill completely the space between the plates of the two capacitors. How
will the (i) charge and (ii) potential difference between the plates of the capacitors be affected after
the slabs are inserted? [6V, 18 μC, 2 V]

17) Find the potential difference between the points A and B of the arrangement shown. [-8V]

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