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In Class 12 Physics, this topic from Chapter 1, Electric Charges and Fields, explains how an electric dipole behaves when placed in a uniform external electric field. Students learn why the equal and opposite forces on the charges produce zero net force but a torque that tends to align the dipole with the field. They study the torque formula, equilibrium positions, stability, and the dipole’s potential energy, U = −p·E, using clear vector and physical interpretations.
TOPIC PRACTICE
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Up to 25 questions from this page. Select your focus, then start.
25 questions
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Easy · Level 1View options
Ten newton
Fourteen newton
Two newton
Forty-eight newton
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Zero
Maximum
Infinite
Always downward
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When dipole is parallel to field
When dipole is perpendicular to field
When dipole is opposite to field
When field is zero
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To rotate the dipole
To always break the dipole
To make field zero
To remove charge
Easy · Level 1View options
When dipole is parallel to field
When dipole is perpendicular to field
When dipole is opposite to field
When there is no dipole
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When dipole is parallel to field
When dipole is perpendicular to field
When dipole is opposite to field
When field is very small
Easy · Level 1View options
The two charges are equal and opposite
Dipole has no charge
Field acts only on positive charge
Field acts only on negative charge
Easy · Level 1View options
When the dipole is parallel or antiparallel to the field
When the dipole is perpendicular to the field
Whenever the two charges are separated
It is always maximum
Easy · Level 1View options
When the dipole is parallel to the field
When the dipole is perpendicular to the field
When the dipole is opposite to the field
When the charge of the dipole is zero
Easy · Level 1View options
When the dipole is parallel to the field
When the dipole is perpendicular to the field
When the dipole is opposite to the field
When the electric field is zero
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Toward becoming parallel to the field
Toward always becoming opposite to the field
Toward cancelling the external field
Randomly, without any physical reason
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Zero
Maximum
Half of the maximum value
Infinite
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Zero
Maximum
Less than the minimum possible value
Always a positive force
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Maximum
Zero
Always negative
It does not exist
Easy · Level 1View options
Equal and opposite forces act along different lines of action
Both forces act at the same point
A force acts only on one charge
The electric field is zero
Easy · Level 1View options
Rotational effect
Only straight-line translation
No effect at all
Increase in mass
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The torque increases
The torque decreases
The torque always becomes zero
The torque cannot change
Easy · Level 1View options
It increases
It decreases
It becomes zero
It loses its direction
Easy · Level 1View options
On the angle between the dipole and the field
Only on colour
Only on temperature
Only on mass
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Right-hand rule
Left-hand rule
Mass rule
Heat rule
Easy · Level 1View options
The centre of mass will have no translational acceleration
The dipole will never rotate
The dipole has no charges
The electric field is absent
Easy · Level 1View options
Minimum energy
Maximum energy
Infinite energy
No energy
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Minimum energy
Maximum energy
Always zero energy
Equal energy
Easy · Level 1View options
Zero
Maximum
Infinite
Double
Easy · Level 1View options
Zero
Maximum
Equal to the dipole moment
Always negative
Question 1EasyLevel 1
A charge experiences eight newton force to the right and six newton upward. What is the magnitude of net force?
Correct answer: A
The rightward and upward forces are perpendicular components of the net force. Therefore use R = √(Fₓ² + Fᵧ²) = √(8² + 6²) = √(64 + 36) = √100 = 10 N. Option A is correct. Fourteen is the arithmetic sum, two is the difference, and forty-eight is the product; these operations ignore the perpendicular vector nature of the forces.
What is generally the net force on an electric dipole placed in a uniform external electric field?
Correct answer: A
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, the positive charge experiences a force qE in the field direction, while the negative charge experiences an equal force qE in the opposite direction. Their vector sum is therefore zero, so option A is correct. The dipole can still experience a torque, τ = pE sin θ, when its axis is not aligned with the field. Thus zero net force does not imply zero rotational effect; the other options are not generally valid.
When is the torque on a dipole in a uniform electric field maximum?
Correct answer: B
The torque on an electric dipole in a uniform field is τ = pE sin θ, where θ is the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field. For fixed p and E, sin θ has its greatest value, 1, at θ = 90°. Hence the torque is maximum when the dipole is perpendicular to the field, making option B correct. At 0° or 180° the torque is zero, and a zero field also produces no torque.
What is the role of torque on a dipole in a uniform electric field?
Correct answer: A
Torque is the turning effect of a force. In a uniform electric field, the two equal and opposite forces on the dipole act along parallel but generally different lines of action, forming a couple. Its torque is τ = pE sin θ, which tends to rotate the dipole so that its dipole moment aligns with the field. Therefore option A is correct. The torque does not destroy the dipole, cancel the field, or remove either charge.
In which position is a dipole in stable equilibrium?
Correct answer: A
The potential energy of a dipole in a uniform electric field is U = −pE cos θ. It is minimum when cos θ = 1, which occurs at θ = 0°, meaning the dipole moment is parallel to the field. A small angular displacement then produces a restoring torque, so this position is stable. Therefore option A is correct. The opposite orientation has maximum energy and is unstable, while removing the dipole is not an equilibrium position of the given system.
In which position is a dipole in unstable equilibrium?
Correct answer: C
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, U = −pE cos θ. At θ = 180°, the dipole moment is opposite to the field and U reaches its maximum value, +pE. A slight angular displacement lowers the energy and produces a torque that moves the dipole farther from this orientation, so the equilibrium is unstable. Hence option C is correct. Parallel alignment is stable, while a weak field changes the torque magnitude but does not define unstable equilibrium.
What is the main reason for zero net force on a dipole in a uniform electric field?
Correct answer: A
A dipole consists of charges +q and −q with equal magnitudes separated by a small distance. In a uniform field, the field strength is the same at both charge locations, so the forces have equal magnitudes qE but opposite directions. Their vector sum is therefore zero, making option A correct. The dipole does contain charges, and the electric field acts on both, although their separated lines of action can still produce torque.
When is the torque on an electric dipole in a uniform electric field zero?
Correct answer: A
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, the torque is given by τ = pE sin θ, where p is the dipole moment, E is the field magnitude, and θ is the angle between them. The sine is zero at θ = 0° and 180°. Hence the torque is zero when the dipole is parallel or antiparallel to the field. Perpendicular orientation gives maximum torque, not zero torque.
When is the potential energy of an electric dipole in a uniform electric field minimum?
Correct answer: A
The potential energy of a dipole in a uniform electric field is U = −pE cos θ. For a fixed p and E, the minimum value occurs when cos θ = 1, that is, θ = 0°. Therefore the dipole must be parallel to the field, giving Umin = −pE. At 90° the energy is zero, while the antiparallel position gives maximum energy +pE.
When is the potential energy of an electric dipole in a uniform electric field maximum?
Correct answer: C
For a dipole in a uniform field, U = −pE cos θ. With p and E fixed, energy is greatest when cos θ = −1, which occurs at θ = 180°. Thus the dipole is antiparallel to the field and Umax = +pE. The parallel position gives minimum energy, and the perpendicular position gives U = 0, so neither A nor B is correct.
In which direction does an electric dipole in a uniform electric field generally tend to rotate?
Correct answer: A
The torque on a dipole is τ = pE sin θ, and its action tends to reduce the potential energy U = −pE cos θ. Consequently, the dipole rotates so that its dipole moment becomes aligned with the external electric field. The parallel orientation is stable and has minimum energy. Antiparallel orientation is unstable, while cancelling the field or random motion is not the governing effect.
If an electric dipole is parallel to a uniform electric field, what is the torque on it?
Correct answer: A
The torque on an electric dipole is τ = pE sin θ, where θ is the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field. For a parallel dipole, θ = 0°, so sin 0° = 0 and therefore τ = 0. Maximum torque occurs at 90°, not at 0°. Thus the correct answer is zero; the values half, maximum, and infinite do not follow from the formula.
If an electric dipole is opposite to a uniform electric field, what is the torque on it?
Correct answer: A
For a dipole in a uniform field, τ = pE sin θ. When the dipole is opposite to the field, the angle is θ = 180°, and sin 180° = 0. Hence the torque is zero, although this orientation is an unstable equilibrium and the potential energy is maximum. Maximum torque occurs at 90°, so option B confuses energy behaviour with torque.
If the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field is 90°, how is the torque on the dipole?
Correct answer: A
The magnitude of torque on an electric dipole in a uniform field is τ = pE sin θ. At θ = 90°, sin 90° = 1, so τ = pE, which is the maximum possible magnitude for fixed p and E. The torque is not zero in this orientation; zero values occur at 0° and 180°. Its vector direction depends on the orientation, but its magnitude is maximum.
Why is a couple formed on an electric dipole placed in a uniform electric field?
Correct answer: A
A dipole contains equal and opposite charges separated by a distance. In a uniform electric field, the positive charge experiences a force along the field and the negative charge experiences an equal force opposite to the field. Their resultant force is zero, but their parallel and separated lines of action form a couple, producing torque τ = pE sin θ. Thus A is correct.
Which effect is mainly observed on an electric dipole placed in a uniform electric field?
Correct answer: A
In a uniform electric field, the forces on the positive and negative charges of a dipole are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. Therefore the net translational force is zero. Since the forces act at different points, however, they form a couple and produce torque τ = pE sin θ. The principal effect is rotation or alignment; mass does not change and there is not always no effect.
If the magnitude of the electric field is increased while the angle remains the same, what happens to the torque on the dipole?
Correct answer: A
The torque magnitude is τ = pE sin θ. If the dipole moment p and angle θ remain fixed, then τ is directly proportional to the electric-field magnitude E. Therefore increasing E increases the torque in the same proportion, except that when sin θ = 0 the torque remains zero for every E. Under the usual nonzero-angle condition, option A is correct.
If the dipole moment is increased, what happens to the torque in the same electric field and at the same angle?
Correct answer: A
For an electric dipole in a uniform field, the torque magnitude is given by τ = pE sin θ, where p is the dipole moment, E is the field strength, and θ is the angle between them. Since E and θ remain unchanged, τ is directly proportional to p. Thus increasing p increases the torque by the same proportion. The other choices are incorrect because the torque does not automatically vanish or lose direction.
On what does the potential energy of a dipole in a uniform electric field depend?
Correct answer: A
The potential energy of a dipole in a uniform electric field is U = −pE cos θ. Therefore it depends on the dipole moment p, field strength E, and especially the orientation represented by the angle θ between p and E. Among the given choices, only the angle is relevant. Colour, temperature alone, and mass alone do not determine this electrostatic potential energy, so option A is correct.
The dipole moment and electric field are vector quantities. Which rule helps determine the direction of the torque?
Correct answer: A
The torque on a dipole is a vector given by τ⃗ = p⃗ × E⃗. The direction of a cross product is perpendicular to the plane containing p⃗ and E⃗, and it is determined using the right-hand rule: curl the fingers from p⃗ toward E⃗, while the thumb gives the torque direction. The other listed rules do not determine this electrostatic vector direction.
The net force on a dipole in a uniform electric field is zero. What does this imply?
Correct answer: A
In a uniform electric field, the equal and opposite forces on the positive and negative charges of a dipole give zero net force, so Newton’s second law gives Fnet = MaCM = 0. Hence the centre of mass has no translational acceleration. However, these forces may form a couple and produce torque pE sin θ, so rotation can still occur. Therefore A is the only correct statement.
A dipole is parallel to the electric field. Which energy state does this represent?
Correct answer: A
The potential energy of a dipole is U = −pE cos θ. When the dipole is parallel to the field, θ = 0° and cos 0° = 1, so U = −pE, its minimum value for fixed p and E. This orientation is stable equilibrium because a small displacement produces a restoring torque. Thus A is correct; antiparallel orientation gives maximum, not minimum, energy.
A dipole is opposite to the electric field. Which energy state does this represent?
Correct answer: B
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, U = −pE cos θ. In the opposite, or antiparallel, orientation, θ = 180° and cos 180° = −1; hence U = +pE, the maximum value for fixed p and E. This is unstable equilibrium because a small displacement leads the dipole away from that orientation. Therefore B is correct, while A describes the parallel stable state.
If the dipole moment is zero, what will be the torque in a uniform electric field?
Correct answer: A
The torque on an electric dipole in a uniform field is τ = pE sin θ. If the dipole moment p is zero, the entire product is zero regardless of the field strength E or angle θ. Physically, p = 0 means there is no effective charge separation producing a dipole torque. Therefore the torque is zero, so option A is correct; it cannot become maximum, infinite, or double.
If the electric field is zero, what will be the torque on a dipole?
Correct answer: A
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, the torque magnitude is τ = pE sin θ. If the electric field strength E is zero, τ becomes zero for every value of the dipole moment p and every orientation θ. Equivalently, no external electric force acts on the dipole charges to form a torque-producing couple. Therefore A is correct; the torque is not maximum, equal to p, or necessarily negative.
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