TEST 2

(PHY 250)


1. a) Write the definition (in a full sentence) of electric potential.
b) What is a capacitor?
c) Relate the electric torque, exerted on a molecule in a uniform electric
field, with the dipole moment of the molecule.
d) What is the electrical strength of a dielectric?


2. A dielectric slab of thickness d and area A is
inserted into the space between the plates of
a parallel-plate capacitor with spacing s and
surface area A (as in Figure P26.59). Derive
an expression for the capacitance of the
system in terms of the given dimensions.


3. Over a certain region of space, the electric potential depends on position
according to the following function: V=5x+3x
2
y+2yz
2
. Find the expression for
the electric field vector in this region.


4. A rod of length L lies along the x axis with its left end at the origin and has a
nonuniform charge density (x) = x, where is a positive constant)
a) What is the unit of ?
b) Calculate the electric potential of point A.


5. Four capacitors are connected as shown in
Figure P26.21.
a) Find the equivalent capacitance between
points a and b.
b) Determine the voltage across the 20F
capacitor if a 15V potential difference exits
between these points (a and b).


s
d
A
A

Figure 26.59
15 F 3 F
6 F
20 F
a b
Figure P26.21
- 1 -


a) Electric potential V(r) at position r is a number such that the electric
potential energy U(r) of a particle with charge q placed at this
location would be
U(r) = qV(r)


b) A capacitor is an electrical element with two sides, called plates, for
which the potential difference V (voltage) between the plates is
proportional to the charge Q transferred from one plate to the other
Q = CV
(The proportionality constant C is called capacitance of the
capacitor.)


c) The electric torque exerted on a molecule with the dipole moment p,
in a uniform electric field E, is given by
= p E
(This equation defines the dipole moment.)


d) The dielectric strength (of a dielectric) is defined as the maximum
(magnitude of the) electric field that can exist in the dielectric without
electric breakdown.



- 2 -

Solution 1 (more elegant)
The charge density on the plates
of a parallel plate capacitor is uniform.
According to the definition of
capacitance, the charge on the

1) Q dA A
plate

is proportional to the potential difference between the plates
2) Q = C (V
+
- V
-
)
For a uniform electric field (between the plates) it should not be difficult
to express that potential difference in terms of the charge density. We can
express the magnitude of the electric field vector in terms of the charge
density and use the relationship between electric potential and electric
field vector. For a parallel plate capacitor, the magnitude of the electric
field vector is directly proportional to the area charge density
3a) E

0
(in free space)
(If we dont remember this expression it can be quickly derived from
e electric field in the free space (between the plates)
therefore has this value. Because the slab is a dielectric, the electric field
inside the slab has a magnitude of
3b) E

0
(within the dielectric)
Knowing the electric field vector at the considered region allows us to
find the potential (difference)
4)
V V
E
d E s d E s d
d
conducting
slab
free
space
+

+

+

E ds
E
ds E ds

cos ( ) cos ( ) 180 180

s
d
+

A

The rest is math. Beginning with equation (2) and consecutively
eliminating undesired variables we find
C
Q
V
A
E s d
d
A
s d
d
A
d s d

+

( ) ( )
( )
0 0


Solution 2.
We can consider one surface of
the slab as the plates of two separate
parallel plate capacitors connected in
series. From the geometrical
information we can express the
capacitance of each capacitor in
terms of the slab thickness
1) C
A
d
1 0
C
A
s d
2 0

Now we can find the equivalent capacitance of the system
( )
C
C C
d
A
s d
A
A
d s d
+

_
,

_
,

+

1 1
1 2
1
0 0
1
0

s
d
+

A
+

- 3 -

2 2
yz 2 y x 3 x 5 V + +


Both electric potential and the electric field vector describe electric field.
Therefore they are related the electric field vector is opposite to the
gradient of the electric potential. Applying this relation to the given
function yields the answer.

[ ] yz 4 , z 2 x 3 , xy 6 5
z
V
,
y
V
,
x
V
V
2 2
+
1
]
1

E

- 4 -










a) Linear charge density relates charge with the linear dimension of the
object. Therefore the SI unit of charge density must be C/m. Coefficient
relates charge density with position. Therefore its unit must be C/m
2
.

b) The contribution to the electric potential at point A from a differential
fragment of the rod depends on the charge of the piece and the distance
to the point. From the definition of charge density it is possible to relate
the charge of each piece with its length. Integration over the entire rod
yields the answer

( ) ( )

,
_

,
_

+
+

d
L
1 ln d L k
x d ln d x k
d x
xdx
k
r
dq
k dV V
L
0
L
0 rod rod




x
L
y
d
A
dq=dx
- 5 -

a) The 15F and the3 F capacitors are
connected in series. Their equivalent capacitance
is therefore
F 5 . 2
F 3
1
F 15
1
C
1
3 & 15

,
_

This system is connected in parallel to the 6F capacitance. Therefore
the equivalent capacitance of the three capacitors
F 5 . 8 F 6 F 5 . 2 C
6 & 3 & 15
+
The last (20F) capacitor is in series with the rest yielding the equivalent
capacitance of the entire system
F 0 . 6
F 20
1
F 5 . 8
1
C
1

,
_

b) Since the 20F capacitor is connected in series, the remaining
capacitor is charged to the same value as the entire system. (Notice that
the right-hand side of this capacitor is the right-hand side plate of the
system.) Therefore
C 90 V 15 F 6 CV Q Q
20

Following the definition of capacitance, the voltage across this
capacitor is
V 5 . 4
F 20
C 90
C
Q
V
20
20
20

15 F 3 F
6 F
20 F
a b
Q
6
Q
20
-Q
6
-Q
20
Q
15 -Q
15
Q
3
-Q
3