22 Electric fields

OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

Refer to the Physics A datasheet for data, formulae and relationships information.
1 a An electron travels parallel to a uniform horizontal electric field. At the start of
observations its velocity is in the opposite direction to the electric field as
shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1
State:
i the direction of the force that acts on the electron

(1 mark)

ii the effect that this force will have on the motion of the electron.

(1 mark)

b A second electron travels horizontally at constant speed in a vacuum. It then

enters a uniform vertical electric field as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2
i Sketch on Figure 2 the path followed by the electron.
(1 mark)

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 22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

ii State and explain the motion of the electron whilst it is travelling in this
field.

(3 marks)

c Figure 3 shows a grid consisting of 1.0 cm squares.

Figure 3
A, B, and C are points on the grid.
A positive charge, Q, is placed on the grid at point A. The magnitude of the
electric field strength at point B due to the charge Q is 6.0 × 105 N C1.
i State the direction of the electric field at point B.

(1 mark)

ii State the direction of the electric field at point C.

(1 mark)

iii Determine the magnitude of the electric field strength at point C.

(2 marks)

2 a i Define electric field strength, E, at a point in an electric field.

(1 mark)

ii State the SI units for E.

(1 mark)

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 22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

iii State whether E is a vector or scalar quantity.

(1 mark)

b Two protons are at rest with a separation of 1.4 × 1012 m.

Mass of proton  1.67 × 1027 kg
Charge on a proton  1.60 × 1019 C
i Calculate the magnitude of the ratio
electrostatic force between the protons
gravitational force between the protons

(3 marks)

ii State, with a reason, how you would expect this ratio to change, if at all,
when the protons are further apart.

(2 marks)

c A simple model of the hydrogen atom consists of a negatively charged

electron moving at constant speed in a circular orbit, radius r, around a
positively charged proton.
i State an equation for the electrostatic force on the electron in its orbit.

(1 mark)

ii Calculate the radius of the electron’s orbit if its speed is 1.2 × 106 m s1.

Mass of electron  9.11 × 1031 kg

Charge on an electron  1.60 × 1019 C

(3 marks)

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 22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

3 a Figure 4 shows two charged horizontal plates, A and B, separated by a

distance of 5.0 cm

Figure 4
A potential difference of 2.4 kV is applied between the plates.
i On Figure 4 draw at least 5 lines to represent the electric field pattern
between the plates.
(2 marks)
ii Calculate the electric field strength between the plates.

(2 marks)

b A beam of electrons enters the space between the plates at right angles to
the electric field. The horizontal velocity of the electrons is 2.0  107 m s1.
The path of the electrons is shown on Figure 5. The horizontal length of each
plate is 6.0 cm and the separation of the plates is kept at 5.0 cm. The point P
is 4.0 cm horizontally from the point where the beam enters the space
between the plates.

Figure 5
i Draw an arrow on Figure 5 to show the direction of the acceleration
experienced by an electron at P.
(1 mark)

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 22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

ii Show that the acceleration of an electron between the plates is about

8  1015 m s2.

(2 marks)

iii Calculate the time taken for an electron on entering the plates to
reach P.

(1 mark)

iv Show that the vertical velocity of the electron at P is 1.7 × 107 m s1.

(1 mark)

v Calculate the magnitude of the resultant velocity of the electron at P.

(2 marks)

vi Calculate the kinetic energy of the electron at P.

(2 marks)

vii On Figure 6 sketch the variation of kinetic energy Ek of the electron with
the horizontal distance x it travels through the electric field and into the
space beyond where there are no forces acting on the electron. You are
not required to calculate any values for Ek.

Figure 6
(3 marks)
OCR Physics A, June 2011

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 22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

4 A small isolated sphere, B, is situated in a vacuum. B carries a charge of

magnitude Q. At a point P, a distance of 1.5 × 102 m from B, the electric
potential is 18 J C1.
a i Explain what is meant by electric potential at a point in an electric field.

(2 marks)

ii Electric potentials may be either a positive or negative value. State what

information may be deduced about the charge on B from the fact that the
potential at P is positive.

(1 mark)

iii Calculate the magnitude of Q.

(2 marks)

b i Complete the table below showing the electric potential, V, at four

distances, r, from B.
r/cm V/J C1
1.5 18
3.0
4.5
6.0
(2 marks)

ii A point charge of magnitude 1.2 nC is moved from a distance of 6.0 cm

to a distance of 1.5 cm from B. Using the table in i determine the work
done in moving the point charge.

(2 marks)

iii State, with a reason, whether the work done in ii is performed against
the field of B or whether the field does the work.

(2 marks)

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 22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

5 a Figure 7 shows two point charges, A and B, of equal magnitude,

1.6 × 1019 C, and opposite sign. The charges are separated by a distance of
8.0 × 1010 m. The charge of A is positive.

Figure 7
i On Figure 7 draw electric field lines to represent the field in the region
around the two charges. You should draw a minimum of 5 lines.
(3 marks)

ii Calculate the magnitude of the electric field strength at the midpoint

between the charges. Give a suitable unit for your answer.

(5 marks)

b Positive ions are accelerated from rest in the horizontal direction through a
potential difference of 400 V. They are then deflected by the electric field
between two parallel charged plates as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8
Each ion has a mass of 6.6 × 1027 kg and a charge of 3.2 × 1019 C.
i Show that the horizontal velocity of an ion after the acceleration by the
400 V potential difference is 2.0 × 105 m s1.

(2 marks)

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 22 Electric fields
OCR Physics A Exam-style questions

ii The ions enter the area between the plates at right angles to the uniform
electric field. Calculate the vertical acceleration of an ion due to this
electric field.

(2 marks)

Iii The length of each of the charged plates is 16 mm.

Show that an ion takes about 8.0 × 108 s to travel through the plates.

(1 mark)

Calculate the vertical deflection of an ion as it travels through the plates.

(2 marks)

OCR Physics A, June 2010

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