NEET Physics: Electric field due to a dipole Practice Questions
13 free multiple-choice questions on Electric field due to a dipole (Electrostatics) for NEET Physics, each with the correct answer and a step-by-step explanation. Attempt a question, then reveal the solution to check your reasoning.
Practice thousands more NEET questions in the app →Q1. For an electric dipole, the net electric field at a point on its axial line is always directed:
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Correct answer: C — Along the dipole moment vector
The electric field along the axis of a dipole is parallel to the dipole moment vector (p⃗).
Q2. The magnitude of the electric field produced by an electric dipole at a point far away from it is proportional to:
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Correct answer: D — p/r³
The electric field due to a dipole falls off as 1/r³. Since the field itself is proportional to 1/r³, the magnitude of the field scales with p/r³ (where p is the dipole moment and r is the distance).
Q3. Which of the following statements is true regarding the electric field produced by a dipole?
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Correct answer: C — The field depends only on the distance r and not the orientation of the dipole.
The field lines of a dipole form a pattern, and the net field is generally non-zero, tracing a pattern influenced by the dipole moment and geometry.
Q4. The net electric field at the center of an electric dipole is always:
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Correct answer: C — Zero
The electric field inside the region occupied by the dipole (specifically at the location of the dipole itself) is zero due to symmetry.
Q5. If an electric dipole is placed in a region where the external electric field is non-uniform, the total electric field at a point P is the vector sum of the field due to the dipole and the field due to the external source. This is an application of which principle?
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Correct answer: B — Superposition Principle
The superposition principle states that the net electric field at a point due to multiple sources is the vector sum of the fields produced by each source individually. This applies to dipoles and external fields.
Q6. The electric field due to a dipole is maximum at a distance r from the center of the dipole when the point of observation lies on the axis of the dipole. What is the direction of this field?
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Correct answer: A — Parallel to the dipole moment p⃗
The electric field produced by a dipole is directed along the line connecting the center of the dipole to the observation point. When the point lies on the axis of the dipole, the field is parallel to the dipole moment p⃗.
Q7. Which statement correctly describes the direction of the electric field produced by a dipole at a point on the axis?
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Correct answer: D — The field is zero along the axis.
As established, the electric field due to a dipole lies entirely in the plane perpendicular to the dipole axis, and is zero along the axial line.
Q8. For an electric dipole, the electric field component parallel to the dipole axis is zero at a point located on the axis of the dipole. This statement is true because:
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Correct answer: A — The forces due to the two equal and opposite charges cancel out.
The electric field components due to a dipole are calculated based on the geometry. At any point along the axis of the dipole, the contributions from the two charges balance, resulting in the parallel component of the electric field being zero.
Q9. The magnitude of the electric field due to a dipole is maximum when the position vector is perpendicular to the dipole axis. If θ is the angle between the position vector and the dipole axis, for maximum field, θ must be:
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Correct answer: A — 90°
The field components involving sin θ are maximized when sin θ= 1, which occurs when θ= 90° (i.e., the observation point is perpendicular to the dipole axis).
Q10. If the dipole moment of an electric dipole is doubled, the magnitude of the electric field at a fixed distance r changes by a factor of:
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Correct answer: D — 2
Since the electric field E is directly proportional to the dipole moment p (E ∝ p), doubling the dipole moment doubles the electric field magnitude at that point.
Q11. Which statement is true regarding the field due to a dipole at a point P located on the axis of the dipole?
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Correct answer: C — The field is non-zero and proportional to the dipole moment.
The electric field along the axis of a dipole is non-zero and is directly proportional to the magnitude of the dipole moment, p.
Q12. The electric field produced by a dipole at a point on its axial line is:
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Correct answer: D — Maximum
The electric field on the axial line of a dipole is non-zero and varies with position. It is maximum at the center (for a point dipole) and varies linearly along the axis, not zero.
Q13. The quantity p⃗ × E⃗ represents the net force acting on a dipole in a non-uniform field:
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Correct answer: D — Force perpendicular to E⃗
The net force on a dipole in a non-uniform field is given by F⃗ = (p⃗ · ∇)E⃗. The term p⃗ × E⃗ is related to the torque, and the net force is perpendicular to the field gradient, resulting in a force perpendicular to E⃗ when p⃗ is not parallel to E⃗.
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