Physics 42 Practice Exam for Exam 1

CLEARLY indicate the correct answer in each of the nine multiple choice (MC) questions. Each of the
MC questions is worth 8.5 points, except question seven, which is worth 12 points.
Suggested time allocation: 3 to 5 minutes per MC question, 10 to 15 minutes for problem 10
Please see the last page for equations/integral table.

(1) A total charge of +Q is distributed uniformly in a ring with radius R. A small piece of the ring at x=R that
contains charge +qo is removed from the ring (qo << Q), leaving a gap in the ring at x=R. What is the electric
field at point P, the center of the ring with the gap?

1 (Q qo ) 1 (Q qo )
(A) i (B) i
4 o R 2 4 o R 2
1 qo 1 qo
(C) i (D) i
4 o R 2 4 o R 2
(E) 0 (F) none of the above

(2) Consider two point particles lying along the x axis separated by a distance d. These particles have charges
that are equal in magnitude but opposite in sign. Where can a third point charge be placed so the net force on it
is zero?

(A) Halfway between the two charges

(B) A distance d from both charges (so the three charges form an equilateral triangle)
(C) Some point on the x axis but not between the two charges.
(D) Depends on the charges' signs and/or magnitudes
(E) Other (explain)

(3) Consider the finite piece of wire with a uniformly distributed negative charge
shown to the right. What is the direction of the force on a positively charged ion
placed at point P?

(4) Consider two pairs of points : Point A is at a distance r from a point charge and point B is at a distance r +
10 cm from the point charge. Point C is at a distance r' from the point charge and point D is at a distance r' + 10
cm from the point charge. Please compare the potential difference between the two pairs of points if r = 5r'.

(A) VAB > VCD (B) VAB = VCD (C) VAB < VCD
Physics 42 Practice Exam for Exam 1
(5) Charge +Q is uniformly distributed in each of the following spheres/spherical shells:
Sphere 1: a conducting sphere with radius R1.
Spheres 2 and 3: a conducting spherical shell with an inner radius R1 and an outer radius R2.
However, spherical shell 2 is hollow (i.e. there is nothing inside r < R1) while there is an additional point charge
Q in the center of spherical shell 3.

The magnitude of the electric field at three points, each a distance r (> R2) from the center of each sphere, is E1,
E2, and E3 respectively. Compare E1, E2, and E3.

(A) E3 > E2 > E1 (B) E3 = E2, E3 > E1

(C) (E2 > E1 ), E3 = 0 (D) (E2 = E1) > E3, E3 = 0
(E) E3 = E2 = E1

(6) Imagine two dipole oriented as shown to the right. These dipoles will

(A) attract each other (B) repel each other (C) exert zero force on each other.

(7) In gel electrophoresis, a gel is placed in a rectangular plate with length L. The two
"caps" of the plate are connected to a battery that sets up an electric field in the gel.

Tina wants the ions in his gel to move faster so that her experiment will be done sooner.
So, she doubles the voltage across the gel. However, she doesn't want to double the
current in the ionic solution because increasing the current would heat up the gel. How
could she keep the current the same while doubling the voltage?
1. Dilute the solution to half the original concentration
2. Make the gel twice as long from top to bottom
3. Reducing the cross-sectional area of the gel to half of its original area

(A) Both 1 and 2 (B) Both 1 and 3 (C) Both 2 and 3

(D) All of the above (E) only one of the above (please specify)

(8) How can you increase the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor?
1. increase the distance between the two plates
2. increase the area of each plate
3. insert a piece of polarizable material between the two plates

(A) Both 1 and 2 (B) Both 1 and 3 (C) Both 2 and 3

(D) All of the above (E) only one of the above (please specify)

(9) You release N vesicles at the origin and they diffuse away from the origin. You find that most of the
vesicles are spread out over a circle of radius r (centered at the origin) 20 seconds after you have released the
vesicles. What factor does the radius of the circle increase by if you observe the vesicles 40 seconds after their
initial release?

(A) 4 (B) 2 (C) 2 (D) 1 (E) 1/ 2 (i.e. the circle actually shrinks!)
 Physics 42 Practice Exam for Exam 1
! ! ! !"
! !"## = 2 =! = ! !"# = !"
!

! ! ! !!"#$
= = !! !"##$ = !! !"#$%& = ! ! = !!
!

!! !! !" !! !
= ! + = !
= ! = !" = = !

!" !! ! ! ! ! !" !"

= ! ! = ! = !
= !
=! = !
= = !"

(10) A thin ring of radius R is uniformly charge with total charge Q and you place the ring on the x-y plane. The
!"#
magnitude of the electric field at a point along the z-axis is ! ! ! if the distance between the origin and the
! !! !
point is z. Where do you place a negative charge such that the electric field at (0,0,d) is zero if the magnitude of
the charge is q? Just describe the location of the negative charge and express your answer in terms of an
equation that you could solve to obtain the exact location of the charge. What do you know about the electrical
potential at/near that location?

Integrals that may be useful

$x' dx x xdx
a dx+ x
2 2
=
1
a
tan 1 & )
%a(
3
= a xdx+ x
2 2
=
1
2 (
log a 2 + x 2 ) 3
=
1

(a 2
+ x2 ) a 2
(a 2
+x 2
) (a 2
+ x2 ) (a 2
+ x2 )