Electrostatics – JE Level MCQs (1 to 55)

1. The unit of electric field is:

a) V
b) N
c) N/C
d) C/N

2. The force between two charges is:

a) Directly proportional to the square of the distance
b) Inversely proportional to the square of the distance
c) Directly proportional to the distance
d) Independent of distance

3. If the distance between two point charges is doubled, the force becomes:
a) Twice
b) Half
c) One-fourth
d) Four times

4. Electric field at the surface of a charged conductor is:

a) Zero
b) Maximum
c) Minimum
d) Infinity

5. The SI unit of charge is:

a) Ampere
b) Coulomb
c) Farad
d) Ohm

6. Electric field is defined as:

a) Force per unit mass
b) Force per unit charge
c) Charge per unit mass
d) Voltage per unit charge

7. A positive test charge is placed in an electric field. It will:

a) Move towards lower potential
b) Move towards higher potential
c) Remain at rest
d) Move randomly

8. The electric flux through a closed surface depends on:

a) Shape of surface
b) Area of surface
c) Charge enclosed
d) Orientation of surface

9. Gauss’s law relates electric flux to:

a) Electric field
b) Charge enclosed
c) Surface area
d) Potential

10. Electric field lines:

a) Intersect
b) Start from negative charge
c) Are circular
d) Never intersect

11. The magnitude of electric field at a point due to a point charge is:
a) Directly proportional to distance
b) Inversely proportional to distance
c) Directly proportional to square of distance
d) Inversely proportional to square of distance

12. A conductor has:

a) No free electrons
b) Few free electrons
c) Many free electrons
d) No electric field inside

13. Unit of permittivity is:

a) F/m
b) C/m
c) N/m
d) C/V

14. Dielectric constant is also called:

a) Permittivity
b) Relative permittivity
c) Susceptibility
d) None

15. Electric potential is a:

a) Scalar
b) Vector
c) Tensor
d) None

16. The potential difference between two points in an electric field is equal to:
a) Electric field × distance
b) Charge / distance
c) Force × charge
d) Field / charge

17. The work done in moving a charge in an equipotential surface is:

a) Zero
b) Maximum
c) Minimum
d) Infinite

18. The electric field inside a hollow conductor is:

a) Zero
b) Uniform
c) Infinite
d) Maximum

19. If a charge is placed at the center of a cube, then total flux through the cube is:
a) Zero
b) q/ε₀
c) 6q/ε₀
d) q/6ε₀

20. The direction of electric field is:

a) Along potential gradient
b) Opposite to potential gradient
c) Perpendicular to potential gradient
d) None

21. Electrostatic force is a:

a) Contact force
b) Non-contact force
c) Magnetic force
d) Weak force

22. One Coulomb is equal to charge of:

a) 1 electron
b) 6.25 × 10¹⁸ electrons
c) 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ electrons
d) 9 × 10⁹ electrons
23. Capacitance of parallel plate capacitor depends on:
a) Plate area
b) Plate distance
c) Dielectric
d) All of the above

24. What is the value of ε₀ (permittivity of free space)?

a) 9 × 10⁹
b) 8.85 × 10⁻¹²
c) 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹
d) 3 × 10⁸

25. Coulomb’s law constant k =

a) 1/4πε₀
b) 1/ε₀
c) 4π/ε₀
d) ε₀/4π

26. A dipole consists of:

a) Two positive charges
b) Two negative charges
c) Equal and opposite charges
d) One charge

27. The direction of dipole moment is from:

a) Positive to negative
b) Negative to positive
c) Both directions
d) Random

28. Unit of electric potential:

a) Joule
b) Newton
c) Volt
d) Watt

29. Equipotential surfaces are always:

a) Parallel
b) Perpendicular to electric field
c) Along electric field
d) Randomly aligned

30. The capacitance increases if:

a) Distance between plates increases
b) Area of plates decreases
c) Dielectric constant increases
d) Voltage increases

31. Electric potential energy is:

a) Scalar
b) Vector
c) Constant
d) Zero

32. What happens to force if both charges are doubled?

a) 2 times
b) 4 times
c) 1/2 times
d) 1/4 times

33. In SI, the unit of permittivity is:

a) C²/N·m²
b) N·m²/C²
c) C/N
d) V·m

34. The number of field lines emerging from a charge is proportional to:
a) Magnitude of charge
b) Type of charge
c) Square of charge
d) None

35. Electric lines are always normal to the surface of:

a) Insulator
b) Conductor
c) Semiconductor
d) Dielectric

36. If electric field is zero, potential is:

a) Zero
b) Constant
c) Infinite
d) Zero or constant

37. Which quantity does not depend on medium?

a) Force
b) Potential
c) Field
d) Charge

38. The energy stored in a capacitor is:

a) ½CV
b) CV²
c) ½CV²
d) V²/C

39. Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor in vacuum is:

a) ε₀A/d
b) Ad/ε₀
c) ε₀d/A
d) A/ε₀d

40. The direction of force between like charges is:

a) Attractive
b) Repulsive
c) No force
d) Can’t say

41. Potential due to a point charge is:

a) Directly proportional to distance
b) Inversely proportional to distance
c) Directly proportional to square of distance
d) Constant

42. The potential difference is equal to:

a) Work done per unit charge
b) Charge per unit work
c) Force per unit work
d) None

43. Electric field inside a charged conductor is:

a) Non-zero
b) Zero
c) Infinite
d) Depends on shape

44. Electrostatics deals with:

a) Stationary charges
b) Moving charges
c) Changing charges
d) Alternating charges
45. The force between two charges depends on:
a) Medium
b) Distance
c) Magnitude of charges
d) All

46. Coulomb’s law is applicable to:

a) Point charges
b) Line charges
c) Surface charges
d) Volume charges

47. The dielectric constant of vacuum is:

a) 1
b) 0
c) ∞
d) 8.85 × 10⁻¹²

48. Which is not a property of electric field lines?

a) Start at positive
b) End at negative
c) Intersect each other
d) Never form closed loops

49. Charge is quantized because:

a) It can be divided
b) It comes in discrete packets
c) It varies continuously
d) None

50. Charge conservation means:

a) Total charge increases
b) Total charge decreases
c) Charge can neither be created nor destroyed
d) Depends on condition

51. If a charge q is moved in an electric field and no work is done, then:

a) q = 0
b) E = 0
c) Path is along equipotential
d) Field is uniform

52. Inverse square law is applicable to:

a) Static electricity
b) Magnetism
c) Gravitation
d) All of the above

53. The electric field due to a dipole on axial line varies as:
a) 1/r³
b) 1/r²
c) 1/r
d) Constant

54. Work done by electrostatic field in closed path is:

a) Maximum
b) Zero
c) Infinite
d) Depends on path

55. Value of Coulomb's constant k is:

a) 9 × 10⁹ Nm²/C²
b) 8.85 × 10⁻¹² Nm²/C²
c) 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ Nm²/C²
d) 3 × 10⁸ Nm²/C²

Answers and Explanations

1. c) N/C
Electric field = Force per unit charge, unit is Newton/Coulomb.

2. b) Inversely proportional to the square of the distance

Coulomb’s Law: F ∝ 1/r².

3. c) One-fourth
Doubling distance → force becomes 1/4 times (1/(2²)).

4. b) Maximum
Electric field is strongest at the surface of a charged conductor.

5. b) Coulomb
SI unit of charge is 1 Coulomb.
6. b) Force per unit charge
Definition of electric field.

7. a) Move towards lower potential

Positive charges move to lower potential naturally.

8. c) Charge enclosed
By Gauss’s Law: Φ = q/ε₀.

9. b) Charge enclosed
Electric flux is proportional to net enclosed charge.

10. d) Never intersect

Electric field lines never cross.

11. d) Inversely proportional to square of distance

E = kq/r².

12. d) No electric field inside

Inside a conductor in electrostatics, E = 0.

13. a) F/m
Unit of permittivity is Farad per meter.

14. b) Relative permittivity

Dielectric constant = ε / ε₀.

15. a) Scalar
Electric potential is a scalar quantity.

16. a) Electric field × distance

V = E × d (in uniform field).

17. a) Zero
No work is done along an equipotential surface.

18. a) Zero
Electric field inside a hollow conductor = 0.

19. b) q/ε₀
Gauss’s Law total flux: Φ = q/ε₀.

20. b) Opposite to potential gradient

Electric field points in the direction of decreasing potential.
21. b) Non-contact force
Electric force acts without contact.

22. b) 6.25 × 10¹⁸ electrons

1C = charge of ~6.25 × 10¹⁸ electrons.

23. d) All of the above

C ∝ A, ∝ K, and ∝ 1/d.

24. b) 8.85 × 10⁻¹²

Permittivity of free space.

25. a) 1/4πε₀
Coulomb's constant: k = 1/4πε₀.

26. c) Equal and opposite charges

Definition of dipole.

27. b) Negative to positive

Dipole moment vector points from - to +.

28. c) Volt
SI unit of potential is Volt.

29. b) Perpendicular to electric field

Equipotentials are always perpendicular to E-field lines.

30. c) Dielectric constant increases

C ∝ ε → if dielectric constant increases, capacitance increases.

31. a) Scalar
Electric potential energy is scalar.

32. b) 4 times
F ∝ q₁q₂ → If both charges double → F × 4.

33. a) C²/N·m²
Unit of permittivity.

34. a) Magnitude of charge

More charge → more field lines.

35. b) Conductor
Field lines are normal (perpendicular) to conductor surface.

36. d) Zero or constant

If E = 0, potential is constant (not necessarily zero).

37. d) Charge
Charge is independent of medium.

38. c) ½CV²
Energy stored in capacitor = ½CV².

39. a) ε₀A/d
Capacitance of vacuum capacitor.

40. b) Repulsive
Like charges repel each other.

41. b) Inversely proportional to distance

V = kq/r.

42. a) Work done per unit charge

V = W/q.

43. b) Zero
Electric field inside a conductor is zero in static condition.

44. a) Stationary charges

Electrostatics = study of stationary charges.

45. d) All
Force depends on q, r, and ε of medium.

46. a) Point charges

Coulomb’s Law strictly applies to point charges.

47. a) 1
Vacuum has relative permittivity = 1.

48. c) Intersect each other

They never intersect.

49. b) It comes in discrete packets

Charge is quantized (multiples of e).
50. c) Charge can neither be created nor destroyed
Law of conservation of charge.

51. c) Path is along equipotential

No work done → moved along equipotential surface.

52. d) All of the above

Inverse square law applies to electrostatics, gravity, magnetism.

53. a) 1/r³
Electric field of dipole on axial line ∝ 1/r³.

54. b) Zero
Electrostatic field is conservative → closed path work = 0.

55. a) 9 × 10⁹ Nm²/C²

Coulomb’s constant.