EXAM 1 — Electricity — Summer 2019 — Physics 122

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM, Friday, June 7th

Name (print): _____________________________

Seat Number #: __________________

Instructions:
• You may use a calculator, but no sharing of calculators.
• Cell phones or any other electronic devices are forbidden.
• One 3’’ x 5’’ index card is allowed with anything written on it.
• Write legibly and clearly. Messy or indecipherable work may receive no credit.
• For multiple choice questions no work is required and no partial credit will be given.
• For free-response questions, you must show your work in order to receive credit. A correct answer with no supporting
work will receive no credit, while a wrong answer with supporting work might receive partial credit.
• Give numerical results to two significant figures with appropriate units. Complete the arithmetic for full credit.

• Finally, remember to breathe, pace yourself, and good luck! 😎

Helpful Values: k" = 9.0 × 109 N ⋅ m2 / C2 and ϵ" o = 8.85 × 10−12 C2 /( N ⋅ m2 )

HONOR CODE

I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this test.

Signed: ______________________________________________

Q1) Two point particles are each a distance of a" from the origin.

a) Which charge experiences the largest force in terms of magnitude?

A) "+2q B) +q
" C) The same for both

b) In what region could you place another point charge such that it experiences no net force?

A) "x < − a B) −a
" < x < 0 C) 0" < x < a D) x" > a E) No region exists

Q2) An electron is released from rest in a constant, uniform electric field. Which of the following best describes
its motion after being released?

A) It moves in the direction of the electric field at a constant speed

B) It moves in the opposite direction of the electric field at a constant speed
C) It moves in the direction of the electric field with an increasing speed
D) It moves in the opposite direction of the electric field with an increasing speed

Q3) Five point charges are shown with a Gaussian surfaces surrounding them. What is the flux through this
Gaussian surface?

q 2q 3q 4q 5q
A) " B) " C) " D) " E) "
ϵ0 ϵ0 ϵ0 ϵ0 ϵ0
q 2q 3q 4q 5q
F) "− G) −
" H) −
" I) −
" J) −
"
ϵ0 ϵ0 ϵ0 ϵ0 ϵ0

Q4) A closed cylindrical Gaussian surface has one charge inside and two charges outside as shown. The cylinder
has three surfaces: the left end, the right end, and the cylindrical shell.

a) The electric flux through the left end is…

A) Positive B) Negative C) Zero

b) If the -100 nC charge is removed, how would the electric flux through the right
end change?

A) Increase B) Decrease C) Stay the same

Q5) An electric potential versus position graph is shown. What is the magnitude
and direction of the electric field at x" = 0?

A) 10 N/C, to the left B) 10 N/C, to the right

C) 5 N/C, to the left D) 5 N/C, to the right

E) 2 N/C, to the left F) 2 N/C, to the right

G) 0
Page "1 of "5 Page’s Points: ____________
Q6) Three point charges are arranged in a square with side a" as shown.

k q2
a) The total electric potential energy for this collection of charges is U
" =C ,
a
where C
" is a number. What is the number C
" ?

A) "1 B) −1
" C) " 2 D) −
" 2

1 1 1 1
E) " F) −
" G) 1" − H) 2" −
2 2 2 2

b) If you were to bring in a positive charge from infinity to point P, how much work would you have to do?

A) Positive B) Negative C) Zero

Q7) An equipotential plot is shown.

a) How will a negatively charged particle released at point 3 start to move?

A) Up B) Down C) To the left

D) To the right E) It will remain at rest

b) How are the magnitudes of the electric fields at points 1, 2, and 3 related?

A) "E1 = E3 > E2 B) E
" 1 = E3 < E2 C) E
" 1 = E2 > E3

D) E
" 1 = E2 < E3 E) E
" 1 > E2 > E3 F) E
" 1 < E2 < E3

Q8) A uniformly charged rod of length 2a " and charge +Q" lies along the y-axis as shown. Write out an
expression for the y-component of the electric field at x" = a. Your expression should involve an integral and
should only be in terms of a" , Q
" , an appropriate integration variable, and any other relevant mathematical or
physical constants. Note: you do NOT have to solve the integral, you only have to set it up correctly. (4 pt)

Page "2 of "5 Page’s Points: ____________

Q9) A point charge ("q1 = + 10Q) is at (x,
" y) = (+a, + 2a). An infinite line of charge ("λ1 = − 2Q /a) is parallel to
the y-axis and goes through x" = + 2a. You are to consider a point at the origin. Note: Q" > 0.

a) Draw the electric field vectors for q" 1 and λ" 1 at the origin. Draw them
with a solid line, clearly label each vector, and clearly indicate their direction. (2 pt)

b) What are the x and y components of the net electric field at the
origin? Your answer should only be in terms of Q
! , a! , and k! . Show all work to
receive full credit and simplify your final expressions as much as possible. (6 pt)

x-component = __________________________ y-component = ________________________________

c) Another point charge ("q2 = − 2Q) is now placed at the origin. What is the magnitude and direction of the
electric force on q" 2 in the y-direction. Your answer should only be in terms of Q
! , a! , and k! . (2 pt)

Magnitude: ______________ Direction: Up Down No direction (electric force is zero)

Page "3 of "5 Page’s Points: ____________

Q10) An infinite thin insulating sheet is placed in the yz
" plane at x" = − 2c. It carries a uniformly-distributed
surface charge density of σ" a = − 4σ0 ("σ0 > 0). A thick metal slab is placed so that its left side coincides with the yz
"
plane at x" = + 2c. The metal slab has thickness "c and has a surface charge density of σ" m = + 6σo.

a) On the diagram, draw vectors indicating the net electric field at

points B and C clearly indicating the direction. (2 pt)

b) What is the magnitude of the electric field at point C? (3 pt) Your

answer should only be in terms of σ! o and ϵ! o. Clearly show all work!

c) What are the magnitudes and signs of the surface charge densities ("σL and σ" R) induced on the left and right
sides of the metal slab? Your answer should only be in terms of σ! o. (4 pt)

Sign of σ" L: Positive Negative Zero Magnitude of σ" L: _____________

Sign of σ" R: Positive Negative Zero Magnitude of σ" R: _____________

d) The electric potential from A to B is… (1 pt)

A) increasing B) decreasing C) constant

e) The electric potential from the left to the right side of the metal slab is… (2 pt)

A) increasing B) decreasing C) constant

Page "4 of "5 Page’s Points: ____________
Q11) A solid conducting sphere is centered at the origin and has charge +3.0
" μ C and radius a
" = 2.0 m. A solid
conducting spherical shell is concentric with the solid sphere and has charge −5.0
" μ C and inner and outer radius
" = 4.0 m and "c = 6.0 m.
b
a) On the diagram, draw arrows showing the directions of the electric
fields at points P and R. Or if 0, say so explicitly. (2 pt)

b) What is the magnitude of the electric field in N/C at point R

" which
is a distance of 10
" m from the center of the solid conducting sphere?
Show every step of your calculation and/or explain your reasoning. (4 pt)

c) The charges on the inside & outside surfaces of the conducting shell are…(include correct sign & units) (2 pt)

q
" inside = __________ q
" outside = __________

d) What is the electric potential at r" = b? Assume the potential at infinity is zero. Show every step of your calculation
and/or explain your reasoning. (4 pt)

Page "5 of "5 Page’s Points: ____________