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QUIZ 1 SOLUTION

The document provides solutions to Quiz 1 for the SIF2002 course in the Physics Department at University Malaya. It includes calculations for the electrostatic force on a charge, the electric field at a corner of a rectangle due to three charges, and the electric field intensity required for two charged spheres to be in equilibrium. Each problem is solved step-by-step with relevant equations and diagrams referenced.

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Arif Zawir
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3 views

QUIZ 1 SOLUTION

The document provides solutions to Quiz 1 for the SIF2002 course in the Physics Department at University Malaya. It includes calculations for the electrostatic force on a charge, the electric field at a corner of a rectangle due to three charges, and the electric field intensity required for two charged spheres to be in equilibrium. Each problem is solved step-by-step with relevant equations and diagrams referenced.

Uploaded by

Arif Zawir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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11/4/2022 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT UNIVERSITY MALAYA

SOLUTION TO QUIZ 1 SIF2002

Answer all questions.

1. A charge of 6.00 ×10-9C and a charge of -3.00 ×10-9C are separated by 60 cm. Find the
position at which a third charge of 12.00 ×10-9C can be placed so that the net electrostatic
force on it is zero.

SOLUTION

6 nC -3 nC F2 F1

0.6 m
x

𝑘 (6.00 × 10−9 𝐶 )𝑞 𝑘 (3.00 × 10−9 𝐶 )𝑞


=
(𝑥 + 0.600𝑚)2 (𝑥 ) 2

2𝑥 2 = (𝑥 + 0.600𝑚)2

0.600𝑚
𝑥=
√2 − 1

The sign is chosen to have x> 0 so that the forces on the charge q will be in opposite
directions. Solving for x, obtaining x=1.45 m (beyond the -3 × 10-9 C charge)

2. Positive charges are situated at three corners of a rectangular, as shown in Figure 1. Find the
electric field at the fourth corner.

6 nC

0.2 m

3 nC 0.6 m 5 nC

Figure 1
11/4/2022 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT UNIVERSITY MALAYA

SOLUTION

The length of the diagonal can be shown, from the Pythagorean theorem, to be 0.630 m.
Also, the angle  is found from the tangent function to be 18.4.
E1
E3 6 nC

E2 
0.2 m

3 nC 0.6 m 5 nC

The magnitude of the field E1, due to the 3.00 × 10-9 C is

𝑁𝑚2
𝑘𝑞 (8.99 × 109 ) (3.00 × 10−9 𝐶 )
𝐶2
𝐸1 = = = 675 𝑁𝐶 −1
𝑟2 (0.200𝑚)2
Likewise, the magnitude of E2 due to the 6.00 × 10-9 C charge is
2
9 𝑁𝑚 −9
𝑘𝑞 (8.99 × 10 𝐶 2 ) (6.00 × 10 𝐶 )
𝐸1 = 2 = = 150 𝑁𝐶 −1
𝑟 (0.600𝑚)2

And the magnitude of E3 due to 5.00 × 10-9 C is

𝑁𝑚2
𝑘𝑞 (8.99 × 109 ) (5.00 × 10−9 𝐶 )
𝐶2
𝐸1 = = = 1 12.5𝐶 −1
𝑟2 (0.630𝑚)2

Now, resolve the fields into their x and y components as

FIELD x- component y-component


E1 0 675 NC-1
E2 -150 NC-1 0
E3 -107 NC-1 35.6 NC-1
ER -257 NC-1 711 NC-1

2
𝐸𝑅 = √(𝐸𝑅𝑥 )2 + (𝐸𝑅𝑦 ) = 756𝑁𝐶 −1

𝐸𝑅𝑦
𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 ( ) = 70.1° (above the negative-x axis.
𝐸𝑅𝑥
11/4/2022 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT UNIVERSITY MALAYA

3. Two 2.00-g spheres are suspended by 10.0 cm long light strings as shown in Figure 2. A uniform
electric field is applied in the x-direction. If the spheres have charges -5.00 × 10-8 C and +5.00
× 10-8 C, determine the electric field intensity that enables the spheres to be in equilibrium at
Ɵ=10.0

Figure 2

SOLUTION

The distance between the two charges at equilibrium is 𝑟 = 2𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑜𝑟 𝑟 = 2(0.100𝑚) sin 10𝑜 =
3.47 × 10−2 𝑚.

Consider the forces on the sphere with charge +q and use ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0 to obtain
𝑚𝑔
𝑇 cos 𝜃 = 𝑚𝑔 𝑜𝑟 𝑇 = (1)
cos 𝜃
.

Using ∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 0,
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑇 sin 𝜃 (2)

where Fnet.is the net electrical force on the charge shere. By eliminating T from (2) by use of (1)
𝑚𝑔 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = = 𝑚𝑔 tan 𝜃
cos 𝜃
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = (2.00 × 10−3 𝑘𝑔)(9.8 𝑚𝑠 −2 ) tan 10° = 3.46 × 10−3 𝑁

Fnet is the resultant of two forces F1 and F2.

F1 is the attractive force on +q exerted by -q, and F2 is the force exerted on +q by the external
field.

Fnet = F2 -F1 or F2 = Fnet-F1 and

(5.00 × 10−8 𝐶)(5.00 × 10−8 𝐶)


𝐹1 = (8.99 × 109 𝑁. 𝑚2 𝐶 −2 ) ( ) = (1.87 × 10−2 𝑁)
(3.47 × 10−3 𝑚)2

Thus, F2 = Fnet + F1 which gives


11/4/2022 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT UNIVERSITY MALAYA

𝐹2 = (3.46 × 10−3 𝑁) + (1.87 × 10−2 𝑁) = (2.21 × 10−2 𝑁) and

𝐹2 2.21×10−2 𝑁
𝐸= = = 4.43 × 105 𝑁𝐶 −1
𝑞 5.00×10−8 𝐶

y
+q
T F2 =qE
x
F1
Fnet

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