Physics 121.

6 2007/2008
Assignment 19 - Solutions

1. Chapter 23, Problem 6. Two small silver spheres, each with a mass of 10.0 g,
are separated by 1.00 m. Calculate the fraction of the electrons in one sphere that
must be transferred to the other in order to produce an attractive force of
1.00 10
4
N (about 1 ton) between the spheres. (The number of electrons per
atom of silver is 47, and the number of atoms per gram is Avogadros number
divided by the molar mass of silver, 107.87 g/mol.)
Solution:
Some electrons are transferred from one sphere to the other. Let the charge on the
electron rich sphere be q. Since the two spheres where electrically neutral to begin with,
the charge on the other sphere will be +q. The force between them will be attractive and
have magnitude
C 10 05 . 1
C / m N 10 8.99
N 10 00 . 1
m) 00 . 1 (
3
2 2 9
4
2
2
2

=


= =
=
+
=
e
e
e
k
F
r q
r
q k
r
q q
k F

Thus the number of electrons transferred is
15
19 -
3
10 59 . 6
C 10 1.60
C 10 05 . 1
=

= =

e
q
n
t

The number of electrons originally in one of the spheres is
atoms
Zn n = , where Z is the number of electron per atom (the atomic number), Z = 47,
and the number of atoms
mole
A
atoms
m
m N
n = , so
24
23
10 62 . 2
g/mole 107.87
g) 0 . 10 )( atoms/mole 10 02 . 6 ( 47
=

= =
mole
A
m
m ZN
n
Therefore the fraction of electrons that must be transferred is
9
24
15
10 51 . 2
10 62 . 2
10 59 . 6

=

=
n
n
t

- 1 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
2. Chapter 23, Problem 8. Two small beads having
positive charges 3q and q are fixed at the opposite
ends of a horizontal, insulating rod, extending
from the origin to the point x = d. As shown in
Figure P23.8, a third small charged bead is free to slide on the rod. At what
position is the third bead in equilibrium? Explain whether it can be in stable
equilibrium.

Solution
First find an expression for the net force on the charged bead, Q, as a function of its
position, x.
Force on Q due to q
1
:
x = 0
x = d
q
1
= +3q
q
2
= +q Q
x
+x 1
r
2
r
r
1
r
2
i r F

2 1 2
1
1
1
x
qQ k
r
Q q k
e e
= =
r

Force on Q due to q
2
:
( )
i r F

2 2 2
2
2
2
x d
qQ k
r
Q q k
e e

= =
r

Therefore net force on Q is
( )
i F F F

1 3
2 2 2 1

= + =
x d x
qQ k
e
r r r

For this to be zero, when the bead is in equilibrium,
( )
( )
( )
( )
d d
d
x
x d
x x d
x d x
634 . 0 or , 37 . 2
1 3
3
1 3 3
3
1 3
2 2
=

=
=
=

=

Only the second solution is between the two charges. Therefore the bead is in equilibrium
at x
e
= 0.634d.
It is a stable equilibrium position if the net force always points back toward the
equilibrium position when the bead is displaced a little from the equilibrium position.
This will be true when 0 <
=
e
x x
x
dx
dF
i.e. if F
x
near x
e

looks like the diagram at right.
( )
( )
3 3
3 3
) ( 2 6
) 1 ( ) )( 2 ( ) 2 ( 3


+ =
=
x d x qQ k
x d x qQ k
dx
dF
e
e
x

x
F
x
x
e
Thus 0 <
=
e
x x
x
dx
dF
only if Q > 0.
Therefore the bead is in stable equilibrium if it has a positive charge.
- 2 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
3. Three identical charges of +Q are placed at three corners of a square with sides of
length a. The magnitude of the electric field at the centre of the square is
(A)
2
a
Q k
e
(B)
2
2
2a
Q k
e
(C)
2
2
a
Q k
e
(D)
2
2a
Q k
e
(E)
2
2
a
Q k
e

Solution:
Total electric field is
3 2 1
E E E E
r r r r
+ + =
a
a
r
r
r
q
1
q
2
q
3
1
E
r

2
E
r

3
E
r

2 3 2 1
r
Q k
E E E
e
= = =
where ( )
2
2
2
2 2 2 2
a
r a a r = + =
Since then
3 1
E E
r r
=
2
E E
r r
= , so
2 2
2
2
a
Q k
r
Q k
E E
e e
= = =
Answer C.
- 3 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
4. Chapter 23, Problem 10. Review problem. Two
identical particles, each having charge +q, are fixed in
space and separated by a distance d. A third point
charge Q is free to move and lies initially at rest on the
perpendicular bisector of the two fixed charges a
distance x from the midpoint between the two fixed
charges (Fig. P23.10). (a) Show that if x is small
compared with d, the motion of Q will be simple
harmonic along the perpendicular bisector. Determine
the period of that motion. (b) How fast will the charge
Q be moving when it is at the midpoint between the two
fixed charges, if initially it is released at a distance a << d from the midpoint?
Solution:
(a) The net force on the Q charge is
2 1
F F F
r r r
+ = .
Since
2
2 1
r
qQ k
F F
e
= = , with
2 2
) 2 / (d x r + =
d/2
d/2
+q
+q
x
2
F
r

x
y

1
r
Q
1
F
r

2
r
and from the symmetry
1
=
2
= so the
ycomponents of
2 1
and F F
r r
cancel.
So the magnitude of F
r
is cos cos
2 1
F F F + =
with
r
x
= cos , Therefore
3 2
1
2
2
cos 2
r
qQx k
r
x
r
qQ k
F F F
e e
x

=
= =

Now,
( )
3
2 2
) 2 / (
2
d x m
qQx k
a F ma
e
x x x
+

= =
If 2 / d x <<
( )
x x
md
qQ k
x
d m
qQ k
a
e e
x
2
3 3
16
2 /
2
= =

This is in the form for Simple Harmonic Motion with
3
16
md
qQ k
e
= . So the period of the motion is
qQ k
md
qQ k
md
T
e e
3 3
2 16
2
2

= = =

(b) If initially released from x = a, the amplitude of the motion will be a. The speed at
x = 0 is its maximum speed which is
3 max ,
4
md
qQ k
a a v
e
x
= =
- 4 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
5. Chapter 23, Problem 36. A proton is projected in the positive x direction into a
region of a uniform electric field E
r
= 6.00 10
5
N/C at t = 0. The proton
travels 7.00 cm before coming to rest. Determine (a) the acceleration of the
proton, (b) its initial speed, and (c) the time at which the proton comes to rest.
Solution:
(a) E
x
= 6.00 10
5
N/C and the charge
on a proton is +e, so the force on the
proton is in the x direction.
E
r
v
xi
x
x
i
x x x
ma eE F = = where m is the mass of a
proton.
2 13
27
5 19
m/s 10 75 . 5
kg) 10 (1.67
N/C) 10 00 . 6 C)( 10 60 . 1 (
=

= =

m
eE
a
x
x


(b) Let x
i
= 0, then x
f
= 7.00 cm = 7.00 10
2
m, v
xf
= 0, v
xi
= ?, t = ?
Using ) ( 2
2 2
i f x xi xf
x x a v v + =
m/s 10 85 . 2 m) 10 00 . 7 )( m/s 10 75 . 5 ( 2 2
6 2 2 13
= = =

f x xi
x a v

(c) Using v and since v t a v
x xi xf
+ =
xf
= 0,
ns 3 . 49 s 10 93 . 4
) m/s 10 5.75 (
m/s) 10 85 . 2 (
8
2 13
6
= =


=

=

x
xi
a
v
t
- 5 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
6. Chapter 23, Problem 22. Consider the electric dipole
shown in Figure P23.22. Show that the electric field at a
distant point on the +x axis is E
x
4k
e
qa/x
3
. [Hint: Use
the approximation .] 1 for , 1 ) 1 ( << + + x nx x
n
Solution:
At a distant point on the +x axis the electric field due to the q charge is
i E

) (
2 1
a x
q k
e
+
=
r

and the electric field due to the +q charge is
i E

) (
2 2
a x
q k
e

=
r

so .
2 1
E E E
r r r
+ =
Therefore:
( )
2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
) / 1 ( ) / 1 (
) / 1 (
1
) / 1 (
1
) (
1
) (
1

+ =

= x a x a
x
q k
x a x a x
q k
a x a x
q k E
e e
e x
From the series expansion L +

+ + = +
2
! 2
) 1 (
1 ) 1 ( x
n n
nx x
n
we see that
1 for , 1 ) 1 ( << + + x nx x
n
So when a << x, therefore 1 / << x a

x
a
x
q k
x
a
x
a
x
q k
E
e e
x
4 ) 2 ( 1 ) 2 ( 1
2 2

Therefore . large for , 4
3
x
x
qa k
E
e
x
=


- 6 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
7. Which one of the following figures shows the electric field lines when a
positively charged conducting sphere is placed between two parallel charged
conducting plates?
(A)

(B)


(C) (D)


(E)

(F) None of the above
+ + + + + + + + + + +

+
+ + + + + + + + + + +

+
+ + + + + + + + + + +

+
+ + + + + + + + + + +

+
+ + + + + + + + + + +

+

Solution:
Since electric field lines come from positive charges and go to negative charges, the only
possible answer is C.

8. Three identical charges of +Q are placed at three corners of a square with sides of
length a. The absolute electric potential (i.e. if V = 0, at r = ) at the centre of the
square is
(A)
a
Q k
e
3
(B)
a
Q k
e
2 3
(C)
a
Q k
e
2
(D)
2
2
a
Q k
e
(E)
a
Q k
e
2
3

Solution:
Potential at centre is:
Q Q
Q
r
a
a
r
r
r
Q k
r
Q k
r
Q k
r
Q k
V
e e e e
3 = + + =
also
2
2 2 2
a
r r r a = + =
Therefore
a
Q k
V
e
2 3
=
Answer B.
- 7 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
9. Suppose an electron is released from rest in a uniform electric field whose
magnitude is 5.90 10
3
V/m. (a) Through what potential difference will it have
passed after moving 1.00 cm? (b) How fast will the electron be moving after it has
traveled 1.00 cm?
Solution:
(a) In a uniform electric field:
) (
) (
i f
i f
x
x x
V V
x
V
E

=
e
E
r

d
V
+x
V
i
V
f
x
f
x
i
Note that the electron moves in the opposite
direction toE
r
, the x direction in the diagram.
Therefore . So d x x x
i f
= =

V 59.0
m) 10 V/m)(1.00 10 90 . 5 (
2 3
+ =
=
= =

d E V V V
x i f
i.e. an increase in potential.

(b) Conservation of Energy:
V e V V q U U K
U K U K
i f f i f
i i f f
= = =
+ = +
) (

m
V e
v
V e mv
f
f

=
=
2
2
2
1

m/s 10 55 . 4
kg 10 9.11
V) 0 . 59 )( C 10 60 . 1 ( 2
6
31 -
19
=

=

f
v

- 8 -
Assignment 19 - Solutions
10. Chapter 25, Problem 10. Given two 2.00-C
charges, as shown in Figure P25.10, and a
positive test charge q = 1.28 10
18
C at the
origin, (a) what is the net force exerted by the
two 2.00-C charges on the test charge q?
(b) What is the electric field at the origin due to the two 2.00-C charges?
(c) What is the electrical potential at the origin due to the two 2.00-C charges?
Solution:
(a) Forces on q:
0
2
2
2
2
1
1
2 1
= = =

r
q q k
r
q q k
F F F
e e
x

2
F
r

1
F
r

x
q
1 q
2
r
1 r
2
y
Since q
1
= q
1
and r
1
= r
2
.
Therefore

= 0 F
r
on q.

(b) Electric field at origin:
0
2
2
2
2
1
1
2 1
= = =

r
q k
r
q k
E E E
e e
x

Therefore E
r
= 0 at origin.

(c) Electric potential at origin:
1
1
2
2
1
1
2 1
2
r
q k
r
q k
r
q k
V V V
e
e e
=
+ =
+ =

Since q
1
= q
1
and r
1
= r
2
.
So kV 45.0 V 10 50 . 4
m 0.800
C) 10 00 . 2 )( C / m N 10 99 . 8 ( 2
4
6 2 2 9
= =

=

V


- 9 -