CLASS XII

CHAPTER 1.Electric Charges and Fields

SECTION A CONCEPTUAL AND APPLICATION TYPE QUESTIONS

1 Is the force acting between two point charges q1 and q2 kept at some distance apart in air 1 (2007)
attractive or repulsive when i) q1 q2 > 0 ii) q1 q2 < 0 ?

2 If the distance between two equal point charges is doubled and their individual charges are 1(2014)
also doubled ,what would happen to the force between them ?

3 Do the electrostatic field lines form closed loops? 1(2014)

4 A hollow metal sphere of radius 5cm is charged such that the potential on its is 10V. What is 1(2011)
the electric field at the centre of the sphere?

5 What is meant by the statement that 1(1996)

“the electric field of a point charge has spherical symmetry whereas electric field due to an
electric dipole is cylindrically symmetrical’’ ?

6 Why is it difficult to perform electrostatic experiments on a humid day? 1

7 The distance of the field point on the equatorial plane of a small electric dipole , is halved. By 1
what factor will the electric field , due to the dipole change?

8 What is the precaution to be taken in selecting the Gaussian surface , regarding the charge ? 1

9 For a system of two point charges +5µC and – 3µC separated by a distance of d apart , draw 1
electric lines of forces

10 Two point charges of unknown magnitude and sign are placed some distance apart. The 1
intensity of electric field is zero at a point on the line joining them i) between them at
midpoint of the line joining them ii) not between them. What do you infer about their sign and
magnitude of the two point charges in each case?

11 State two points of difference between charging by induction and charging by conduction . 1

12 Two protons are brought nearer; how does the potential energy of the system change? 1

13 An electron and a proton are brought nearer; how does the potential energy of the system 1
change?

14 Which among the following molecules has HCl , CH 4 i) zero dipole moment ii) non zero 1
dipole moment ?

15 Why the dielectric constant of water is as high as 81 ,while that of mica it is 6? 1

16 What is the effect of motion on charge q and a mass m of an electron moving with a speed of 1
104 m/s?

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17 Which among the following electric field , potential is /are discontinuous across the surface of 1
a charged conductor?

18 A spherical rubber balloon carries a charge which is uniformly distributed over its surface . If 1
the balloon is inflated further so that its volume becomes eight times its original volume ,
how would the electric flux change?

19 Can a charge exists without mass ? Justify. 1

20 What is the dielectric constant of a metallic conductor? 1

21 A spherical conducting shell of inner radius r1 and outer radius r2 has a charge ‘Q’. A charge ‘q’ 2(2010)
is placed at the centre of the shell.

(a) What is the surface charge density on the (i) inner surface, (ii) outer surface of the shell?

(b) Write the expression for the electric field at a point x >r2 from the centre of the shell.

22 Two small identical electrical dipoles AB and CD, each of dipole moment ‘p’ are kept at an 2(2011)
angle of 120° as shown in the figure. What is the resultant dipole moment of this
combination? If this system is subjected to electric field ( ) directed along + X direction, what
will be the magnitude and direction of the torque acting on this?

23 Two uniformly large parallel thin plates having charge densities +σ and –σ are kept in the X-Z 2(2011)
plane at a distance ‘d’ apart. Sketch an equipotential surface due to electric field between the
plates. If a particle of mass m and charge ‘–q’ remains stationary between the plates, what is
the magnitude and direction of this field?

24 i) A point charge (+Q) is kept in the vicinity of uncharged conducting plate. Sketch electric field 3(2014)
lines between the charge and the plate.

ii)Two infinitely large plane thin parallel sheets having surface charge densities σ1 and σ2 , (σ 1
> σ 2 ) are shown in the figure. Write the magnitudes and directions of the net fields in the
regions marked II and III.

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25 Three concentric metallic shells A, B and C of radii a, b and c (a < b < c) have surface charge 3(2014)
densities +σ, -σ and + σ respectively as shown in the figure.

If shells A and C are at the same potential, then obtain the relation between the radii a, b and
c.

26 In a type of charge configuration electric field at a point due to it is 2

i) independent of distance from the point
ii) inversely proportional to the distance from the point
iii) inversely proportional to the square of distance from the point
iv) inversely proportional to the cube of distance from the point
Identify the type of charge configuration in each case.

27 Draw or describe schematically equi potential surface for the following cases 2
i ) uniform electric field along z- direction
ii) an electric field that uniformly increases in magnitude but remains same in x-direction

28 The figure below shows tracks of three charged particles in a uniform electro static field. Give 2
the signs of the three charges. Which particle has the highest charge to mass ratio?

29 In the figure shown, calculate the total electric flux of the electric field through the spheres S 1
and S2. The wire AB is of linear density λ given by λ = kx, where x is the distance measured
along the wire from the end A

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30 Two concentric metallic spherical shells of radii R and 2R are given charges Q1 and Q2
respectively.
The surface charge densities on the outer surfaces of the shells are equal. Determine the ratio
Q1 : Q2.

SECTION B NUMERICAL PROBLEMS

1 An infinite line charge produces a field of 9 x 104 N/C at a distance of 2cm. Calculate the linear 1
charge density.

2 Four point charges qA = 2 μC, qB = –5 μC, qC = 2 μC, and qD = –5 μC are located at the corners of 1
a square ABCD of side 10 cm. What is the force on a charge of 1 μC placed at the centre of the
square?

3 Three small identical conducting spheres have charges –3 × 10−12C, 8 × 10−12C and 2

4 × 10−12C respectively. They are brought in contact and then separated. Calculate (i) charge on
each sphere after separation (ii) number of electrons in excess or deficit on each sphere after
separation .

4 Figure below shows situations in which four charged particles are evenly spaced to the left and 2
right of a central point. The charge values are indicated. Rank the situations according to the
magnitude of the net electric field at the central, point, Increasing order.

5 A hollow conducting sphere of radius 8cm is given a charge 16µC.What is the electric field 2
intensity i) at the centre of the sphere ii) on the outer surface of the sphere and iii) at a
distance of 16cm from the centre of the sphere?

6 Four charges of -2q, q, -q and 2q are at the corners of a square ABCD ,of side 20cm, find the 3
magnitude and the direction of the electric field at the centre of the square. Take q = 5 μC

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7 A point charge causes an electric flux of – 1.0 x 103 Nm2 /C to pass through a spherical 2
Gaussian surface of 10.0 cm radius with the charge at the centre. What is the value of point
charge?
If the radius of the Gaussian surface were doubled, how much flux would pass through the
surface?

8 Figure shows three point charges, +2q, -q and +3q. Two charges +2q and -q are enclosed within 2
a surface ‘S’. What is the electric flux due to this configuration through the surface ‘S’?

9 Name the charge configuration for which electric field at distances 1cm ,2cm, 3cm are in the 2
ratio%
a) 1: 1/8 : 1/27
b) 1: 1/4 : 1/9

10 The electric field lines on the left have twice the separation of those on the right. If the 2
magnitude of the field at A is 40N/C , calculate i) the magnitude of the forcce on a proton at
A .ii) the magnitude of field at B.

11 Two tiny spheres , each having mass m kg and charge q coulomb are suspended from a point 3
by insulating threads each of l metre length but negligible mass .when the system is in
equilibrium, each string makes an angle θ with the vertical as shown in the figure. Prove that

q2 = 16mgl2(sin2θtanθ)πε0

12 A charge of magnitude Q is divided into two parts q and ( Q-q) such that the two parts exert 2
maximum force on each other. Calculate the ratio Q/q

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13 An infinite number of charges each of magnitude q ,but consecutive charges of opposite sign 2
are placed along the X –axis at X = 1, 2,4,8 m …..Determine the intensity of electric field at

X = 0 due to these charges.

14 A free pith ball of mass 8g carries a positive charge of 5 x 10-8 C. What must be the nature and 2
the magnitude of charge that should be given to a second pith ball fixed 5cm vertically below
the first pith ball so that the upper ball is stationary.

15 i) An electric dipole of two opposite charges of same magnitude 2µC separated by 4cm , is 2
placed in an electric field of 3 x10 4 V/m ,at an angle of 30◦ .Calculate the torque
experienced by it.

ii) An electric dipole with dipole moment 4 × 10–9 C m is aligned at 30° with the direction of a
uniform electric field of magnitude 5 × 104 NC–1. Calculate the magnitude of the torque acting
on the dipole.

16 Two point charges +9e and +1e are kept at a distance of 16 cm from each other. At what point 2
between these charges, should a third charge q to be placed so that it remains in equilibrium?

17 A pendulum bob of mass 80 mg , carrying a charge of 2 x10-8 C is at rest in a horizontal 3

uniform electric field of 2 x 104 V/m as shown in the figure. Calculate the tension in the thread
of the pendulum and the angle θ it makes with the vertical.

18 Two identical spheres , each of mass 0.1 x 10-3kg ,carry identical charges and are suspended by 3
two threads of equal length. At equilibrium, they position themselves as shown in the figure.
Calculate the charge on each of them .

19 Two electric charges of q and 4q are placed at a distance of 6a apart on a horizontal plane . 2
Find the point on the line joining them where the resultant electric field is zero.

20 A point charge of 2µC is placed at the centre of a cubical Gaussian surface .Calculate the 2
electric flux passing through i) any one face of the cube ii) entire cube .

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 CLASS XII
CHAPTER 2 Electric Potential and Capacitance

SECTION A CONCEPTUAL AND APPLICATION TYPE QUESTIONS

1 Can the electric potential at a point be zero , while the electric field is non zero? 1
Justify

2 Can the electric field at a point be zero , while the electric potential is non zero? 1
Justify.
3 Why work done in taking a charge between any two points of an equipotential surface? 1

4 Show that electric field is always perpendicular to an equipotential surface. 1(2001)

5 The capacitance of a charged capacitor is C and the energy stored in it is U . Write the 1
expression for Q in terms of C and U.

6 (a) An infinitely long positively charged straight wire has a linear charge density 3(2013)

λ Cm–1. An electron is revolving around the wire as its centre with a constant velocity in
a circular plane perpendicular to the wire. Deduce the expression for its kinetic energy.

(b) Plot a graph of the kinetic energy as a function of charge density λ.

7 Derive the expression for the electric potential at any point along the axial line of an 2(2008)
electric dipole.

8 A parallel plate capacitor is charged by a battery. After some time the battery is 3(2009)
disconnected and a dielectric slab of dielectric constant K is inserted between the
plates. How would (i) the capacitance, (ii) the electric field between the plates and (iii)
the energy stored in the capacitor, be affected? Justify your answer.

9 A charge +Q is placed on a large spherical conducting shell of radius R. Another small 3(2009)

conducting sphere of radius r carrying charge ‘q’ is introdcued inside the large shell and
is placed at its centre. Find the potential difference between two points, one lying on
the sphere and the other on the shell.

(b) How would the charge between the two flow if they are connected by a conducting
wire?

Name the device which works on this fact.

10 Depict the equipotential surfaces for a system of two identical positive point charges 3(2010)
placed distance ‘d’ apart.

(b) Deduce the expression for the potential energy of a system of two point charges q 1
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 and q2 brought from infinity to the points and respectively in the presence of
external electric field

11 The given graph shows that variation of charge q versus potential difference V 2
for two capacitors A and B. The two capacitors have same plate separation but
the plate area of B is double than that of A. Which of the lines in the graph
correspond to A and B ? Justify.

12 If the plates of a charged capacitor be suddenly connected to each other by a copper 1(repeated)
wire , what will happen ?

13 If a dielectric slab between the parallel plates of a capacitor is replaced by a metal plate 2
of same thickness t < d where d is the separation between the plates of the capacitor,
how does its capacitance change ?

14 What is the direction of electric field line at a point with respect to equipotential 1
surface? Give reason.

15 Draw an equipotential surface for a system, consisting of two charges Q, - Q separated

by a distance ‘ r’ in air.
16 Sketch a graph to show the dependence of a charge Q stored in a capacitor on the 2
potential difference V applied. From the graph drawn how will you calculate the
capacitance C of the capacitor and the energy U stored in the capacitor

17 If a dielectric slab of dielectric constant K is introduced between the plates of a parallel 1

plate capacitor completely , how does the energy density of the capacitor change?
18 The following table shows the dimensions and medium between the plates of three 2
capacitors P, Q and R. Rank them in increasing order of their capacitances.

19 A point charge Q is placed at point O as shown in the figure. Is the potential difference 1(2015)

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 VA – VB positive, negative, or zero, if Q is (i) positive (ii) negative?

20 The capacitance of a charged capacitor is C and the energy stored in the capacitor is U. 1
Write the expression for the charge Q in terms of C and U.

21 If a dielectric slab of dielectric constant K is introduced between the plates of a parallel 1

plate capacitor completely , how does the energy density of the capacitor change?

22 Plot a graph between the variation of energy U stored in a capacitor and the 1
capacitance C when the charge stored is Q is constant.

23 An infinitely long positively charged straight wire has a linear charge density λ Cm–1. An

electron is revolving around the wire as its centre with a constant velocity in a circular
plane perpendicular to the wire.

(a) Deduce the expression for its kinetic energy.

(b) Plot a graph of the kinetic energy as a function of charge density λ

SECTION B NUMERICAL PROBLEMS

1 Two charges -q and + q are located at points A(0, 0, - a) and B(0, 0, + a) respectively. 1(2008)

How much work is done in moving a test charge from point P(7, 0, 0) to Q (-3, 0, 0)?

2 The equivalent capacitance of the combination between A and B in the given figure is 3(2008)
4 µF . (i) Calculate capacitance of the capacitor C.

(ii) Calculate charge on each capacitor if a 12 V battery is connected across terminals

A and B.

(iii) What will be the potential drop across each capacitor?

3 Three identical capacitors C1 , C2 and C3 of capacitance 6 µF each are connected to a 3(2009)

12 V battery as shown.

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 Find:

(i) charge on each capacitor

(ii) equivalent capacitance of the network

(iii) energy stored in the network of capacitors

4 A 500 µC charge is at the centre of a square of side 10 cm. Find the work done in 1(2008)
moving a charge of 10 µC between two diagonally opposite points on the square.

5 Calculate the work done to dissociate the system of three charges placed on the 3(2008)
vertices of a triangle as shown. Here q =1.6x 10- 10 C.

6 Obtain the equivalent capacitance of the network given below. For a supply of 300 V, 3(2008)

determine the charge and voltage across C4 .

7 Two parallel plate capacitors X and Y, have the same area of plates and same 3(2008)
separation between them. X has air between the plates while Y contains a dielectric
medium of K = 4.

(i) Calculate capacitance of each capacitor if equivalent capacitance of the

combination is 4 µF.

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 (ii) Calculate the potential difference between the plates of X and Y.

(iii) What is the ratio of electrostatic energy stored in X and Y?

8 A 800 pF capacitor is charged by a 100 V battery. After some time the battery is 2(2009)
disconnected. The capacitor is then connected to another 800 pF capacitor. What is
the electrostatic energy stored?

9 Calculate the electric potential at a point P, located at the centre of the square of 2
point charges shown in the figure.

10 Calculate the capacitance of the arrangement of two parallel plates of area A 2

separated by a distance of d between them. K1 ,K2, and K3 are the dielectric
constants of the three materials in between the plates as in the figure.

11 You are given an air filled parallel plate capacitor C1. The space between its plates is 2(2011)
now filled with slabs of dielectric constants K1 and K2 as shown in C2 . Find the
capacitances of the capacitor C2 if area of the plates is A and distance between the
plates is d.

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12 Two identical parallel plate (air) capacitors C1 and C2 have capacitances C each. The 2(2011)
between their plates is now filled with dielectrics as shown. If the two capacitors still
have equalcapacitance, obtain the relation between dielectric constants K, K1 and K2
.

13 An electric dipole of length 1 cm, which placed with its axis making an angle of 60° 2 (2014)
with uniform electric field, experiences a torque of Nm. Calculate the potential
energy of the dipole if it has charge ± 2 nC.

14 A capacitor of unknown capacitance is connected across a battery of V volts. The 3(2013)

charge stored in it is 360 µC. When potential across the capacitor is reduced by 120 V,
the charge stored in it becomes 120 µC.

Calculate:

(i) The potential V and the unknown capacitance C.

(ii) What will be the charge stored in the capacitor, if the voltage applied had
increased by 120 V?

15 Figure shows two identical capacitors C1 and C2 each of 1.5 mF capacitance,

connected to a battery of 2 V. Initially switch ‘S’ is closed. After sometimes ‘S’ is left
open and dielectric slabs of dielectric constant K = 2 are inserted to fill completely the
space between the plates of the two capacitors. How will the (i) charge and (ii)
potential difference between the plates of the capacitors be affected after the slabs
are inserted?

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16 A network of four capacitors each of 15 µF capacitance is connected to a 500 V supply 3 (2010)
as shown in the figure. Determine (a) equivalent capacitance of the network and (b)
charge on each capacitor.

Page 7 of 7
 CLASS XII
Current Electricity

Section A Conceptual and Application Type Questions

S.No. Question Mark/Year

1 Two wires of equal length, one of copper and the other of manganin have the same 1/2012
resistance. Which wire is thicker?

2 A wire of resistance 8R is bent in the form of a circle. 1/2010

What is the effective resistance between the ends of a
diameter AB?

3 When electrons drift in a metal from lower to higher potential, does it mean that all 1/2012
the ‘free’ electrons of the metal are moving in the same direction?

4 Two identical slabs, of a given metal, are 1/2010

joined together, in two different ways, as
shown in figures (a) and (b). What is the ratio
of the resistances of these two combinations?

5 A cylindrical metallic wire is stretched to increase its length by 5%. Calculate the 2/2007
percentage change in its resistance.

6 A steady current flows in a metallic conductor of non-uniform cross-section. Which 1/2009

of these quantities is constant along the conductor: current, current density, electric
field, drift speed?

7 A low voltage supply from which one needs high currents must have very low 1
internal resistance. Why?

8 A high tension (HT) supply of, say, 6 kV must have a very large internal resistance. 1
Why?

9 The electron drift speed is estimated to be only a few mm s –1 for currents in the 1
range of a few amperes? How then is current established almost the instant a circuit
is closed?

10 Two conducting wires X and Y of same diameter but different materials are joined in 2/2010
series across a battery. If the number density of electrons in X is twice that in Y, find
the ratio of drift velocity of electrons in the two wires?
11 In an experiment on metre bridge, if the 2/2011
balancing length AJ is ‘ l ’, what would be its
value, when the radius of the metre bridge wire
AB is doubled? Justify your answer.

12 The sequence of coloured bands in two carbon resistors R1 and R2 is (i) brown, 2/2010
green, blue and (ii) orange, black, green. Find the ratio of their resistances.

13 The emf of a cell is always greater than its terminal voltage. Why? 1/2013

14 A (i) series (ii) parallel combination of two given resistors is connected, one-by-one, 2/2008
across a cell. In which case will the terminal potential difference, across the cell,
have a higher value?

15 V- I graph for a metallic wire at two different temperatures T1 1

and T2 is shown in the figure. Which of the two temperatures
is higher and why?

16 A cell of emf E and internal reistance r is connected across a variable resistor R. Plot 3/2009
a graph showing the variation of terminal potential difference V with resistance R.
Predict from the graph the condition under which V becomes equal of E. Also plot a
graph showing the variation of  with R.

17 A heating element is marked 210V, 630W. What is the value of the current drawn by 2/2013
the element when connected to a 210 V DC source?

18 Two bulbs of same wattage, one having a carbon filament and the other having a 1
metallic filament, are connected in series to the mains. Which one will glow more?

19 Of the bulbs in a house, one glows brighter than the other. Which of the two has a 1
large resistance?

20 Two electric bulbs of 50W and 100W are given. When they are (i) connected in 2
series (ii) connected in parallel, which bulb will glow more?

21 A cell of emf 'E' and internal resistance 'r' is connected across a variable resistor 'R'. 2/2014
Plot a graph showing variation of terminal voltage 'V' of the cell versus the current
'I'. Using the plot, show how the emf of the cell and its internal resistance can be
determined.

22 A conductor of length ‘l’ is connected to a dc source of potential ‘V’. If the length of 2/2015
the conductor is tripled by gradually stretching it, keeping ‘V’ constant, how will (i)
drift speed of electrons and (ii) resistance of the conductor be affected? Justify your
answer.
23 Two materials Si and Cu, are cooled from 300 K to 60 K. What will be the effect on 1/2013
their resistivity?

24 Plot a graph showing the variation of resistance of a conducting wire as a function of 1/2013
its radius, keeping the length of the wire and its temperature as constant.

25 Two metallic wire of same material have the same length but cross sectional area in 3/2008
the ratio 1:2. They are connected (i) in series and (ii) in parallel. Compare the drift
velocities of electrons in the two wires in both cases.

26 A potential difference V is applied to a conductor of length L, diameter D. How are 3

the electric field E, drift velocity v and resistance R are affected when (i) V is
doubled, (ii) L is doubled, (iii) D is doubled.

27 Answer the following: 3/2013

(i) Why are the connections between resistors in a meter bridge made of thick
copper strips?
(ii) Why is it generally preferred to obtain the balance point near the middle of the
bridge wire in meter bridge experiments?
(iii) Which material is used for the meter bridge wire and why?

28 A cell of emf (ε) and internal resistance (r) is connected across a variable external
resistance (R) Plot graphs to show variation of (i) ε with R, and (ii) terminal potential
difference of the cell (V) with R.

Section B Numerical Problems

1 Given the resistances of 1 Ω, 2 Ω, 3 Ω, how will be combine them to get an equivalent 3/2015
resistance of (i) (11/3) Ω (ii) (11/5) Ω, (iii) 6 Ω, (iv) (6/11) Ω?

2 (a) Six lead-acid type of secondary cells each of emf 2.0 V and internal resistance 0.015 Ω 3
are joined in series to provide a supply to a resistance of 8.5 Ω. What are the current
drawn from the supply and its terminal voltage?
(b) A secondary cell after long use has an emf of 1.9 V and a large internal resistance of
380 Ω. What maximum current can be drawn from the cell? Could the cell drive the
starting motor of a car?

3 Two wires of equal length, one of aluminium and the other of copper have the same 3
resistance. Which of the two wires is lighter? Hence explain why aluminium wires are
preferred for overhead power cables. (ρAl = 2.63 × 10–8 Ω m, ρCu = 1.72 × 10–8 Ω m,
Relative density of
Al = 2.7, of Cu = 8.9.)

4 At room temperature (27.0 °C) the resistance of a heating element is 100 Ω. What is the 2
temperature of the element if the resistance is found to be 117 Ω, given that the
temperature coefficient of the material of the resistor is 1.70 × 10–4 °C–1.
10 A straight line plot showing the terminal potential 3/2011
difference (V) of a cell as a function of current (I)
drawn from it is shown in the figure. Using this plot,
determine (i) the emf and (ii) internal resistance of the
cell.

11 Using Kirchoff’s rule, find the currents I1 , I 2 and I 3 . 3

12 State Kirchhoff’s rules. Apply Kirchhoff’s rules to

the loops ACBPA and ACBQA to write the
expressions for the currents I1 , I 2 and I 3 . in
the network.

13 For the circuit shown here, calculate the 2

potential difference between the points B and
D.

14 The plot of the variation of potential difference 1/2008

across a combination of three identical cells in
series versus current is as shown below. What is
the emf of each cell?

15 Find the value of the unknown resistance X in

the circuit of fig. if no current flows through the
section AO. Also calculate the current drawn by the
circuit from the battery of emf 6 V and negligible
internal resistance.