CP3 Exam 1 Study Guide 20103 Page 1 of 7

Exam 1 Friday, 25 March 110 minutes

Bring to the exam:
 Charged calculator
 Ruler

NOTE: IN ADDITION TO THIS STUDY GUIDE, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO LOOK OVER THE
SOLUTIONS TO EXAM 1 GIVEN DURING WINTER QUARTER 20102. THESE ARE POSTED ON
MYCOURSES.

NOTE: THIS PROBLEM WAS DONE IN DETAIL IN CLASS.

SEE YOUR OWN NOTES FOR SOLUTION.

Two charged spheres are hanging by threads from a singles point above them. The length of each
thread is 10.0 cm and the separation between the spheres is also 10.0 cm. The mass of each
sphere is 2.00 grams.
(a) Draw the system (similar to an equilateral triangle) which is identical to the one we studied in
class.
(b) Draw a free body diagram for the right hand sphere.
(c) Write down Newton’s 2nd Law equations for static equilibrium.
(d) Solve the equations for Ft, the magnitude of tension force in the thread, and the |q|, the
magnitude of one of the identical charges. (0.0226 N,
1.12  10-7 C)

Field line sketching: USE METHOD OF 8 “OPENINGS” PER CHARGE Q FROM CLASS
(a) Sketch the field lines for a dipole distribution +q and -q which are separated by a distance d.
Use 8 field lines for charge q.
(b) Sketch the field lines for the distribution +q and +q separated by a distance d.
(c) Sketch the field lines for the distribution – q and +2q separated by a distance d.
(d) How is it possible to create an electric field which is approximately uniform over a certain region
of space? Explain with a picture.

Units: The SI units are meters, kilograms, seconds, and coulombs m, kg, s, C
Know the basic definitions of the SI units for the Newton, the Joule, the Volt. Know the two SI units
which can be used for the electric field and how to show that they are equivalent.

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 nm
CP3 Exam 1 Study Guide 20103 Page 2 of 7

NOTE: A SIMILAR PROBLEM TO THIS PROBLEM WAS DONE IN DETAIL IN CLASS.

y-axis (nm)
5 nm

is the test point P.

Note: Open circle at ( 0 nm, 3 nm )
x-axis (nm)

Given an electron at the point x = +4.00 nm on the x-axis. Let the test point P be at y = +3.00 nm on
-9
the y-axis. Note: 1 nanometer = 1 nm = 10 meters. See formula sheet for the mass and charge of
the electron.

(a) Sketch the electric field vector at the point P. Label the magnitude |E|, the X component Ex and
the Y component Ey.
(b) Calculate the x and y components of the electric field at the point P.

|E | = 5.76  107 N/C, Ex = + 4.61  107 N/C, Ey = – 3.46  107 N/C

Suppose a proton is placed at the test point P.

(c) Sketch and label the force on this proton on the above diagram.
Label the magnitude |F |, the X component Fx and the Y component Fy.

(d) Use the electric field definition to calculate the magnitude |F|, the X component Fx and the Y
component Fy. Use Fx = q Ex, Fy = q Ey, and |F | = |q| |E |

 Use Newton’s Second Law to determine the SI units for force in terms of the m, kg, and s.

 Use the equation that defines the electric field to determine the SI units for the electric field.

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 Similar to Example 20.5 Finding the field on the axis of a dipole

 Given q– = – 1.50 nC at x = – 0.600 cm and q+ = + 1.50 nC at x = 0.600 cm.

(a) Show that at the point x = + 1.80 cm, the net electric field is Edipole = [ 7.02  104 N/C, toward +X ]
This is the same problem done in class. Here, the origin of the x axis is midway between the two
charges which are separated by 1.20 cm. The observation point P is 1.20 cm to the right of the
positive charge.

(b) If an electron were placed at the observation point P, what would the electric force on it be? Give
direction and magnitude.

 Similar to Example 20.5 Finding the field off the axis of a dipole

 Given q– = – 1.50 nC at y = – 0.600 cm and q+ = + 1.50 nC at y = 0.600 cm.

(a) Show that the net electric field at the observation point
(x = +2.40 cm, y = 0.00 cm) is Edipole = [1.07  104 N/C,
toward negative Y ]

(b) If an electron were placed at the observation point P,

what would the electric force on it be? Give direction
and magnitude.

(c) Use the parallelogram rule to find the net dipole field
at the point shown and at other off axis points in the XY
plane. Refer to in-class worksheet.

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 CP3 Exam 1 Study Guide 20103 Page 4 of 7

 PROBLEM From WORKSHOP: Parabolic motion of an electron in an electric field.

Given a uniform electric field Ey = – 2.00  104 N/C between two very long parallel horizontal
conducting plates. The top plate is 3.00 meters above the x-axis and the bottom plate is 3.00
meters below the x-axis. At time t = 0, the electron is at the origin and moving in the positive x-
direction with a speed of 5.00  107 m/s.
(a) Make an accurate and labeled sketch of the information provided.

(b) Draw the electric field lines on your sketch.

(c) Sketch and label the force on the electron when it is at the origin.

(d) Sketch the trajectory of the electron. Show the force on the electron at three points of the
trajectory.

(e) How long will it take the electron to hit one of the plates? (4.13 10-8 s)

(f) What are the x and y components of the velocity of the electron when its hits one of the plates?
(5.00  107 m/s, 1.45  108 m/s)

(g) What are the X and Y coordinates of the electron when it hits one of the plates? (2.07 m, 3.00
m)

(h) Explain with a simple calculation why we can neglect the force of gravity in this problem.
(Compare the acceleration ay = 3.44  1015 m/s2 to g = 9.80 m/s2. Which is bigger and by
how much?)

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NOTE: A SIMILAR Problem to THIS PROBLEM WAS DONE IN DETAIL IN CLASS.

y-axis

5.00 m

-2q +q x-axis

A B C
Given the two charges q1 = – 2 q and q2 = + q where “q” is a positive number.

(a) Sketch and label E1 (the field due to q1) , E2 (the field due to q2) , and E = E1 + E2 at the
points A , B , and C on the x-axis of the above drawing. At each point, be sure that the
magnitudes of E1 and E2 have the correct relative size.

(b) Based on part (a), the total field can be zero only in one of the following region of the x-axis.

(circle one): (1) x < 0 (2) 0 < x < 5 m (3) x > 5 m

(c) Setup and solve, the quadratic equation to determine the x-coordinate of the point P on the x-
axis where the total electric field is zero.

The solution is in Region (3) at X = + 17.1 m. (There is another root in Region (2) at X =
2.93 m, which represents a point where E1 and E2 are equal in magnitude but point in the
same direction.)

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 Suppose there is a proton (mass = 1.67  10-27 kg, q′ = + e) in the potential field of an Iron nucleus
(mass ≈ 9.40  10-26 kg, q = + 26 e).

(a) Calculate the potential of an iron nucleus at a radial distance of 15.0 nm. (This is the potential
on the inner circle above.) 2.49 Volts

(b) Calculate the potential of an iron nucleus at 30.0 nm. (This is the potential on the “in-
between” circle above.) 1.25 Volts

(c) Calculate the potential of an iron nucleus at 45.0 nm (This is the potential on the outer circle
above.) 0.831 Volts

(d) On the above diagram, sketch the corresponding electric field lines for the iron nucleus.

(e) Calculate the magnitude of the electric field on the “in-between” circle. 4.16  107 N/C

(f) Suppose we now put a proton, initially at rest, on the inner circle above. What is the speed of
the proton when it reaches the outer circle? Recall that U = q V where U is potential
energy and V is potential. Use energy conservation the way we did in class! (1.78  104
m/s)

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 Six arrangements of two electric charges of equal magnitude │Q│, and a test charge +q at point P,
are shown below. All charges lie on a straight line. The distances between adjacent charges are all
the same (the drawings are not exactly scaled). Rank the magnitude of the net electric forces on
the +q test charge at points P, from largest to smallest. Your answer should be in the form A = B > C
> D = E > F (not necessarily in this order, of course)..

A B C

Q P Q +Q Q P Q P +Q
(+q) (+q) (+q)

D E F

+Q +Q P Q Q P +Q P +Q
(+q) (+q) (+q)

The Bohr Hydrogen Atom

 Part 1 Ground state orbit and energy

Given: The hydrogen atom (in its ground state) is an

electron orbiting a proton at a distance of 0.0529 nm.
Fundamental constants you will need: e, c, melectron, mproton,
G, k = 1 / (4  0)
*Show complete calculation setups in detail with correct
significant figures.
(a) Calculate the magnitude of the force on the
electron by the proton. (8.22 × 10-8 N)

(b) Calculate the speed of the electron. (2.18 × 106

m/s ≈ c / 137.)

(c) Calculate the kinetic energy of the electron in SI

and “eV” units. (2.17 × 10-18 J, 13.6 eV)

(d) For the electron and the proton, compare the electric force of attraction to gravitational
force of attraction. (Fgrav / Felec = 4.4 × 10 – 40)

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