12 - PHYSICS - (STATE BOARD) Unit:1 Electrostatics 1

1. Electrostatics
1. What are Conductors and Insulators ? Give examples.
Conductors: Bodies which allow the charges to pass through are called conductors.
Example: metals, human body, Earth.
Insulators: Bodies which do not allow the charges to pass through are called insulators.
Example: glass, mica, ebonite, plastic.
2. What do you mean by “quantization of charge”?
In nature, the electric charge of any system is always an integral multiple of the least amount of
charge. It means that the quantity can take only one of the discrete set of values.
The charge, q = ne, where n is an integer. e = 1.6 x 10-19C
3. What is conservation of electric charges? Give an example.
Electric charges can neither be created nor destroyed. The total charge in an isolated system
always remains constant. But the charges can be transferred from one part of the system to another.
Example: Uranium can decay by emitting an alpha particle and transforming to thorium.
238
92U → 90Th234 + 2He4
Total charge before decay = +92e, total charge after decay = 90e + 2e.
4. What do you mean by “Additive nature of charge”? Give an example. (Oct’07)
The total electric charge of a system is equal to the algebraic sum of electric charges located in
the system.
Example: If two charged bodies of charges +2q, −5q are brought in contact, the total charge of
the system is –3q.
5. State Coulomb’s law in electrostatics and represent it in vector form. (BB)
(Jun’07), (Mar’10),(Jun’10)
The force of attraction or repulsion between two point charges is directly proportional to the
product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The direction of forces is along the line joining the two point charges.
q2 q1
F 12= 1
⃗ ⃗r 21
4 π ε 0 r 321

6. Define Coulomb from Coulomb’s law. (Mar’06)

One Coulomb is defined as the quantity of charge, which when placed at a distance of 1 metre
in air or vacuum from an equal and similar charge, experiences a repulsive force of 9 × 109 N.
7. What is permittivity and relative permittivity? How are they related?(BB)
Permittivity of a medium is the capacity of the medium to permit the electric field lines.
Permittivity decides the value of electrostatic force between charges.
Permittivity of free space = ε0
Permittivity of a medium =ε
ε
εr =
Relative permittivity ε0
8. State the principle of superposition. (BB)
The total force on a given charge is the vector sum of the forces exerted on it due to all other
charges.
Physics M.PALANICHAMY,M.Sc.,M.Ed.,M.Phil.,P.G TEACHER IN PHYSICS,(CELL:94421-
36775)
12- PHYSICS - (STATE BOARD) Unit:1 Electrostatics 2
9. Define electric field at a point. Give its unit. (BB)
Electric field at a point is measured in terms of electric field intensity.
Electric field intensity at a point, in an electric field is defined as the force experienced by a
unit positive charge kept at that point.
The unit of electric field intensity is N C−1.
10. What is Electric line of force? (BB)
Electric line of force is an imaginary straight or curved path along which a unit positive charge
tends to move in an electric field.
11. Write the properties of lines of forces. (BB). Mention any three properties of lines of force.
(Jun’10)
(i) Lines of force start from positive charge and terminate at negative charge.
(ii) Lines of force never intersect.
(iii) The tangent to a line of force at any point gives the direction of the electric field (E) at that
point.
(iv) The number of lines per unit area, through a plane at right angles to the lines, is
proportional to the magnitude of E. This means that, where the lines of force are close together, E is
large and where they are far apart, E is small.
1
(v) Each unit positive charge gives rise to ε0 lines of force in free space.
q
Hence number of lines of force originating from a point charge q is N = ε 0
12. What is an electric dipole? Define electric dipole moment? (BB) (Oct’09)
Two equal and opposite charges separated by a very small distance constitute an electric
dipole. The magnitude of the dipole moment is given by the product of the magnitude of one of the
charges and the distance between them.
∴ Electric dipole moment, p = q x 2d . The unit of dipole moment is coulomb-metre
13. What does an electric dipole experience when kept in a uniform electric field and non-uniform
electric field? (BB)
When a dipole placed in a uniform electric field (inclined at an angle θ ):
The dipole experiences (i) no force (ii) only a torque.
When a dipole placed in a uniform electric field (parallel to the electric field):
The dipole experiences (i) no force (ii) no torque.
When a dipole placed in a non-uniform electric field (inclined at an angle θ ):
The dipole experiences (i) a net force. (ii) a torque is acting on the dipole.
When a dipole placed in a non-uniform electric field (parallel to the electric field):
The dipole experiences (i) a net force. (ii) it experiences no torque.
14. Explain the working of a microwave oven. (Jun’08)
It is used to cook the food in a short time.
When the oven is operated, the microwaves are generated, which produce a non-uniform
oscillating electric field.
The water molecules in the food which are the electric dipoles are excited by an oscillating
torque. Hence few bonds in the water molecules are broken, and heat energy is produced. This is used
to cook food.
15. Distinguish between electric potential and potential difference. (BB)
Electric potential: The electric potential at a point in an electric field is defined as the amount of work
 done in moving a unit positive charge from infinity to that point against the electric forces.
It is a scalar quantity.
Physics M.PALANICHAMY,M.Sc.,M.Ed.,M.Phil.,P.G TEACHER IN PHYSICS,(CELL:94421-
36775)
12- PHYSICS - (STATE BOARD) Unit:1 Electrostatics 3
Potential difference: The potential difference between two points in an electric field is defined as the
amount of work done in moving a unit positive charge from one point to the other against the electric force.
16. Define electric potential at a point. Is it a scalar or a vector quantity? (BB) (Mar’07), (Jun’09)
The electric potential in an electric field at a point is defined as the amount of work done in
moving a unit positive charge from infinity to that point against the electric forces.
It is a scalar quantity.
17. Define Unit of Potential. (Define volt)
The unit of potential difference is volt.
The potential difference between two points is 1 volt if 1 joule of work is done in moving
1 Coulomb of charge from one point to another against the electric force.
18. What is an equipotential surface? (BB)
If all the points of a surface are at the same electric potential, then the surface is called an
equipotential surface.
19. What is electrostatic potential energy of a system of two point charges? (BB)
The electric potential energy of two point charges is equal to the work done to assemble the
charges or work done in bringing each charge or work done in bringing a charge from infinite distance.
20. Define electric flux. Give its unit. (BB) (Jun’08)
The electric flux is defined as the total number of electric lines of force, crossing through the
given area.
The electric flux is a scalar quantity. Its unit is N m2 C−1
21. State Gauss’s law in electrostatics. (BB) (Jun’06), (Oct’06), (Mar’09)
1
The law states that the total flux of the electric field E over any closed surface is equal to ε0
times the net charge enclosed by the surface.
q
φ=
ε0
22. What is electrostatic shielding? (Mar’08)
It is the process of isolating a certain region of space from external field. It is based on the fact
that electric field inside a conductor is zero.
23. Why is it safer to be inside a car than standing under a tree during lightning? (BB)
(Mar’06), (Jun’06), (Jun’09), (Mar’10)
During a thunder accompanied by lightning, it is safer to sit inside a bus than in open ground or
under a tree.
(i) The metal body of the bus provides electrostatic shielding, (ii) where the electric field is
zero. (iii) During lightning the electric discharge passes through the body of the bus.
24. What is a capacitor? Define its capacitance. (BB) (Mar’09)
A capacitor is a device for storing electric charges. (The capacitance depends on the geometry
of the conductors and nature of the medium.)
The capacitance of a conductor is defined as the ratio of the charge given to the conductor to
the potential developed in the conductor.
25. What is dielectric? (BB)
A dielectric is an insulating material in which all the electrons are tightly bound to the nucleus
of the atom.
There are no free electrons to carry current. The electrons are not free to move under the
influence of an external field. Examples: Ebonite, mica and oil.
Physics M.PALANICHAMY,M.Sc.,M.Ed.,M.Phil.,P.G TEACHER IN PHYSICS,(CELL:94421-
36775)
12- PHYSICS - (STATE BOARD) Unit:1 Electrostatics 4
26. What is meant by dielectric polarisation? (BB) (Oct’06), (Oct’09)
The alignment of the dipole moments of the permanent or induced dipoles in the direction of
applied electric field is called polarisation or electric polarisation.
27. What is a polar molecule? Give two examples. (Mar’07)
A polar molecule is one in which the centre of gravity of the positive charges is separated from
the centre of gravity of the negative charges by a finite distance.
(They have a permanent dipole moment.) Examples: N2O, H2O, HC, NH3.

28. Define Polarisability of a molecule.

The ratio of the magnitude of the induced dipole moment to the external electric field is called
p
α=
molecular polarisability of a dielectric molecule. E
The unit of polarisability is C V-1 m-2.
29. What is corona discharge? What are its applications? (Jun’07), (Oct’08)
The leakage of electric charges from the sharp points on the charged conductor is known as
action of points or corona discharge.
This principle is used in the electrostatic machines for collecting charges and in lightning
conductors.
30. Write the applications of capacitor. (Oct’07)
(i) They are used in the ignition system of automobile engines to eliminate sparking.
(ii) They are used to reduce voltage fluctuations in power supplies and to increase the
efficiency of power transmission.
(iii) Capacitors are used to generate electromagnetic oscillations and in tuning the radio
circuits.
31. What is action of points or corona discharge? Mention its applications. (Jun’07), (Oct’08)
The leakage of electric charges from the sharp points on the charged conductor is known as
action of points or corona discharge. This principle is made use of in the electrostatic machines for
collecting charges and in lightning conductors.
32. Three capacitors each of capacitance 9 pF are connected in series. What is the total capacitance
of the combination? (Mar’08)
1 1 1 1
= + +
Cs C 1 C 2 C 3
1 1 1 1 1 1+1+1 ∴ Cs=3 pF
= + + =
Cs 9 9 9 Cs 9
1 3 1 1
= =
Cs 9 Cs 3
33. Calculate the effective capacitance of the combination shown in figure. (Oct’08)
1 1 1 1 1 1
= + = +
Cs C 1 C 2 Cs 10 10 ∴ Cs=5 μF

C effective =Cp Cp=Cs+C 3 Cp=5+5 ∴ Ceff =10 μF

Physics M.PALANICHAMY,M.Sc.,M.Ed.,M.Phil.,P.G TEACHER IN PHYSICS,(CELL:94421-

36775)