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Electrostatics question

2021 · 26 Feb · Shift 1 · Q56
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  5. /2021 · 26 Feb · Shift 1 · Q56

Electrostatics question

2021 · 26 Feb · Shift 1 · Q56

JEE MainPhysicsElectrostaticsMCQ+4 / −1
Find the electric field at point P (as shown in figure) on the perpendicular bisector of a uniformly charged thin wire of length L carrying a charge Q. The distance of the point P from the centre of the rod is a = 32L{{\sqrt 3 } \over 2}L23​​L. JEE Main 2021 (Online) 26th February Morning Shift Physics - Electrostatics Question 154 English
  1. A
    Q4πε0L2{Q \over {4\pi {\varepsilon _0}{L^2}}}4πε0​L2Q​
  2. B
    Q3πε0L2{Q \over {3\pi {\varepsilon _0}{L^2}}}3πε0​L2Q​
  3. C
    Q23πε0L2{Q \over {2\sqrt 3 \pi {\varepsilon _0}{L^2}}}23​πε0​L2Q​
  4. D
    3Q4πε0L2{{\sqrt 3 Q} \over {4\pi {\varepsilon _0}{L^2}}}4πε0​L23​Q​
View written solutionFree

Correct answer: C

  1. Set up the rod and charge density

A uniformly charged thin rod has:

  • length LLL
  • total charge QQQ
  • linear charge density

λ=QL\lambda = \frac{Q}{L}λ=LQ​

Let the rod lie along the xxx-axis from x=−L2x=-\frac{L}{2}x=−2L​ to x=L2x=\frac{L}{2}x=2L​, with its centre at the origin.

Point PPP lies on the perpendicular bisector at distance

a=32La=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}La=23​​L

So the coordinates of PPP are (0,a)(0,a)(0,a).


  1. Consider a small charge element

Take an element of length dxdxdx at position xxx on the rod. Then

dq=λ dxdq = \lambda \, dxdq=λdx

Distance from this element to point PPP is

r=x2+a2r = \sqrt{x^2 + a^2}r=x2+a2​

The field due to dqdqdq is

dE=14πε0dqr2dE = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\frac{dq}{r^2}dE=4πε0​1​r2dq​

Because of symmetry, horizontal components cancel. Only the vertical components add.

Vertical component:

dEy=dEcos⁡θ=14πε0dqr2⋅ardE_y = dE \cos\theta = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\frac{dq}{r^2}\cdot \frac{a}{r}dEy​=dEcosθ=4πε0​1​r2dq​⋅ra​

since

cos⁡θ=ar\cos\theta = \frac{a}{r}cosθ=ra​

Thus,

dEy=14πε0a dq(x2+a2)3/2dE_y = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\frac{a\,dq}{(x^2+a^2)^{3/2}}dEy​=4πε0​1​(x2+a2)3/2adq​

Substitute dq=λdxdq=\lambda dxdq=λdx:

dEy=14πε0aλ dx(x2+a2)3/2dE_y = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\frac{a\lambda\,dx}{(x^2+a^2)^{3/2}}dEy​=4πε0​1​(x2+a2)3/2aλdx​


  1. Integrate over the rod

E=14πε0aλ∫−L/2L/2dx(x2+a2)3/2E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} a\lambda \int_{-L/2}^{L/2} \frac{dx}{(x^2+a^2)^{3/2}}E=4πε0​1​aλ∫−L/2L/2​(x2+a2)3/2dx​

Using symmetry,

E=14πε0⋅2aλ∫0L/2dx(x2+a2)3/2E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot 2a\lambda \int_0^{L/2} \frac{dx}{(x^2+a^2)^{3/2}}E=4πε0​1​⋅2aλ∫0L/2​(x2+a2)3/2dx​

Now use the standard integral:

∫dx(x2+a2)3/2=xa2x2+a2\int \frac{dx}{(x^2+a^2)^{3/2}} = \frac{x}{a^2\sqrt{x^2+a^2}}∫(x2+a2)3/2dx​=a2x2+a2​x​

So,

E=14πε0⋅2aλ[xa2x2+a2]0L/2E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot 2a\lambda \left[\frac{x}{a^2\sqrt{x^2+a^2}}\right]_0^{L/2}E=4πε0​1​⋅2aλ[a2x2+a2​x​]0L/2​

E=14πε0⋅2aλ⋅L/2a2(L/2)2+a2E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot 2a\lambda \cdot \frac{L/2}{a^2\sqrt{(L/2)^2+a^2}}E=4πε0​1​⋅2aλ⋅a2(L/2)2+a2​L/2​

E=14πε0⋅λLa(L/2)2+a2E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{\lambda L}{a\sqrt{(L/2)^2+a^2}}E=4πε0​1​⋅a(L/2)2+a2​λL​

Since λL=Q\lambda L = QλL=Q,

E=14πε0⋅Qa(L/2)2+a2E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{Q}{a\sqrt{(L/2)^2+a^2}}E=4πε0​1​⋅a(L/2)2+a2​Q​


  1. Substitute a=32La=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}La=23​​L

First,

a2=34L2a^2 = \frac{3}{4}L^2a2=43​L2

Then,

(L2)2+a2=L24+3L24=L2\left(\frac{L}{2}\right)^2 + a^2 = \frac{L^2}{4} + \frac{3L^2}{4} = L^2(2L​)2+a2=4L2​+43L2​=L2

Hence,

(L2)2+a2=L\sqrt{\left(\frac{L}{2}\right)^2 + a^2} = L(2L​)2+a2​=L

So,

E=14πε0⋅QaLE = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{Q}{aL}E=4πε0​1​⋅aLQ​

Now put a=32La=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}La=23​​L:

E=14πε0⋅Q(32L)LE = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{Q}{\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}L\right)L}E=4πε0​1​⋅(23​​L)LQ​

E=14πε0⋅2Q3L2E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \cdot \frac{2Q}{\sqrt{3}L^2}E=4πε0​1​⋅3​L22Q​

E=Q23πε0L2E = \frac{Q}{2\sqrt{3}\pi\varepsilon_0 L^2}E=23​πε0​L2Q​


  1. Match with options

This is exactly:

Q23πε0L2\boxed{\frac{Q}{2\sqrt{3}\pi\varepsilon_0 L^2}}23​πε0​L2Q​​

So the correct option is:

C\boxed{\text{C}}C​

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