UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2020/2021 ACADEMIC YEAR

2ND YEAR EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

COURSE CODE/TITLE: SPH B202: ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM II

END OF SEMESTER: II DURATION: 2 HOURS

DAY/TIME:FRIDAY 9.00 – 11.00A.M DATE: 20/8/2021(SBN 339)

ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS

SECTION A :ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS [40 marks]

Useful constants:

 o  8.85  10 12 C 2 / N / m 2
 o  4  10 7 T .m / A
1
 9.0  10 9 Nm 2 / C 2
4 o
e  1.6  10 19 C
m p  1.0  10  27 kg
g  9 .8 N / m

Question One.

a) i) The Coulombs law of electrostatic force resembles that for Newton’s law of universal
gravitation, state a similarity and a difference between these two forces. [2marks]

ii) Draw the electric field lines surrounding two negative electric charges a distance d
apart and explain why electric field lines never cross. [3marks]

iii) A small charged ball is inserted into a balloon. The balloon is then blown up slowly.
Describe how the flux through the balloon’s surface changes as the balloon is blown up.
Consider both the total flux and the flux per unit surface area of the balloon [4marks].

iv) For dielectrics consisting of polar molecules, how would you expect the dielectric
constant to change with temperature? Explain your answer [3marks]

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 b) i) If the electric flux through a closed surface is zero, is the field necessarily zero at all
points on the surface? Explain [3marks]

ii) Define gravitational flux in analogy to electric flux. Are there sources and sinks for the
gravitational field as there are for electric field? Explain [4marks]

iii) A uniform electric field of magnitude 5.8 x 102 N/C passes through a circle of radius
13 cm. What is the electric flux through the circle when its face is;

a) Perpendicular to the field lines [2marks]

b) At 45 degrees to the field lines [2marks]
c) Parallel to the field lines [2marks]

c) i) Compare and contrast the magnetic field due to along straight current and electric field
due to along straight line of electric charge at rest [4marks]

ii) Two straight parallel wires are separated by 6.0 cm. There is a 2.0A current flowing in
the first wire. If the magnetic field strength is found to be zero between the two wires at a
distance of 2.2 cm from the first wire, what is the magnitude and direction of the current
in the second wire? [4marks]

iii) A particle of mass m and charge q travelling with a velocity v along the x-axis enters
a uniform electric field E directed a long the y-axis. Show that the trajectory will be a
parabola [3marks]

iv) A current I flows through a ring of radius R placed in the xy-plane. Show that the
magnetic induction at a point along the z-axis passing through the centre of the ring is
given by:
 o IR 2
Bz   [4marks]
 
3
2 z R
2 2 2

SECTION B:ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS [30 MARKS]

Question Two [10marks].

a) The area of an elastic circular loop;

i. Decreases at a constant rate of  3.50 10 2 m2 / s . The loop is in a magnetic field
B=0.28 T whose direction is perpendicular to the plane of the loop. At t=0, the
loop has area A=0.285 m2, determine the induced emf at t=0 and at t=2.0 s.
[2marks]

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 ii. Suppose the radius of the elastic loop in a) i) increases at a constant rate of
4.30cm / s , determine the emf induced in the loop at t=0 and at t=1.0 s
[4marks]
b) In an ac LRC circuit, if X L  X C , the circuit is said to be predominantly inductive and if
X C  X L , the circuit is said to be predominantly capacitive. Discuss the reasons for these
terms; in particular do they say anything about the relative values of L and C at a given
frequency? [4marks]

Question Three [10marks].

a) Two large flat metal plates are separated by a distance that is very small compared to
their height and width. The conductors are given equal but opposite uniform surface
charge densities   . Ignore edge effects and use Gauss’s law to show That for points far

from the edges, the electric field between the plates is E 
o
[4marks]
b) Starting from the integral forms of Gauss’s law, Faraday’s law, and Biot-Savart, write
down the field equations for electromagnetic waves also called the Maxwells equation
[6marks]
Question Four [10marks].

a) A thin rod of length 2L is centered on the x axis. The rod carries a uniformly distributed
charge Q. Determine the potential V as a function of y for points along the y axis. Let
V=0 at infinity [5marks]

b) Determine the magnitude and direction of the force on an electron travelling

8.7 105 m/ s horizontally to the east in a vertically upward magnetic field of strength
0.45 T [2marks]

c) An electron is projected vertically upward with a speed of 1.70 106 m/ s into a uniform
magnetic field of 0.489 T that is directed horizontally away from the observer. Describe
the electrons path in this field [3marks]

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