Practice Problems
Basic Electrostatics
Topics:
On this worksheet you will practice charging methods. mass of an electron, charge polization and the use of Coulomb's Law.
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Question 1
Who originally named the electric charges?
Ernest Rutherford
Benjamin Franklin
Henri Cavendish
Charles Coulomb
J. J. Thomson
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Question 2
A nonconductor is charged and then brought near a conductor. Consequently
there is no electrostatic interaction at all
the two electrostatically attract each other
the conductor is neutralized
the two electrostatically repel each other
omit
Question 3
If the charge on each of two identical tiny spheres is changed to a value that represents a factor of 3 times their original charge while their separation is decreased to a distance that represents a factor of 1/7 their original separation, what will be the new force of interaction?
0.1837 times as strong
0.0159 times as strong
441 times as strong
63 times as strong
0.0023 times as strong
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Question 4
By roughly how much does the mass of a copper object change when, upon being stroked with a piece of woolen cloth, it acquires an excess charge of -3 µC?
2.06 x 10
43
kg
2.06 x 10
49
kg
1.71 x 10
-11
kg
1.71 x 10
-17
kg
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Question 5
Which of the following statements is NOT true when comparing electrical forces and gravitational forces?
when two electrons are in close proximity,
the gravitational force between them is
smaller than the electrical force between them
both forces can be attractive
both forces can be repulsive
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Question 6
Which of the following demonstrations was not a result of charge polarization?
a charged balloon discharging through a metal handle
a wooden stick being rotated on the watch glass by a charged balloon
a water stream 'bending' towards a charged balloon
tiny pieces of paper confetti being 'scattered' by a charged balloon
a charged balloon sticking to a ceiling tile
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Question 7
Two isolated charges, +q and -2q, are 2 centimeters apart. If F is the magnitude of the force acting on charge -2q, what are the magnitude and direction of the force acting on charge +q?
2F towards charge -2q
F towards charge -2q
0.5 F away from charge -2q
F away from charge -2q
0.5 F towards charge -2q
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Question 8
Two identical, positive point charges repel each other with force 0.38 N when their separation is 1.7 m. How large is each charge?
1.1 x 10
-5
C
8.47 x 10
-6
C
3.82 x 10
-6
C
1.22 x 10
-10
C
9.94 x 10
4
C
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Question 9
Which of the following statements is NOT true when comparing electroscopes charged by induction and conduction?
both scopes will have the same charge
as the charging rod
the scope charged by induction will have
the opposite charge as the charging rod
the scope charged by conduction will have
the same charge as the charging rod
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