Homework 1


Chapter 17

Conceptual Questions
  1. Bits of paper are attracted to an electrified comb or rod even though they have no net charge. How is this possible?
  3. What similiarities does the electrical force have to the gravitational force? What are the most significant differences.
  6. Gasoline transport trucks sometimes have chains that hang down and drag on the road at the rear end of the truck. What are the chains for and how dow they work?
Multiple-Choice Problems
  1. Just after two identical point charges are released when they are a distance D apart in outer space, they have an acceleration a. If you realease them from a distance D/2 instead, their acceleration will be
A. a/4
B. a/2
C. 2a
D. 4a
  3. Two unequal point charges are separated as shown in figure below. The electric field due to this combination can be zero
A. only in region 1
B. only in region 2
C. only in region 3
D. in both regions 1 and 3
  5. A spherical balloon contains a charge +Q uniformly distributed over its surface. When it has a diameter D, the electric field at its surface has magnitued E. If the balloon is now blown up to twice this diameter without changing the charge, the electric field at its surface is
A. 4E
B. 2E
C. E
D. E/2
E. E/4
  7. An electron is moving horizontally in a laboratory when a uniform electric field is suddenly turned on. This field points vertically downward. Which of the paths shown will the electron follow?
Problems