SAMPLE PROBLEMS: 112-Topic 2: POTENTIAL ENERGY & ELECTRIC POTENTIAL 1) A solid copper sphere 10 mm in diameter has a positive charge

arising from the removal of one electron from each 1012 copper atoms. Determine the net charge on the sphere, the electric field strength and electric potential at the surface. Solution: The first step is to determine the net charge on the sphere. In order to do so we need to find how many atoms the sphere contains. By dimensional analysis we have: # atoms = (atoms/mole)x(#moles) = (6.02 x 1023)(gms)(moles/gram) = (6.02 x 1023)(1/63.54)x(gms/cm3)x(Volume in cm3) = (6.02 x 1023)(1/63.54)(8.9)(4/3) R3 = 4.4 x 1022 . Here we looked up Avogadro's No. (no. atoms/mole = 6.02 x 10 23); the gm-molecular-'wt' of Cu in the periodic table (63.54 gm/mole); the density of Cu (8.9 gm/cm 3); and the formula for the volume of a sphere (4/3) R3. Careful, the diameter is 10 mm! Since 1 electron is removed for each 1012 atoms, then the net charge on the sphere is: Q = (# e- removed)x(1.6 x 10-19 Coul/e- ) = [(4.4 x 1022/(1012)] (1.6 x 10-19) = 7 x 10-9 = 7 nC. Now a spherical distribution of charge acts just like a point charge as long as you are outside the charge distribution. Thus for the charged sphere, the electric field strength is (for r = R = 5 mm): E = k q/r2 = (9 x 109)(7 x 10-9)/(.005)2 = 25.2 x 105 N/C The electric potential at the surface is given by: V = k q/r = (9 x 109)(7 x 10-9)/(.005) = 12.6 x 103 Volts.

2) The plates of a cathode ray tube are parallel and are 5 mm apart. The potential difference between them is 12 kV. Find the force on an electron passing between these plates. What is the acceleration of the electron?

Solution: Charged parallel plates produce a constant electric field. Since the electric field is the negative gradient of the potential, then we can easily calculate E in this case: E = E ave = - V/x = (12 kV)/(5 x 10-3) = 2.4 M V/m The direction of E is away from the + plate. That is, E always points in the direction of decreasing electrical potential. Since we know E, we can determine the force on the electron. Felec = q E = (1.6 x 10-19)(2.4 x 106) = 3.84 x 10-13 N.

+ +

E
+ + +

The direction of the force is opposite to the electric field direction since q is negative. Thus, while E points from the + plate towards the - plate, the electron is attracted to the + plate. a = F/m = (3.84 x 10-13)/(9.11 x 10-31) = 4.2 x 1017 m/sec2. 3). How much work is required to move a charge of 4 nC from a point 2m away to a point 0.5 m away from a point charge of 60 nC? What is the potential difference between these points? Solution: From the definition of potential energy we have Ub(q) - Ua(q) = Wby you (moving q from a b) The electric potential is defined as the 'potential energy/unit + charge' at a point. Thus: Vba = Vb - Va = [Ub(q) - Ua(q)] / q = W by you/ q . For a point charge V = k q/r . Thus: Va = k q/r a = (9 x 109)(60 x 10-9)/2 = 270 Volts Vb = k q/r b = (9 x 109)(60 x 10-9)/(.5) = 1080 Volts Hence, Vba = 1080 - 270 = 810 V, and the change in potential energy of a 4 nC charge in being moved from a --> b is: Ub(q) - Ua(q) = q(Vb - Va) = (4 x 10-9)(810) = 3240 nJ Thus the work done by you is 3240 nJ. 4). Charges of +60 nC are placed on diagonally opposite corners of a square with sides 0.5 m long, and a charge of -30 nC is placed at a third corner. (a) Find the potential energy of this configuration assuming it

was assembled from charges initially at infinity. (b) Compute the potential at the 4th corner of the square, assuming V = 0 at infinity. Solution: The final configuration of charges is as shown. Our starting point is empty space with no charges. We first bring charge q1 (60 nC) from to point 'a'. No work is required since there are no electric fields present. Now with q1 at 'a', we bring q3 from to point 'c'. From the definition of potential energy we have: W ( c)(q3) = Uc(q3) - U (q3) . Since V( ) 0, then U( ) 0. Also Uc(q3) = q3 k q1/r1. Thus: W ( c)(q3) = (60 n)(9 x 109)(60 n)/(.5 2) = 45.8 J. Lastly we move - q2 from 'b'. W ( b)(q2) = Ub(q2) - U (q2) = - q2 Vb . Since we now have an electric field produced by the combination of charges q 1 and q3, then the potential at 'b', Vb is the combined potential due to these two charges. Vb = Vb(due to q1) + Vb(due to q3) = k q1 /r1 + k q3 /r3 . Since the 2 distances are the same we have simply. Vb = 2 k q1 /r1 = (2)(9 x 109)(60 n)/(.5) = 2160 Volts. And: W ( b)(-q2) = (-30 n)(2160) = - 64.8 J . Hence the total net work required to bring the charges to the locations shown is: 0 + 48.5 J - 64.8 J = - 19 J. By definition this is the potential energy of the system. The potential at point 'd' (fourth corner) is a sum of the potentials at 'd' due to the 3 individual charges q 1, q2, and q3 . Vd = Vd(due to q1) + Vd(due to q2) + Vd(due to q3) = k q1 /r1 + k (-q2 )/r2 + k q3 /r3 . -q
2
o

+ q

r1 45
2 o

r1

c
o

+ q

But the 1st and last terms are the same as those used to calculate Vb above. Hence, we have: Vd = 2160 + (9 x 109)(- 30 n)/(.5 2) = 1778 Volts . 5). A 300 ev electron passes through a hole in a screen into a region where there is a uniform electric field of 900 N/C. If the velocity of the electron is in the same direction as the field, how far will the electron move before it reverses its direction? What was the initial speed of the electron? Solution: In the figure we have illustrated the directions involved in this problem. Since we are dealing with an electron, the electric force on the e- is opposite to the direction of E. Hence, this force slows down the e- & eventually stops it. The first step in this problem is to correctly identify the meaning of the term '300 ev' electron. The 'ev' stands for 'electron volts', which is an energy unit. Thus we are given an energy value for the electron. When stated in this way, this energy is always the electron's kinetic energy. Thus we have: (1/2) m (vo)2 = 300 ev = 300 (1.6 x 10-19) J. Thus: vo2 = (2)(300)(1.6 x 10-19)/(9.11 x 10-31) = 1.05 x 1014 ---> vo = 1.03 x 107 m/s . This takes care of the answer to part (b), but what about (a)? Since the electric field is constant, the F elec = q E is constant, and the electron experiences constant acceleration. Let's solve the problem by using the equations of motion for constant acceleration. We draw a figure & choose a (1-d) coordinate system as shown. The initial conditions are then: x(t=0) = xo = 0 ; v(t=0) = vo = 1.03 x 107 m/s The force is to the left, thus: a = - 1.58 x 1014 . e v
0

E v e 0

x E

Inserting these values into the general equations of motion for constant acceleration (1-dim), we have the specific equations of motion: x(t) = - (1/2)(1.58 x1014) t2 + (1.03 x 107)t ; v(t) = -1.58 x1014 t + 1.03 x107 If the electron comes to a stop at time t', then: v(t') = 0 = -1.58 x1014 t' + 1.03 x107 t' = .65 x 10-7 sec.

Substituting this time into the x-equation gives us the stopping distance: x(t= .65 x10-7) = - (1/2)(1.58 x1014)(.65 x10-7)2 + (1.03 x 107)(.65 x10-7) = 0.335 m .

We have solved the problem via the 'equations of motion' approach. There is an easier way to arrive at this answer, however. No times are given, or asked for in the statement of the problem so we can take the work-energy approach. The only force present in the problem is the electrical force which is a conservative force. Thus we must have conservation of total mechanical energy. We write this as: KE = - U . KEi = 300 ev & KEf is 0 so the change in KE is - 300 ev. We choose the potential as 0 at the initial point. Then: - ( Uf - Ui ) = - 300 ev Uf = 300 ev = q Vf Vf = - 300 Volts Thus the potential at the final point is 300 volts lower than at the initial point. The electric field is given by the negative gradient of the potential, and, since we know that E is constant we have: E = - V/x x =V/E = -(-300)/900 = 1/3 m (.333m ).

6). A charge of 6 nC is placed on a conducting sphere of radius 50 mm. This sphere is then connected temporarily by a copper wire to an uncharged conducting sphere of radius 25 mm. Find the final charge on each sphere. Solution: Initially the +6 nC charge resides on the large sphere and produces a non-zero potential value on its surface; the potential on the small sphere is 0 since it is uncharged. When the 2 spheres are connected by the copper wire, a path is established that permits a redistribution of charge between the spheres. We wait until this has occurred (we are solving electrostatic problems only). We then have both spheres at the same potential. Thus: Va = k q1 /r1 = Vb = k q2 /r2 . Charge is always conserved so that the total charge is still 6 nC. Thus: equations in 2 unknowns. From the potential equation above we have: q1 /r1 = q2 /r2 q1 /50 = q2 /25 q1 = 2 q2 . Then we have: 2 q2 + q2 = 3 q2 = 6 nC. Hence: q2 = 2 nC and q1 = 4 nC. q 1 + q2 = 6 nC. We have 2