Practice Questions on Electric Fields

You will need these data for the questions:

0 = 8.85 10-12 F m-1,
Mass of the electron = 9.11 10-31 kg,
Mass of the proton = 1.67 10-27 kg
Charge on a proton = +1.6 10-19 C
Charge on an electron = -1.6 10-19 C
G = 6.67 10-11 N m2 kg-2.

1. This question is about the forces between charges:

a. What is the force of repulsion between two electrons held one metre apart in a
vacuum? (2)
b. What is the gravitational force of attraction between them? (2)
c. By what factor is the electric repulsion greater than the gravitational
attraction? (2)

2. Given the difference in magnitudes of gravitational and electrical forces youve just
discovered, why do you feel gravitational attraction from the earth, but no electrical
forces? (2)

3. Part of the electric field pattern has been drawn in each of the diagrams below. Use
your knowledge of symmetry to complete the electric field pattern in each case.
(6)
4. Each of the diagrams below shows a pair of electrodes connected to a voltage supply.

+ +

For each of the diagrams, add solid lines to illustrate the shape of the electric field
between the electrodes. Draw arrows to indicate the direction of the field.
(2)

5. Add dotted lines to show the shape of equipotential lines associated with the field. The
spacing of the equipotential lines should give an indication of the relative strength of the
electric field. (2)

6. Here are two closely spaced metal plates connected to a 500 V supply.

+ 500 V

5 cm

0V

Draw solid lines to represent the electric field both between the plates and just outside
the plates. Add arrows to indicate the direction of the field. Add, and label, dotted
lines to the diagram to represent lines of equipotential at 100 V intervals.
(2)

7. In an experiment to measure the charge on an oil drop, the potential difference between
two parallel metal plates 5 mm apart was 300 V.
a. Calculate the electric field strength between the plates. (2)
b. Calculate the electrical force on a small oil drop carrying a charge of 3.2 10-
18
C. (2)