Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
112 CBSE Class 12 Physics previous year questions (PYQs) from 4 papers, 2023 to 2026, with answers and worked solutions.
About this chapter
- Difficulty: 12 easy · 81 moderate · 19 hard.
- Most-asked subtopics: Capacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations (41), Electrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics (18), Electrostatic Potential due to Charges and Dipoles (18).
- Updated 13 September 2026.
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#1EasyElectrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics
#2ModeratePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#3ModeratePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#4ModerateEnergy Stored in a Capacitor
#5ModerateHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#6ModerateCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#7ModerateElectrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics
#8ModerateHas imageEquipotential Surfaces
#9ModerateHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#10ModerateElectrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics
#11ModerateElectrostatic Potential due to Charges and Dipoles
#12HardElectrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics
#13EasyCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#14ModerateElectrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics
#15EasyCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#16ModerateEnergy Stored in a Capacitor
#17ModeratePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#18ModerateHas imagePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#19ModeratePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#20ModerateEnergy Stored in a Capacitor
#21ModerateElectrostatic Potential due to Charges and Dipoles
#22ModeratePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#23ModerateEquipotential Surfaces
#24ModeratePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#25ModerateEquipotential Surfaces
#26ModerateEquipotential Surfaces
#27ModerateCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#28ModerateElectrostatic Potential due to Charges and Dipoles
#29ModerateCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#30ModerateHas imageEquipotential Surfaces
#31ModerateCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#32ModerateHas imageEquipotential Surfaces
The electric potential (V) and electric field (E) are closely related concepts in electrostatics. The electric field is a vector quantity that represents the force per unit charge at a given point in space, whereas electric potential is a scalar quantity that represents the potential energy per unit charge at a given point in space. Electric field and electric potential are related by the equations and , i.e., electric field is the negative gradient of the electric potential. This means that electric field points in the direction of decreasing potential and its magnitude is the rate of change of potential with distance. The electric field is the force that drives a unit charge to move from higher potential region to lower potential region and electric potential difference between the two points determines the work done in moving a unit charge from one point to the other point. A pair of square conducting plates having sides of length m are arranged parallel to each other in x-y plane. They are m apart along z-axis and are connected to a 200 V power supply as shown in the figure. An electron enters with a speed of horizontally and symmetrically in the space between the two plates. Neglect the effect of gravity on the electron.#33HardPotential Energy of a System of Charges
#34EasyHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
Capacitors are manufactured with certain standard capacitances and working voltages. However, these standard values may not be the ones that are actually needed in a particular application. Two or more capacitors can be grouped in series or in parallel to achieve desired capacitance and voltage. When connected in series, the total capacitance decreases while the voltage rating increases, whereas in parallel connections, the total capacitance increases and maintains the same voltage rating. A capacitor stores energy in the electric field between its plates and stored energy is proportional to the square of the voltage and capacitance , where symbols have their usual meanings. Two capacitors, one of and the other of , are connected in series in the circuit as shown in the figure, for a long time.#35ModerateHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
Capacitors are manufactured with certain standard capacitances and working voltages. However, these standard values may not be the ones that are actually needed in a particular application. Two or more capacitors can be grouped in series or in parallel to achieve desired capacitance and voltage. When connected in series, the total capacitance decreases while the voltage rating increases, whereas in parallel connections, the total capacitance increases and maintains the same voltage rating. A capacitor stores energy in the electric field between its plates and stored energy is proportional to the square of the voltage and capacitance , where symbols have their usual meanings. Two capacitors, one of and the other of , are connected in series in the circuit as shown in the figure, for a long time.#36ModerateHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
Capacitors are manufactured with certain standard capacitances and working voltages. However, these standard values may not be the ones that are actually needed in a particular application. Two or more capacitors can be grouped in series or in parallel to achieve desired capacitance and voltage. When connected in series, the total capacitance decreases while the voltage rating increases, whereas in parallel connections, the total capacitance increases and maintains the same voltage rating. A capacitor stores energy in the electric field between its plates and stored energy is proportional to the square of the voltage and capacitance , where symbols have their usual meanings. Two capacitors, one of and the other of , are connected in series in the circuit as shown in the figure, for a long time.#37ModerateHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
Capacitors are manufactured with certain standard capacitances and working voltages. However, these standard values may not be the ones that are actually needed in a particular application. Two or more capacitors can be grouped in series or in parallel to achieve desired capacitance and voltage. When connected in series, the total capacitance decreases while the voltage rating increases, whereas in parallel connections, the total capacitance increases and maintains the same voltage rating. A capacitor stores energy in the electric field between its plates and stored energy is proportional to the square of the voltage and capacitance , where symbols have their usual meanings. Two capacitors, one of and the other of , are connected in series in the circuit as shown in the figure, for a long time.#38ModerateHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
Capacitors are manufactured with certain standard capacitances and working voltages. However, these standard values may not be the ones that are actually needed in a particular application. Two or more capacitors can be grouped in series or in parallel to achieve desired capacitance and voltage. When connected in series, the total capacitance decreases while the voltage rating increases, whereas in parallel connections, the total capacitance increases and maintains the same voltage rating. A capacitor stores energy in the electric field between its plates and stored energy is proportional to the square of the voltage and capacitance , where symbols have their usual meanings. Two capacitors, one of and the other of , are connected in series in the circuit as shown in the figure, for a long time.#39HardHas imageElectrostatic Potential due to Charges and Dipoles
#40ModeratePotential Energy of a System of Charges
#41ModerateElectrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics
#42ModerateElectrostatic Potential due to Charges and Dipoles
#43HardCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#44ModerateEquipotential Surfaces
#45ModerateElectrostatics of Conductors and Dielectrics
#46ModerateCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#47ModerateEquipotential Surfaces
#48HardCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
#49HardElectrostatic Potential due to Charges and Dipoles
#50ModerateHas imageCapacitors, Capacitance and their Combinations
A capacitor is a system of two conductors separated by an insulator. In practice, the two conductors have charges Q and – Q with potential difference between them. The ratio is a constant, denoted by C and is called the capacitance of the capacitor. It is independent of Q or V. It depends only on the geometrical configuration (shape, size, separation) of the two conductors and the medium separating the conductors. When a parallel plate capacitor is charged, the electric field is localised between the plates and is uniform throughout. When a slab of a dielectric is inserted between the charged plates (charge density ), the dielectric is polarised by the field. Consequently opposite charges appear on the faces of the slab, near the plates, with surface charge density of magnitude . For a linear dielectric is proportional to . Introduction of a dielectric changes the electric field, and hence, the capacitance of a capacitor, and hence, the energy stored in the capacitor. Like resistors, capacitors can also be arranged in series or in parallel or in a combination of series and parallel.
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