Question 1

Which of the following statements best explains why, in everyday static electricity phenomena (such as rubbing a balloon on your hair), electrons rather than protons are transferred between objects?

Accepted Answer

Electrons are much less massive and are loosely bound in the outer shells, making them easier to transfer.

Question 2

According to Coulomb's Law, what happens to the electrostatic force between two point charges if the distance between them is tripled?

Accepted Answer

The force becomes one-ninth as strong.

Question 3

Which of the following materials is most likely to allow electrons to move freely and distribute charge quickly across its surface?

Accepted Answer

Copper

Question 4

A neutral atom becomes a positive ion when:

Accepted Answer

It loses electrons.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the process of charging by induction?

Accepted Answer

A charged object is brought near a conductor, causing charge rearrangement without direct contact.

Question 6

A person shuffles across a carpet and builds up a static charge of 5,000 V. Why is the resulting shock mild compared to the energy stored in a 12 V car battery?

Accepted Answer

The amount of charge transferred is very small, so the total energy is low.

Question 7

Which of the following equations correctly relates electric potential energy ($$U$$), electric potential ($$V$$), and charge ($$Q$$)?

Accepted Answer

$$U = V Q$$

Question 8

Why does a charged comb attract small, neutral pieces of paper?

Accepted Answer

The comb polarizes the molecules in the paper, causing an attractive force due to charge separation.

Question 9

Which of the following is true about the electric field inside a hollow conductor?

Accepted Answer

It is always zero.

Question 10

A capacitor is charged by connecting it to a battery. Which of the following factors will NOT increase the amount of charge the capacitor can store?

Accepted Answer

Using insulating plates instead of conducting plates.

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why water is an excellent solvent for many substances?

Accepted Answer

Water molecules are permanent electric dipoles, allowing them to interact with charged and polar substances.

Question 12

A Van de Graaff generator can build up millions of volts on its dome. What physical principle allows the charge to accumulate only on the surface of the dome?

Accepted Answer

The electric field inside a conductor is always zero, so charge resides only on the surface.

Question 13

Which of the following is a correct statement about the direction of electric field lines?

Accepted Answer

They point away from positive charges and toward negative charges.

Question 14

A 9 V battery gives 9 J of energy to every coulomb of charge that moves through it. What is the unit of electric potential?

Accepted Answer

Volt

Question 15

Which of the following is a property of superconductors?

Accepted Answer

They have zero electrical resistance at very low temperatures.

Question 16

If you double the amount of charge placed at a location with a fixed electric potential, what happens to the electric potential energy?

Accepted Answer

It doubles.

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of charging by contact?

Accepted Answer

Touching a charged object to a neutral one, allowing charge to transfer.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the difference between conductors and insulators?

Accepted Answer

Conductors allow electrons to move freely, while insulators do not.

Question 19

A thundercloud induces a positive charge on the top of a building below it. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Charging by induction

Question 20

Which of the following statements about the conservation of charge is correct?

Accepted Answer

The total charge in an isolated system remains constant; electrons are only transferred, not created or destroyed.

Electrostatics: Electric Charges, Forces, and Fields

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