Electrostatics MCQs set 3 for King Edward Medical University Entry Test Physics — 20 solved questions.
Q1. An electric field of 200 N/C exists at a point. What force acts on a +5 μC charge placed there?
Answer: 1×10⁻³ N (same field direction)
Explanation: F = qE. Option A incorrectly assumes negative charge direction.
Q2. A parallel plate capacitor stores 1.5×10⁻⁶ C when charged to 24 V. What is its capacitance?
Answer: 6.25×10⁻⁸ F
Explanation: C = Q/V. Option B divides instead of multiplies by voltage.
Q3. An electric dipole with moment p = 4×10⁻⁶ C·m experiences a torque of 1.2×10⁻³ N·m in a 300 N/C field. What is the angle between p and E?
Answer: 30°
Explanation: τ = pE sinθ. Option B uses cosine instead of sine in calculation.
Q4. A spherical shell of radius 20 cm carries +8 μC. What is the electric field at 10 cm from the center?
Answer: Zero (conductor interior field)
Explanation: Conductors in electrostatic equilibrium have zero interior field. Option C uses Coulomb’s Law incorrectly.
Q5. Three capacitors, 2 μF, 4 μF, and 6 μF, are connected in series. What is their equivalent capacitance?
Answer: 1.09 μF
Explanation: 1/Ceq = 1/C₁ + 1/C₂ + 1/C₃. Option D adds capacitors directly.
Q6. An electron (mass 9.1×10⁻³¹ kg) enters a 2000 N/C electric field. What acceleration does it experience?
Answer: 3.52×10¹⁴ m/s² (opposite field)
Explanation: a = qE/m. Option B forgets electron’s negative charge direction.
Q7. A 10 μF capacitor is charged to 12 V. What energy is stored?
Answer: 720 μJ
Explanation: U = ½CV². Option D uses U = CV² instead of ½CV².
Q8. A 2 μC charge creates a potential of 360 V at a point. What is the distance to that point?
Answer: 0.5 m
Explanation: V = kq/r. Option C squares the distance instead of solving for it.
Q9. Two charges, +3 μC and -3 μC, are 6 mm apart. What is their dipole moment?
Answer: 1.8×10⁻⁵ C·m
Explanation: p = qd. Option A uses 2d instead of d.
Q10. A dielectric (κ=3) is placed between a 4 μF capacitor. What is the new capacitance if the capacitor remains connected to a battery?
Answer: 12 μF
Explanation: C = κC₀. Option B assumes voltage remains constant.
Q11. A 500 N/C field is perpendicular to a 0.2 m² surface. What is the electric flux?
Answer: 100 N·m²/C
Explanation: Φ = EA cosθ. Option B omits cosine factor.
Q12. A 10 μF and 5 μF capacitor are connected in parallel. What is their equivalent capacitance?
Answer: 15 μF
Explanation: Ceq = C₁ + C₂. Option B assumes series connection.
Q13. Two +4 μC charges are placed 10 cm apart. What is the electric potential at the midpoint?
Answer: 0 V
Explanation: Potentials cancel due to equal magnitude and opposite direction. Option B adds instead.
Q14. A 2 μC charge moves from 600 V to 200 V. How much work is done?
Answer: 8×10⁻⁶ J
Explanation: W = qΔV. Option B uses 200 V instead of 400 V difference.
Q15. An infinite line charge with λ = 5×10⁻⁶ C/m produces a field of 9×10⁴ N/C. What is the distance from the line?
Answer: 0.5 m
Explanation: E = λ/(2πε₀r). Option C uses 2π instead of π.
Q16. A parallel plate capacitor has plates with area 0.5 m² separated by 2 mm. Calculate the capacitance if the dielectric constant is 3.6.
Answer: 8.0 nF
Explanation: Capacitance C = ε₀εᵣA/d. Forbids using area without units conversion or ignoring dielectric constant.
Q17. Two charges +2μC and -2μC are separated by 0.1 m. Calculate the electric dipole moment.
Answer: 0.2 μC·m
Explanation: Dipole moment p = q × 2a. Confuses distance between charges vs arm length.
Q18. A capacitor stores 50 J of energy when charged to 10 V. Calculate its capacitance.
Answer: 1.0 F
Explanation: Energy U = ½ CV². Misuses energy formula as U = CV or U = ½ V²/C.
Q19. What electric field is required to suspend a 2 g oil drop with charge -3e in air?
Answer: 6.5 × 10⁶ N/C
Explanation: E = mg/q. Mixes gravitational acceleration with electrostatic force magnitude.
Q20. Three capacitors 2 μF, 3 μF, and 6 μF are connected in series. Calculate the equivalent capacitance.
Answer: 1.1 μF
Explanation: 1/C_eq = Σ1/C. Confuses series with parallel formula for capacitors.