GENERAL PHYSICS II         SAMPLE EXAM 1         PHYS 2120

1]     Below is a diagram showing the relative positions of 3 charges. Determine the force on the
        - 5 µC charge due to the other 2 charges. [ remember you need magnitude & direction ]

                                        10 cm
            + 8 µC · ------------------------ ·+ 2 µC
                                                                 |
                                                                 | 5.0 cm
                                                                 |
                                                   - 5 µC ·

        Answer: 57 N @ 62 degrees above -x axis
 

2]     In the hydrogen atom a single electron orbits around a single proton. The smallest electron
        orbit has a radius of 5.29 x 10-11 m. How much work is required to completely remove the
        electron from this orbit ( i.e., move the electron to infinity where we take the electric potential to
        be zero)

        Answer: +4.3 x 10-18 J
 

3]     {A} Determine the electric field at the point labeled, x, in the figure below.
                [ remember magnitude & direction ]

                                                                                + 2 µC
                                                                                        · ------------------- x
                                                                                                    10 cm
        Answer: 1.8 x 10+6 N/C pointing to right

        {B} A charge that is now placed at point x above experiences a force of 1.8 N that is directed
              toward the + 2 µC charge. What is the magnitude and sign of the charge placed at point x?

        Answer: -1.0 x 10-6 C
 

4]     {A} The cross sectional area of a parallel plate capacitor is 6.25 cm2 . The plates are separated
                by a distance of 4.00 mm with only air between them. What is the capacitance of this
                capacitor?

        Answer: 1.38 x 10-12 F

        {B} Explain what a capacitor does and how it does it.

        Answer: see your text
 

 7]     The cross sectional area of a parallel plate capacitor is 6.25 cm2 . The plates are separated
        by a distance of 4.00 mm with only air between them. If the work done on a +4.0 m C in
        moving it from one plate to the other is 2.0 x 10-4 J , what is the total charge, Q, on the
        capacitor?

        Answer: 7.0 x 10-11 C
 

5]     A small night light operates with a current of 50 milliamps. If the light is turned on for 8.0
        hours, how much charge moved through the filament?

        Answer: 1.4 x 103 C
 

6]     The filament of an automobile parking light bulb develops 25 watts of power when connected
        to the car’s 12 V battery. What is the resistance of the filament when operated under these
        conditions?  Would the resistance of the filament be the same when the bulb is disconnected
         (no current flowing through it)?

        Answer: 5.7 W , NO

<>8]     The filament of an automobile parking light bulb develops 25 watts of power when
           connected to the car’s 12 V battery. If the filament is made of tungsten wire
            (r = 5.6 x 10-8 W m) with a cross sectional area of 3.2 x 10-7 m2 , how long is the wire?
                (remember, there are lots of little coils in filaments)

        Answer: 33 meters
 

 

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1 ]   Which of the following is not a vector?
       a.  electric force
       b. electric field
       c. electric charge
       d. electric lines of force
       e. acceleration

2]   If a conductor is in electrostatic equilibrium near an electric charge
       a.  the total charge on the conductor must be zero
       b.  any charge on the conductor must be uniformly distributed
       c.  the force between the conductor and the charge must be zero
       d.  the total electric field of the conductor must be zero
       e.  the electric field of the conductor is perpendicular to the surface

3]   For an electron moving in a direction opposite to the electric field
       a. its potential energy increases and its electric potential increases
       b. its potential energy decreases and its electric potential increases
       c. its potential energy increases and its electric potential decreases
       d. its potential energy decreases and its electric potential decreases
       e. both the potential energy and the electric potential remain constant

4]   The length of a wire is doubled and the radius is doubled.  By what factor does the resistance change?
       a.  4 times as large
       b.  twice as large
       c.  unchanged
       d.  half as large
       e.  one quarter as large




ANSWERS;
1]  c
2]  e
3]  b
4]  d