BIT 1101 BASIC ELECTRICITY & OPTICS

MARKING SCHEME

AUGUST 2016 MAIN EXAM TIME: 2 HRS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. This paper consists of three printed pages.

2. Attempt Question One and Any other Two questions
3. Show calculations where applicable

QUESTION ONE (30 MARKS)(COMPULSORY)

a) Define the following terms:
(i) Matter - is anything which has mass and occupies space. [2 marks]
(ii) Unit cell - is the smallest block from which the entire crystalline is build
up by repetition in three dimensions. [2 marks]
(iii)Atomic number - This equal to the number of protons (or electrons)
contained in an atom. For example, hydrogen atom has one proton in the
nucleus. [2 marks]
(iv) Physics - Physics is the branch of science concerned with the properties
of matter and energy and the relationships between them. It is based on
mathematics and traditionally includes mechanics, optics, electricity and
magnetism, acoustics, and heat. [2 marks]
b) Two spheres with equal but opposite charges experience a force of 50 105 N
when they are placed 4 cm apart in a medium of relative permittivity 6.
Determine the charge on each sphere. [4 marks]

Solution:
1 q1q 2 1 q2
Since, F   or [2 marks]
4 0r r2 4 0r r2
q  4 0 r r2F  4 (8.854 1012 )  6   4 10 2  50  105 
2

= 2.31103 C [2 marks]

c) Given that 6.68  1016 electrons pass a point in a conductor every 3 seconds,
find the amount of current measured in amps.
Solution:
6.68  1016
Q  10.7mC [2 marks]
6.25  1018
10.7  103
I   3.56mA [2 marks]
3

Page 1 of 9
d) With the aid of a well-labeled diagram, explain the operation of a forward-
biased p-n junction diode.
Holes Electrons
Ih Ie
       
       
       

I
V

[3 marks]
 When a forward voltage is applied as shown, the diode is said to be
forward biased. This creates an electric field across the junction. This
causes majority carrier electrons to diffuse from the n-region to the p-
region and majority carrier holes to diffuse from the p-region into the n-
region, thus creating a current in the junction. As shown, the depletion
layer is narrowed allowing the current to flow through the junction
easily. The process continues as long as the voltage V is applied.

[3 marks]

e) A conductor carries a current of 800 A at right angles to a magnetic field

having a density of 0.5 T. calculate the force on the conductor in newtons
per metre length. [3 marks]
Solution:
Force on a conductor, F  BlI [1.5 marks]
 0.5 1m  800  400 N [1.5 marks]
f) State the laws of reflection. [4 marks]
Solution:
The two laws of reflection are:
First Law: it states that the incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal at
the point of incidence are in the same plane. This plane is called the plane of
incidence. [1.5 marks]
Second Law: it states that the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of
incidence. [1.5 marks]
g) State two applications of electrostatics. [2 marks]
Solution:
Electrostatics is applied in:
(i) Making the lightning rod [1 mark]
(ii) Making capacitors [1 mark]

Page 2 of 9
QUESTION TWO [20 MARKS]

a) State the Coulomb’s laws of electrostatics.

First law: Like charges repel each other while unlike charges attract each
other. [1 mark]
Second law: The force between two point charges is directly proportional to
the product of their magnitudes and inversely proportional to the square of
distance between their centers. That is
QQ
F  k 12 2 [2 marks]
r
b) Three capacitors of 2 F , 4 F and 6 F respectively are connected in series to a
220V d.c. supply. Find
(i) the total capacitance
(ii) charge on each capacitor
(iii)p.d. across each capacitor

Solution:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6  3  2 11
(i)         [1 mark]
C T C1 C 2 C 2 2 4 6 12 12

12
CT   1.091  F [1 mark]
11
(ii) In series, charge on each capacitor is the same. Hence

Q  C T V  (1.091 10-6 )(220)  2.4  10-4 C [1 mark]

Q 2.4  104
(iii) P.d. across 2 F =   120 V [1 mark]
C1 2  106

Q 2.4  104
P.d. across 4 F =   60 V [1 mark]
C2 4  106
Q 2.4  104
p.d. across 6 F =   40 V [1 mark]
C3 6  106

c) For the circuit shown in Fig. Q2 c),

(i) Find the current supplied by the battery and the current through each
resistance
(ii) The circuit gets open circuited at point A. Find the total resistance of the
circuit. [11 marks]

Page 3 of 9
 A 5 I1 I3 25
15
I I4 15 I7 I6
20 
5
30 

10
I2 I5
120 V


Fig. Q2 c)
Solution:
Let Rp1 be the parallel combination of 5  and 20  , then
1 1 1 4 1 5 20
    or R p1    4 [1 mark]
Rp1 5 20 20 20 5
Let R p2 be the parallel combination of 25 , 15  and 30  , then
1 1 1 1 6  10  5 21 150 50
     or R p2     or 7.14  [1 mark]
Rp2 25 15 30 150 150 21 7
Let R p3 be the parallel combination of 5  and 10  , then
10  5 10
R p3     or 3.33  [1 mark]
10  5 3
Hence, the total circuit resistance is
RT  5  Rp1  Rp2  Rp3  3  4  7.14  3.33  17.47  [1 mark]
Therefore,
V 120
(i) I    6.87 A [1 mark]
RT 17.47
 20 
I1   6.87 A  5.494 A [1 mark]
 20  5 
 5 
I2   2.06 A  1.374 A [1 mark]
 20  5 
The voltage across R p2 is VRp2  IR p2  6.87  7.14  49.05V
VRp49.05
I3  2

 1.962 A [1 mark]
2 25
VR 49.05
I 4  p2   3.27 A [1 mark]
15 15
VR 49.05
I 5  p2   1.635A [1 mark]
1 30
The voltage across R p3 is VRp3  IR p3  6.87  3.33  22.88V
VRp 22.88
I6  3
  4.58A [½ mark]
5 5

Page 4 of 9
 VRp 22.88
I7  3
  2.288A [½ mark]
10 10

QUESTION THREE [20 MARKS]

a) State the factors that influence the magnetic force between two magnetic
poles placed in a medium. [3 marks]
Solution:
(i) Pole strengths [1 mark]
(ii) The distance between the poles [1 mark]
(iii) The permeability of the surrounding medium [1 mark]

b) Explain the following terms as used in magnetic circuits:

(i) Magnetomotive force – it is the work done in joules in carrying a unit
magnetic pole once through the entire magnetic circuit. [2 marks]
(ii) Ampere-turns – this the product of number of turns of a magnetic circuit
and the current I amperes in those turns. [2 marks]
(iii) Reluctance – this is the property of a material which opposes the creation
of magnetic flux in that material i.e. it measures the opposition offered to
the passage of magnetic flux through a material. [2 marks]
(iv) Permeance – it is the reciprocal of reluctance or a measure of the ability of
a magnetic circuit to conduct magnetic flux. [2 marks]
(v) Reluctivity – it is the measure of the resistance of a material to the
establishment of magnetic field within it or specific reluctance of magnetic
material. [2 marks]
c) A coil is would from a 10m length of copper wire having a cross-sectional
area of 1mm 2 . Calculate the resistance of the coil. Take the specific
resistance of copper as 1.73  108   m .
Solution:
l 10
R    1.73  10 8   0.173  [3 marks]
A 1  106
d) Xenon atom has Z = 54. Determine its electronic distribution. Also find out
if it is chemically stable. What is the number of its valence electrons?
[4 marks]
Solution:
The 54 electrons are distributed as:

K-orbit 2 electrons full

L-orbit 8 electrons full
M-shell 18 electrons full
N-shell 18 electron full

Page 5 of 9
 O-orbit 8 electrons

[2 marks]
It’s seen that it has 8 valence electrons. Hence, its valence or outermost orbit
has maximum possible number of electrons as permitted by rule 1. [1
mark]Consequently, Xenon atom is chemically highly stable and is also an
insulator. [1 mark]

QUESTION FOUR [20 MARKS]

a) Describe briefly intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors.
Solution:
 Intrinsic semiconductors are pure semiconductors in which when a
potential difference is applied across it, there is a current due to equal
number of free electrons and holes. [2 marks]

 Extrinsic semiconductors are impure semiconductors as a result of

introduction of impurities (doping), and hence when a potential difference
is applied across it, there is a current is not due to equal number of free
electrons and holes, as there will be a majority charge carrier. [3 marks]
a) A coil of 12  resistance is in parallel with a coil of 20  resistance. This
combination is connected in series with a third coil of 8  resistance. If the
whole circuit is connected across a battery having a e.m.f. of 30V, calculate
i) Terminal voltage of the battery
ii) the power in the 12  coil.
iii) Current through each resistor
Solution:
R2
I1 12 
8
R1
R3
I I2 20 

30 V
i) The terminal voltage of battery is 30V since it does not have internal
resistance
[1 mark]
R2R3
ii) Total circuit resistance is RT  R1  [1 mark]
R2  R3
12  20
8  15.5 
12  20 [1 mark]

Page 6 of 9
 V 30
Circuit current is I    1.94 A [1 mark]
RT 15.5

 20   20 
Current through the 12  , I 1   I     1.71  1.2125 A
 12  20   12  20 
[1 mark]

 12   12 
Current through the 20  , I 2   I     1.94  0.7275 A
 12  20   12  20 
[1 mark]

iii) Power in the 12  , PR2  R2 I 12  12 1.2125  17.64 W

2
[1 mark]

b) State Kirchhoff’s laws.

i) Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL): It states that in any network of

conductors, the algebraic sum of currents meeting at a point (or a junction)
is zero i.e. the total current leaving a junction is equal to the total
current entering that junction. [1½ marks]

ii) Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law: It states that the algebraic sum of all IR drops
and emfs in any closed loop (or mesh) of a network is zero i.e. [1½ marks]

iii) Use Kirchhoff’s laws to obtain the values of I1 and I 2 in Fig 2. [6 marks]

2700 Ω 5600 Ω

R1 I1 I2 R4
I1  I 2
100 V R3 3300 Ω

4700 Ω 2700 Ω
Fig. 1
Solution:
Applying KVL to the first loop of Fig. 2, we get
2700 I1  3300  I1  I 2   4700 I1  20  0

Page 7 of 9
 10700 I1  3300 I 2  100 ------------------[i] [2 marks]

Applying KVL to the second loop of Fig.2, we get

5600 I 2  2700I 2  3300  I1  I 2   0

3300 I1  11600 I 2  0 -------------------[ii] [2 marks]

Solving equation [i] and [ii] for the currents, have

I 2  2.91103 A [1 mark]

I1  0.0102 A [1 mark]

QUESTION FIVE [20 MARKS]

a) State any four types of capacitors. [4 marks]
Solution:
(i) Vacuum capacitor
(ii) Air capacitor
(iii)Mica capacitor
(iv) Ceramic capacitor
(v) Paper capacitor
(vi) Electrolytic capacitor

[one marks each for any four correct answers]

b) For the arrangement shown in the diagram, find

(i) The equivalent capacitance of the circuit
(ii) The voltage across QR
(iii)The charge on each capacitor [12 marks]

2 F 15  F
R
Q

3 F

240V
Solution:
(i) The equivalent capacitance of the circuit
1 1 1 1 1 3 1 4
      or [2 marks]
Ceq 2  3 15 5 15 15 15

Page 8 of 9
 15
Ceq   F  3.75  F
4
(ii) The voltage across QR
The charge flowing in the circuit is given by
 
Q  CeqV  3.75  106  240   9  104 C
Voltage across QR is given by
Q 9  104
VQR    60 V [2 marks]
15  106 15  106
(iii) The charge on each capacitor
Voltage across the capacitor connected in parallel is
V p  V  VQR  240  60  180 V [2 marks]
Charge on 2  F capacitor is
Q2 F   2 F  V p    2  106  180   3.6  104 C [2 marks]
Charge on 3  F capacitor is
Q2 F   2 F  V p    3  106  180   5.4  104 C [2 marks]
The charge on 15  F capacitor is
Q  CeqV   3.75  106   240   9  104 C [2 marks]

c) A small sphere is given a charge of  20  C and a second sphere of equal

diameter is given a charge of  5 C . The two spheres are allowed to touch
each other and are then spaced 10 cm apart. What force exists between
them? Assume air as the medium. [4 marks]
Solution:
When the two spheres touch each other, the resultant charge is:
 20   5  15  C [1 mark]
When the spheres are separated, charge on each sphere is:
15
Q1  Q 2  μ C  7.5 μC
2 [1 mark]
Hence, force between is
Q1Q2 (9  109 )(7.5  106 )(7.5  106 )
F    50.56 N repulsive
4 0r r 2 1  (0.1)2 [2 marks]

Page 9 of 9