PHYS 102 Midterm Exam 1 Solution 2021-22-2

1. Charge +Q is uniformly distributed around a thin ring of radius R which is fixed on the yz-plane with its
center at the origin. A point charge +q placed at the center of the ring. Use the coordinate system indicated in the figure
to answer the following questions.

(a) (8 Pts.) What is the electric potential for 𝑥 > 0? 𝑦

(b) (8 Pts.) What is the electric field (vector) created by this distribution of charge for
𝑥 > 0?
(c) (7 Pts.) If the charge +q at the center of the ring is displaced along the positive x- 𝑄 𝑞
axis a distance d from the origin while the ring is kept fixed, what would be the work 𝑥
done by the force displacing it?
𝑅
(d) (7 Pts.) If the charge +q is slightly displaced from the origin while the ring is kept 𝑧
fixed, it will accelerate along the x-direction. Given that its mass is m, what will be its
speed in the limit 𝑥 → ∞?

Solution: (a) Because of the symetry of the charge distribution, the electric field will be in the 𝐢̂ direction. The x-
component of the total electric field is 𝐸𝑥 = 𝐸𝑞 + 𝐸𝑄 . Electric field created by the point charge at the origin along the
positive x-axis is
𝑞
𝐸𝑞 = .
4𝜋𝜖0 𝑥 2

For the ring of charge, calculating the electric potential is easier. We have

1 𝑑𝑄 1 𝑄
𝑉𝑄 = ∫ = .
4𝜋𝜖0 √𝑥 + 𝑅
2 2 4𝜋𝜖0 √𝑥 + 𝑅 2
2

Electric field created by the ring can be found from the potential as
𝑑𝑉𝑄 𝑄 𝑥
𝐸𝑄 = − = .
𝑑𝑥 4𝜋𝜖0 (𝑥 2 + 𝑅 2 )3⁄2
Therefore,
𝑞 𝑄 𝑥 1 𝑞 𝑄𝑥
𝐸𝑥 = 𝐸𝑞 + 𝐸𝑄 = + → ⃗𝑬 = [ + ] 𝐢̂ , 𝑥 >0.
4𝜋𝜖0 𝑥 2 4𝜋𝜖0 (𝑥 2 + 𝑅 2 )3⁄2 4𝜋𝜖0 𝑥 2 (𝑥 2 + 𝑅 2 )3⁄2

(b)
𝑞 1 𝑄 1 𝑞 𝑄
𝑉(𝑥) = 𝑉𝑞 (𝑥) + 𝑉𝑄 (𝑥) = + → 𝑉(𝑥) = ( + ), 𝑥 >0.
4𝜋𝜖0 𝑥 4𝜋𝜖0 √𝑥 2 + 𝑅 2 4𝜋𝜖0 𝑥 √𝑥 2 + 𝑅 2

(c) By definition of potential, the work done by the electric force is ∆𝑊 = 𝑞(𝑉′0 − 𝑉′𝑑 ), where 𝑉′0 , 𝑉′𝑑 denote
potential created by the charged ring at points 𝑥 = 0 and 𝑥 = 𝑑 respectively. The work done by the force 𝐅 displacing
the charge is ∆𝑊𝐹 = −∆𝑊. Hence
𝑞𝑄 1 1
∆𝑊𝐹 = ( − ).
4𝜋𝜖0 √𝑑 2 + 𝑅 2 𝑅

(d) By conservation of energy

1
𝑚𝑣 2 (𝑥) + 𝑢(𝑥) = constant.
2
This means
1 1 1 𝑞𝑄 𝑞𝑄
𝑚𝑣 2 (0) + 𝑢(0) = 𝑚𝑣 2 (𝑥 → ∞) + 𝑢(𝑥 → ∞) → 2
𝑚𝑣∞ = → 𝑣∞ = √ .
2 2 2 4𝜋𝜖0 𝑅 2𝜋𝜖0 𝑚𝑅
2. An infinite solid nonconducting cylinder of radius 𝑅1 is uniformly charged with a charge density 𝜌. Coaxial with
this cylinder is an infinite conducting cylindrical shell of inner radius 𝑅2 and outer radius 𝑅3 , which has zero net
charge.

(a) (25 Pts.) Find the electric field magnitude in regions 0 < 𝑟 < 𝑅1 , 𝑅1 < 𝑟 < 𝑅2 ,
𝑅2 < 𝑟 < 𝑅3 , and 𝑟 > 𝑅3 .

(b) (10 Pts.) Find the surface charge density on the inner surface of the cylindrical
shell.

Solution: We apply Gauss’s law to a cylinder of radius 𝑟 and length 𝐿 concentric with
the solid nonconducting cylinder. The flux of the electric field through the cylinder is

⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑨
∮𝑬 ⃗ =∫ ⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑨
𝑬 ⃗ +∫ 𝑬
⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑨
⃗ +∫ ⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑨
𝑬 ⃗ .
side top bottom

On the top and the bottom surfaces the normal to the surface is perpendicular to the electric field, which makes the last
two integrals on the right hand side zero. On the side surface the normal is parall to the electric field. Hence,

𝑄enc
∮ ⃗𝑬 ∙ 𝑑𝑨
⃗ =∫ ⃗𝑬 ∙ 𝑑𝑨
⃗ = (2𝜋𝑟𝐿)𝐸(𝑟) = .
side 𝜖0

The charge enclosed by the surface is 𝑄enc = 𝜌𝑉enc = 𝜌𝜋𝑟 2 𝐿. Therefore, According to Gauss’ law

𝜌𝜋𝑟 2 𝐿 𝜌𝑟
(2𝜋𝑟𝐿)𝐸(𝑟) = → 𝐸(𝑟) = , 0 < 𝑟 < 𝑅1 .
𝜖0 2𝜖0

If 𝑅1 < 𝑟 < 𝑅2 , the charge enclosed by the surface is 𝑄enc = 𝜌𝑉enc = 𝜌𝜋𝑅12 𝐿. Hence

𝜌𝜋𝑅12 𝐿 𝜌𝑅12
(2𝜋𝑟𝐿)𝐸(𝑟) = → 𝐸(𝑟) = , 𝑅1 < 𝑟 < 𝑅2 .
𝜖0 2𝜖0 𝑟

The region 𝑅2 < 𝑟 < 𝑅3 is a conductor. Therefore 𝐸(𝑟) = 0 , 𝑅2 < 𝑟 < 𝑅3 .

If 𝑟 > 𝑅3 , the charge enclosed is again 𝑄enc = 𝜌𝜋𝑅12 𝐿. Therefore

𝜌𝑅12
𝐸(𝑟) = , 𝑅3 < 𝑟 .
2𝜖0 𝑟

(b) For 𝑅2 < 𝑟 < 𝑅3 we found 𝐸(𝑟) = 0, meaning that 𝑄enc = 0. Since there is charge 𝑄in = 𝜌𝜋𝑅12 𝐿 on the inner
cylinder, equal amount of negative charge must accumulate on the inner surface of the cylindrical shell of radius 𝑅2 to
make the total enclosed charge zero. Therefore

𝜌𝜋𝑅12 𝐿 𝜌𝑅12
𝜎in = − → 𝜎in = − .
2𝜋𝑅2 𝐿 2𝑅2
3. A spherical capacitor is made from a metal sphere of radius 𝑅 and a
concentric metal shell of inner radius 3𝑅. The region from 𝑟 = 𝑅 to 𝑟 =
2𝑅 is filled with a dielectric material of dielectric constant 𝐾. A cross 3𝑅
section of the capacitor is shown in the figure.
𝐾
(a) (20 Pts.) What is the capacitance of this capacitor?
(b) (15 Pts.) If the capacitor is charged so that potential difference between
𝑅
the outer and inner conductor is 𝑉(3𝑅) − 𝑉(𝑅) = 𝑉0 , what is the potential
2𝑅
difference between the surface of the dielectric and the inner conductor
𝑉(2𝑅) − 𝑉(𝑅)?

Solution: Assume that the metal sphere of radius 𝑅 has charge 𝑄 on it.
Using Gauss’s law we find the electric field between the conductors as

𝑄 𝑄
⃗ (𝑟) =
𝑬 𝐫̂ , 𝑅 < 𝑟 < 2𝑅 , ⃗ (𝑟) =
𝑬 𝐫̂ , 𝟐𝑅 < 𝑟 < 3𝑅 .
4𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑟 2 4𝜋𝜖0 𝑟 2

Potential diference between the metal sphere and the inner surface of the metal shell is

2𝑅 3𝑅
𝑄 𝑑𝑟 𝑄 𝑑𝑟 𝑄 1 2𝑅 𝑑𝑟 3𝑅
𝑑𝑟 𝑄 1 1 𝑄(𝐾 + 3)
|∆𝑉| = ∫ 2
+ ∫ 2
= ( ∫ 2
+ ∫ 2)
→ |∆𝑉| = ( + )= .
𝑅 4𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑟 2𝑅 4𝜋𝜖0 𝑟 4𝜋𝜖0 𝐾 𝑅 𝑟 2𝑅 𝑟 8𝜋𝜖0 𝑅 𝐾 3 24𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑅

Since, by definition, 𝑄 = 𝐶 |∆𝑉|, we find

24𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑅 𝐾
𝐶= = 24 ( ) 𝜋𝜖0 𝑅 .
𝐾+3 𝐾+3

(b) Given that

𝑄(𝐾 + 3) 24𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑅
|∆𝑉| = 𝑉(3𝑅) − 𝑉(𝑅) = = 𝑉0 → 𝑄= 𝑉 .
24𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑅 𝐾+3 0

Since

2𝑅
𝑄 𝑑𝑟 𝑄 3
|𝑉(2𝑅) − 𝑉(𝑅)| = ∫ = → |𝑉(2𝑅) − 𝑉(𝑅)| = ( )𝑉 .
𝑅 4𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑟 2 8𝜋𝐾𝜖0 𝑅 𝐾+3 0