Chapter 23Electric Fields

MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Each of two small non-conducting spheres is charged positively, the combined charge being 40 C.
When the two spheres are 50 cm apart, each sphere is repelled from the other by a force of magnitude
2.0 N. Determine the magnitude of the smaller of the two charges.
a. 1.4 C
b. 1.1 C
c. 2.0 C
d. 3.3 C
e. 17 C
ANS: A

PTS: 3

DIF: Challenging

2. A particle (charge = +40 C) is located on the x axis at the point x = 20 cm, and a second particle
(charge = 50 C) is placed on the x axis at x = +30 cm. What is the magnitude of the total
electrostatic force on a third particle (charge = 4.0 C) placed at the origin (x = 0)?
a. 41 N
b. 16 N
c. 56 N
d. 35 N
e. 72 N
ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

3. In the figure, if Q = 30 C, q = 5.0 C, and d = 30 cm, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force
on q?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

15 N
23 N
zero
7.5 N
38 N

ANS: D

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

4. A charge of +80 C is placed on the x axis at x = 0. A second charge of 50 C is placed on the x axis
at x = 50 cm. What is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on a third charge of 4.0 C placed on the
x axis at x = 30 cm?
a. 13 N
b. 77 N
c. 39 N
d. 25 N
e. 45 N
ANS: B

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

5. Three point charges are positioned on the x axis. If the charges and corresponding positions are +32
C at x = 0, +20 C at x = 40 cm, and 60 C at x = 60 cm, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic
force on the +32-C charge?
a. 84 N
b. 12 N
c. 36 N
d. 50 N
e. 48 N
ANS: B

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

6. A particle (m = 50 g, q = 5.0 C) is released from rest when it is 50 cm from a second particle (Q =

20 C). Determine the magnitude of the initial acceleration of the 50-g particle.
a. 54 m/s2
b. 90 m/s2
c. 72 m/s2
d. 65 m/s2
e. 36 m/s2
ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

7. A point charge Q is placed on the x axis at x = 2.0 m. A second point charge, Q, is placed at x = 3.0
m. If Q = 40 C, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on a 30-C charge placed at the
origin?
a. 7.2 N
b. 3.9 N
c. 1.5 N
d. 14 N
e. 8.1 N
ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

8. A point charge Q is placed on the x axis at x = 2.0 m. A second point charge, Q, is placed at x = 1.0
m. If Q = 60 C, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on a 40-C charge placed at the
origin?
a. 16 N
b. 27 N
c. 32 N
d. 11 N
e. 3.0 N
ANS: B

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

9. A point charge Q is placed on the x axis at the origin. An identical point charge is placed on the x axis
at x = 1.0 m and another at x = +1.0 m. If Q = 40 C, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force
on the charge at x = +1.0 m?
a. 29 N
b. 14 N
c. 11 N
d. 18 N
e. 7.0 N
ANS: D

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

10. If a = 3.0 mm, b = 4.0 mm, Q1 = 60 nC, Q2 = 80 nC, and q = 36 nC in the figure, what is the
magnitude of the electric force on q?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

5.0 N
4.4 N
3.8 N
5.7 N
0.60 N

ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

11. If a = 3.0 mm, b = 4.0 mm, Q1 = 60 nC, Q2 = 80 nC, and q = 30 nC in the figure, what is the
magnitude of the electric force on q?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

1.4 N
1.0 N
1.7 N
2.0 N
0.50 N

ANS: B

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

12. If a = 3.0 mm, b = 4.0 mm, Q1 = 60 nC, Q2 = 80 nC, and q = 24 nC in the figure, what is the magnitude
of the electric force on q?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

2.7 N
1.9 N
2.3 N
1.5 N
0.52 N

ANS: D

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

13. If a = 3.0 mm, b = 4.0 mm, Q1 = 60 nC, Q2 = 80 nC, and q = 32 nC in the figure, what is the magnitude
of the electric force on q?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

1.6 N
1.3 N
1.9 N
2.2 N
0.040 N

ANS: B

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

14. Three point charges, two positive and one negative, each having a magnitude of 20 C are placed at
the vertices of an equilateral triangle (30 cm on a side). What is the magnitude of the electrostatic force
on the negative charge?
a. 80 N
b. 40 N
c. 69 N
d. 57 N
e. 75 N
ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

15. Three point charges, two positive and one negative, each having a magnitude of 20 C are placed at
the vertices of an equilateral triangle (30 cm on a side). What is the magnitude of the electrostatic force
on one of the positive charges?
a. 69 N
b. 40 N
c. 80 N
d. 57 N
e. 20 N
ANS: B

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

16. A point charge Q is placed at the origin. A second charge, 2Q, is placed on the x axis at x = 3.0 m. If
Q = 50 C, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on a third point charge, Q, placed on the y
axis at y = +4.0 m?
a. 2.5 N
b. 3.0 N
c. 3.7 N
d. 4.4 N
e. 1.8 N
ANS: B

PTS: 3

DIF: Challenging

17. Three identical point charges Q are placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle (length of each side
= 2.0 m). If Q = 60 C, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on any one of the charges?
a. 25 N

b.
c.
d.
e.

19 N
14 N
22 N
16 N

ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

18. Identical point charges Q are placed at each of the four corners of a 3.0 m 4.0 m rectangle. If Q = 40
C, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on any one of the charges?
a. 3.0 N
b. 2.4 N
c. 1.8 N
d. 3.7 N
e. 2.0 N
ANS: B

PTS: 3

DIF: Challenging

19. A point charge (5.0 C) is placed on the x axis at x = 4.0 cm, and a second charge (+5.0 C) is placed
on the x axis at x = 4.0 cm. What is the magnitude of the electric force on a third charge (+2.5 C)
placed on the y axis at y = 3.0 cm?
a. 90 N
b. 45 N
c. 54 N
d. 72 N
e. 36 N
ANS: D

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

20. If Q = 25 C, q = 10 C, and L = 40 cm in the figure, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force
on q?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

28 N
22 N
20 N
14 N
10 N

ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

21. If Q = 20 C and L = 60 cm, what is the magnitude of the electrostatic force on any one of the charges
shown?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

25 N
19 N
15 N
9.1 N
14 N

ANS: D

PTS: 3

DIF: Challenging

22. If a = 60 cm, b = 80 cm, Q = 4.0 nC, and q = 1.5 nC, what is the magnitude of the electric field at
point P?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

68 N/C
72 N/C
77 N/C
82 N/C
120 N/C

ANS: A

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

23. If a = 60 cm, b = 80 cm, Q = 6.0 nC, and q = 4.0 nC, what is the magnitude of the electric field at
point P?

a.
b.
c.
d.

35 N/C
42 N/C
52 N/C
64 N/C

e. 104 N/C
ANS: A

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

24. If a = 60 cm, b = 80 cm, Q = 6.0 nC, and q = 6.0 nC, what is the magnitude of the electric field at
point P in the figure?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

65 N/C
55 N/C
60 N/C
52 N/C
67 N/C

ANS: D

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

25. If a = 60 cm, b = 80 cm, Q = 6.0 nC, and q = 3.0 nC in the figure, what is the magnitude of the
electric field at point P?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

71 N/C
56 N/C
60 N/C
53 N/C
67 N/C

ANS: D

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

26. If Q = 16 nC, a = 3.0 m, and b = 4.0 m, what is the magnitude of the electric field at point P?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

33 N/C
31 N/C
24 N/C
19 N/C
13 N/C

ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

27. If Q = 80 nC, a = 3.0 m, and b = 4.0 m in the figure, what is the magnitude of the electric field at point
P?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

45 N/C
70 N/C
29 N/C
47 N/C
92 N/C

ANS: D

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

28. A +2.0-nC point charge is placed at one corner of a square (1.5 m on a side), and a 3.0-nC charge is
placed on a corner diagonally away from the first charge. What is the magnitude of the electric field at
either of the two unoccupied corners?
a. 20 N/C
b. 14 N/C
c. 4.0 N/C
d. 12 N/C
e. 8.0 N/C
ANS: B

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

29. A +15-nC point charge is placed on the x axis at x = 1.5 m, and a 20-nC charge is placed on the y axis
at y = 2.0m. What is the magnitude of the electric field at the origin?

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

105 N/C
15 N/C
75 N/C
45 N/C
60 N/C

ANS: C

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

30. A +20-nC point charge is placed on the x axis at x = 2.0 m, and a 25-nC point charge is placed on the
y axis at y = 3.0 m. What is the direction of the electric field at the origin?
a. 209
b. 61
c. 29
d. 241
e. 151
ANS: A

PTS: 2

DIF: Average

31. A charge Q is placed on the x axis at x = +4.0 m. A second charge q is located at the origin. If Q = +75
nC and q = 8.0 nC, what is the magnitude of the electric field on the y axis at y = +3.0 m?
a. 19 N/C
b. 23 N/C
c. 32 N/C
d. 35 N/C
e. 21 N/C
ANS: B

PTS: 3

DIF: Challenging

32. A 40-C charge is positioned on the x axis at x = 4.0 cm. Where should a 60-C charge be placed to
produce a net electric field of zero at the origin?
a. 5.3 cm
b. 5.7 cm
c. 4.9 cm
d. 6.0 cm
e. +6.0 cm
ANS: C

DIF:

PTS: 2

Challenging

DIF: Average