PHYSICS 8B Fall 2015

MT1 practice problems

Problem 1 Electric field
Lets consider a discrete distribution of 4 point-charges located at A(2d ;0), B(-2d ;0),
C(0 ;-d) and D(0 ;d). The numbers in parentheses next to the points indicate the
points x- and y-positions, and d is a length.
A and B each carry a charge -q, whereas C and D carry charges +2q and +q,
respectively.
a) Draw, qualitatively, the 4 individual electric field vectors created by each of the
charges at point O, the origin, as well as the resulting electric field vector at O.
b) Calculate the vector E (O ) .
c) Do you know another way of getting the electric field? You dont need to make
the calculation.
Problem 2 Electric potential
A non-conducting sphere of radius R1 is surrounded by a larger but ultrathin
spherical shell of radius R2. The volume charge density of the inner sphere is
1(r)=ar (a>0).
a) Calculate the surface charge density 2 of the outer sphere such that its net
charge is twice that of the inner sphere.
b) Calculate the electric field created at any point by this charge distribution.
c) Make a qualitative plot of the electric field as a function of the distance from
the center of the spheres.
d) Calculate the electric potential created at any point.
Problem 3 Current and resistance
a) The Tevatron at Fermilab is designed to carry a beam of protons of current I
traveling at speed v around a ring of radius R. Calculate the number N of
protons in the beam.
b) A wire of total length 2L consists of two equally long pieces of wire, one
made of copper (Cu) and the other made of aluminum (Al). Both wires have
same diameter d, and a voltage V is applied across the length of the
composite wire. What is the current I passing through the wire?

Problem 4 Capacitor
A parallel-plate capacitor made of square plates (L) is filled with different dielectric
materials as sketched below. You may ignore fringe effects on dielectric interfaces
and assume that d<<L.
a) Draw the equivalent array of capacitors, each filled with only one type of
material, with their dimensions.
b) Calculate the capacitance C of this complex capacitor.
Once the capacitor is fully charged using a battery of emf E and a resistor of
resistance R, the battery is removed so that the circuit only contains the capacitor
and the resistor, and the dielectric materials are quickly pulled out of the capacitor.
c) Sketch the voltage Vc across the capacitors plates (still connected to the
resistor) as a function of time. You may use Ck and C0 for the capacitance
with and without the dielectrics.
d

w
K1

K2
h

K3

Problem 5 DC circuit
Determine the currents I1, I2, and I3 in the circuit below, considering that the internal
resistance r of the batteries is negligible compared to all other resistances in the
circuit.

E1

R1

R4
R5

E2
R2
E3

R3