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Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Exam
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Electric Field and Potential

Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] · Physics · Electric Field and Potential

A rod of length L carries a total charge Q distributed uniformly...

A rod of length LL carries a total charge QQ distributed uniformly along its length. The rod is bent into the shape of a semicircle. Determine the magnitude of the electric field at the centre of curvature of the semicircle.

Options

  1. AQ2ε0L2\dfrac{Q}{2\varepsilon_0 L^2}
  2. BQπε0L2\dfrac{Q}{\pi\varepsilon_0 L^2}
  3. CQ4ε0L2\dfrac{Q}{4\varepsilon_0 L^2}
  4. DQ4πε0L2\dfrac{Q}{4\pi\varepsilon_0 L^2}

Correct answer

A. Q2ε0L2\dfrac{Q}{2\varepsilon_0 L^2}

Step-by-step solution

Let the radius of the semicircle be RR. Since the rod of length LL is bent into a semicircle, the length of the arc is equal to LL.

πR=L⇒R=Lπ\pi R = L \Rightarrow R = \dfrac{L}{\pi}

The linear charge density of the rod is λ=QL\lambda = \dfrac{Q}{L}.

Consider a small element of the semicircle subtending an angle dθd\theta at the centre. The charge on this element is dq=λRdθdq = \lambda R d\theta.

The electric field due to this element at the centre is dE=14πε0dqR2=14πε0λRdθR2=λ4πε0RdθdE = \dfrac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \dfrac{dq}{R^2} = \dfrac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \dfrac{\lambda R d\theta}{R^2} = \dfrac{\lambda}{4\pi\varepsilon_0 R} d\theta.

By symmetry, the components of the electric field perpendicular to the angle bisector cancel out. The net electric field is along the angle bisector.

E=∫−π/2π/2dEcos⁡θ=∫−π/2π/2λ4πε0Rcos⁡θdθE = \int_{-\pi/2}^{\pi/2} dE \cos\theta = \int_{-\pi/2}^{\pi/2} \dfrac{\lambda}{4\pi\varepsilon_0 R} \cos\theta d\theta

E=λ4πε0R[sin⁡θ]−π/2π/2=λ4πε0R(1−(−1))=2λ4πε0R=λ2πε0RE = \dfrac{\lambda}{4\pi\varepsilon_0 R} [\sin\theta]_{-\pi/2}^{\pi/2} = \dfrac{\lambda}{4\pi\varepsilon_0 R} (1 - (-1)) = \dfrac{2\lambda}{4\pi\varepsilon_0 R} = \dfrac{\lambda}{2\pi\varepsilon_0 R}

Substituting λ=QL\lambda = \dfrac{Q}{L} and R=LπR = \dfrac{L}{\pi} into the expression for EE:

E=Q/L2πε0(L/π)=Qπ2πε0L2=Q2ε0L2E = \dfrac{Q/L}{2\pi\varepsilon_0 (L/\pi)} = \dfrac{Q \pi}{2\pi\varepsilon_0 L^2} = \dfrac{Q}{2\varepsilon_0 L^2}
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