Bio – Physics 2 Dr.

Hala Mustafa

Chapter 2 — Electric Field

SECTION SUMMARY
dielectric electrically insulating material that becomes polarized in an electric field
electric field defines the force per unit charge at all locations in space around a charge distribution
test charge positive electric charge whose with a charge magnitude so small that it does not significantly perturb
any nearby charge distribution

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 Bio – Physics 2 Dr. Hala Mustafa
1. The electric force on a point charge of 4.0µC at some point is 6.9x10-4N in the positive x
direction. What is the value of the electric field at that point?

𝒇𝒇 (𝟔𝟔. 𝟗𝟗 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟒𝟒 )
𝑬𝑬 = = = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓 𝑵𝑵/𝑪𝑪
𝒒𝒒 (𝟒𝟒 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟔𝟔 )

2. What are the magnitude and direction of the electric field that will balance the weight of (a)
an electron and (b) a proton?
𝑭𝑭 = 𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎
𝒇𝒇 𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎
𝑬𝑬 = =
𝒒𝒒 𝒒𝒒
�𝟗𝟗. 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 �(𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖)
𝒂𝒂) 𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬 = = −𝟓𝟓. 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝑵𝑵/𝑪𝑪
−𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
�𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 �(𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖)
𝒃𝒃) 𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 = = −𝟏𝟏. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟕𝟕 𝑵𝑵/𝑪𝑪
−𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
3. A point charge of -5.2µC is located at the origin. Find the electric field (a) on the x-axis at
x=3 m, (b) on the y-axis at y= -4m.
𝒒𝒒 𝟓𝟓. 𝟐𝟐 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟔𝟔
𝒂𝒂) 𝑬𝑬 = 𝑲𝑲 𝟐𝟐 = 𝟗𝟗 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟗𝟗 ×
𝒓𝒓 (𝟑𝟑)𝟐𝟐

𝒒𝒒 𝟗𝟗
𝟓𝟓. 𝟐𝟐 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟔𝟔
𝒃𝒃) 𝑬𝑬 = 𝑲𝑲 𝟐𝟐 = 𝟗𝟗 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 ×
𝒓𝒓 (𝟒𝟒)𝟐𝟐
4. What is the magnitude of a point charge chosen so that the electric field 50cm away has the
magnitude 2.0N/C?
𝒒𝒒
𝑬𝑬 = 𝑲𝑲 𝟐𝟐
𝒓𝒓
𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐 × 𝟎𝟎. 𝟓𝟓
𝒒𝒒 = = = 𝑪𝑪
𝑲𝑲 𝟗𝟗 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟗𝟗

5. Two-point charges of magnitude +2.0x10-7 C and +8.5x10-11 C are 12cm apart. (a) What
electric field does each produce at the site of the other? (b) What force acts on each?

𝒒𝒒𝟏𝟏 𝒒𝒒𝟐𝟐
𝒂𝒂) 𝑬𝑬 = 𝑲𝑲 𝟐𝟐
, 𝑬𝑬 = 𝑲𝑲 𝟐𝟐
𝒓𝒓 𝒓𝒓
𝑬𝑬𝟏𝟏 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟓𝟓 𝑵𝑵/𝒄𝒄, 𝑬𝑬𝟐𝟐 = 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓. 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝑵𝑵/𝑪𝑪

𝑭𝑭𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 = 𝒒𝒒𝟏𝟏 𝑬𝑬𝟐𝟐 = 𝑵𝑵, 𝑭𝑭𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 = 𝒒𝒒𝟐𝟐 𝑬𝑬𝟏𝟏 = 𝑵𝑵 2

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 Bio – Physics 2 Dr. Hala Mustafa
6. Find the total electric field along the line of the two charges shown in figure at the point
midway between them.

𝒒𝒒𝟏𝟏 𝒒𝒒𝟐𝟐
𝑬𝑬 = 𝑲𝑲 𝟐𝟐
= 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝑵𝑵/𝑪𝑪, 𝑬𝑬 = 𝑲𝑲 𝟐𝟐 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 𝑵𝑵/𝑪𝑪
𝒓𝒓 𝒓𝒓
𝑬𝑬𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎 = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 + 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 = 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓 𝑵𝑵/𝑪𝑪

7. A positive test charge of 5.0×10−6 C is in an electric field that exerts a force of 2.0×10−4 N on it.
What is the magnitude of the electric field at the location of the test charge?

8. Suppose that you place a 2.1×10−3N pith ball in a 6.5×104 N/C downward electric field. What
net charge (magnitude and sign) must you place on the pith ball so that the electrostatic force
acting on that pith ball will suspend it against the gravitational force?
The electric force and the gravitational force algebraically sum to zero because the ball is suspended,
i.e., not in motion:

9. What is the magnitude of the electric field at a position that is 1.2 m from a 4.2×10−6C point
charge?

10. Find the force exerted due to a particle having a charge of 3.2×10−19 C on another identical
particle 5 cm away
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11. The electric field that is 0.25 m from a small sphere is 450 N/C toward the sphere.
What is the net charge on the sphere?

12. How far from a point charge of +2.4×10−6 C must you place a test charge in order to
measure a field magnitude of 360 N/C?

13. The direction of the electric field of a negative charge is

inward for both positive and negative charges. a.
outward for both positive and negative charges. b.
inward for other positive charges and outward for other negative charges. c.
outward for other positive charges and inward for other negative charges. d.

14. The force responsible for holding an atom together is

Frictional a.
Electric b.
Gravitational c.
Magnetic d.

15. When a positively charged particle exerts an inward force on another particle P, what will be
the charge of P?
Positive a.
Negative b.
Neutral c.
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Cannot be determined d.
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 Bio – Physics 2 Dr. Hala Mustafa

16. Why can electric fields not cross each other?

Many electric-field lines can exist at any given point in space. a.
No electric-field lines can exist at any given point in space. b.
Only a single electric-field line can exist at any given point in space. c.
Two electric-field lines can exist at the same point in space. d.

17. If you dive into a pool of seawater through which an equal amount of positively and
negatively charged particles is moving, will you receive an electric shock?
Yes, because negatively charged particles are moving. a.
No, because positively charged particles are moving. b.
Yes, because positively and negatively charged particles are moving. c.
No, because equal amounts of positively and negatively charged particles are d.
moving.

18. An arbitrary electric field passes through a box-shaped volume. There are no charges in the
box. If 11 electric field lines enter the box, how many electric-field lines must exit the box?
nine electric field lines a.
10 electric field lines b.
11 electric field lines c.
12 electric field lines d.

19. An electric field (15 N/C)ẑ applies a force (− 3 × 10–6 N)ẑ on a particle. What is the charge on
the particle?
−2.0 × 10–7 C a.
2.0 × 10–7 C b.

20. What is the magnitude of the electric field 12 cm from a charge of 1.5 nC?
9.4 × 107 N/ C a.
1.1 × 102 N/C b.
9.4 × 102 N/C c.
9.4 × 10–2 N/C d.

21. A charge distribution has electric field lines pointing into it. What sign is the net charge?
Positive a.
Neutral b.
Final c.
Negative d.
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22. If five electric field lines come out of point charge q1 and 10 electric-field lines go into point
charge q2, what is the ratio q1/q2?
-2 a.
-1 b.
-1/2 c.
0 d.

23. True or false—The electric-field lines from a positive point charge spread out radially and
point outward.
False a.
True b.

24. The electric field a distance of 10 km from a storm cloud is 1,000 N/C. What is the
approximate charge in the cloud?
0.0011 C a.
11 C b.
110 C c.
1100 C d.

25. Which electric field would produce a 10 N force in the +x- direction on a charge of – 10 nC?
− 1.0 × 109 N/C a.
1.0 × 109 N/C b.
1.0 × 1010 N/C c.
1.0 × 1011 N/C d.

26. A positive charge is located at x = 0 . When a negative charge is placed at x = 10 cm, what
happens to the electric field lines between the charges?
The electric field lines become denser between the charges. a.
The electric field lines remain same between the charges. c.
The electric field lines will be zero between the charges. d.

27. the electric field lines shown in the diagram below. In the diagram, it is apparent that object
A is ____ and object B is ____.

+&+ a.
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-&+ b.
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 Bio – Physics 2 Dr. Hala Mustafa
+&- c.
-&- d.

28. Compare the Gravitational Field and the Electric Field produced by a proton.
Gravitational Field is in same strength as the Electric Field. a.
Electric Field is stronger and is in same direction as gravitational Field. b.
Electric Field is stronger and in opposite direction of the Gravitational Field. c.

29. The force between two charges 2μC and 4μC is 24N, when they are separated by a certain
distance in free space. The forces if, (a) distance between them is doubled and (b) distance is
halved are:
16N, 80N a.
8N, 72N b.
6N, 96N c.
10N, 68N d.

30. If a positively charged particle of charge 6 µC placed in a uniform electric field of magnitude
8.50 x 106 N/C due North. Calculate the force and its direction on the given positive charge. (k
= 9 × 109 N.m2/C2)
51.0 N, North a.
51.0 N, South b.
10.2 N, North c.
10.2 N, South d

31. A doorknob, which can be taken to be a spherical metal conductor, acquires a static
electricity charge of q=−1.5 nC. What is the electric field 3.5 cm in front of the doorknob? (k
= 9 × 109 N.m2/C2)
-9.4 x 102 N/C a.
9.4 x 102 N/C b.
1.1 x 104 N/C c.
-1.1 x 104 N/C d

32. A negative charge of 5.0 µC is equidistant from two positive charges as shown below. One
positive charge is 3.0 µC, the other is 4.7 µC, and each is 0.01 m away from the negative
charge. What is the net electrostatic force on the central charge?

3500 N a.
- 700 N b.
765 N c.
-3500 N d
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 Bio – Physics 2 Dr. Hala Mustafa
33. Rubber rods charged by rubbing with cat fur repel each other. Glass rods charged by
rubbing with silk repel each other. A rubber rod and a glass rod charged respectively as
above attract each other. A possible explanation is that
Any two rubber rods charged this way have opposite charges on them. a.
Any two glass rods charged this way have opposite charges on them. b.
A rubber rod and a glass rod charged this way have opposite charges on them. c.
All rubber rods always have an excess of positive charge on them. d.
All glass rods always have an excess of negative charge on them. e.

34. Which one of the diagrams below is not a possible electric field configuration for a region of
space which does not contain any charges?
a.

b.

c.

d.

𝟏𝟏
35. The symbol 𝒌𝒌 = appears in Coulomb’s law because we use independently defined units
𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒
for
force and distance. a.
charge and distance. b.
distance and force. c.
force, distance and electric charge. d.
charge.
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36. Field Lines How can you tell which charges are positive and which are negative by
examining the electric field lines?
If the point charge is positive, field lines point away from it; if the charge is negative, field lines
point toward it.

select True or False for the following statements about electric field lines.
E-field lines make circles around positive charges.
E-field lines point inward toward negative charges.
E-field lines may cross.
E-field lines point outward from positive charges.
Where the E-field lines are dense the E-field must be weak.
E-field lines do not begin or end in a charge-free region except at infinity.

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