2002 AIPMT Electrostatic Potential and CapacitancePotential Energy of a System of Charges Medium Question 2 of 2 in Potential Energy of a System of Charges

Identical charges (–q) are placed at each corner of a cube of side 'b' then electrical potential energy of charge (+q) which is placed at centre of cube will be

A $\dfrac{-4\sqrt{2}q^2}{\pi\varepsilon_0 b}$
B $\dfrac{-8\sqrt{2}q^2}{\pi\varepsilon_0 b}$
C $\dfrac{-4q^2}{\sqrt{3}\pi\varepsilon_0 b}$
D $\dfrac{8\sqrt{2}q^2}{4\pi\varepsilon_0 b}$

The answer is C.

Solution

The distance from the centre of a cube of side b to any corner is half the body diagonal: $r = \dfrac{\sqrt{3}b}{2}$.
There are 8 corners, each with charge $-q$, all at the same distance r from the central charge $+q$.
Electric potential energy $= 8 \times \dfrac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\dfrac{(q)(-q)}{\sqrt{3}b/2}$
$= -\dfrac{8 \times 2q^2}{4\pi\varepsilon_0\sqrt{3}b} = -\dfrac{4q^2}{\sqrt{3}\pi\varepsilon_0 b}$
So the potential energy of the central charge is $\dfrac{-4q^2}{\sqrt{3}\pi\varepsilon_0 b}$.

Concept Energy of central charge with corner charges

Potential Energy of a System of Charges in past papers

2 questions from this chapter have appeared across 2 exam years.