$A$ tiny spherical oil drop carrying a net charge $q$ is balanced in still air with a vertical uniform electric field of strength $\frac{81 \pi}{7} \times 10^5 \text{ Vm}^{-1}$. When the field is switched off,the drop is observed to fall with a terminal velocity $2 \times 10^{-3} \text{ ms}^{-1}$. Given $g = 9.8 \text{ ms}^{-2}$,viscosity of the air $\eta = 1.8 \times 10^{-5} \text{ Ns m}^{-2}$,and the density of oil $\rho = 900 \text{ kg m}^{-3}$,the magnitude of $q$ is:

$A$ circular ring carries a uniformly distributed positive charge. The electric field $(E)$ and potential $(V)$ vary with distance $(r)$ from the centre of the ring along its axis as:

Answer the following:
$(a)$ The top of the atmosphere is at about $400 \; kV$ with respect to the surface of the earth,corresponding to an electric field that decreases with altitude. Near the surface of the earth,the field is about $100 \; Vm^{-1}$. Why then do we not get an electric shock as we step out of our house into the open? (Assume the house to be a steel cage so there is no field inside!)
$(b)$ $A$ man fixes outside his house one evening a two-metre-high insulating slab carrying on its top a large aluminium sheet of area $1 \; m^2$. Will he get an electric shock if he touches the metal sheet next morning?
$(c)$ The discharging current in the atmosphere due to the small conductivity of air is known to be $1800 \; A$ on an average over the globe. Why then does the atmosphere not discharge itself completely in due course and become electrically neutral? In other words,what keeps the atmosphere charged?
$(d)$ What are the forms of energy into which the electrical energy of the atmosphere is dissipated during lightning?

Two small conducting spheres of equal radius have charges of $10\ \mu C$ and $-20\ \mu C$ respectively and are placed at a distance $R$ from each other,experiencing a force $F_1$. If they are brought in contact and then separated to the same distance,the new force between them is $F_2$. Find the ratio $F_1 : F_2$.

The dimension of $\frac{1}{2} \varepsilon_0 E^2$,where $\varepsilon_0$ is the permittivity of free space and $E$ is the electric field,is:

Answer carefully:
$(a)$ Two large conducting spheres carrying charges $Q_{1}$ and $Q_{2}$ are brought close to each other. Is the magnitude of electrostatic force between them exactly given by $Q_{1} Q_{2} / 4 \pi \varepsilon_{0} r^{2}$,where $r$ is the distance between their centres?
$(b)$ If Coulomb's law involved $1/r^{3}$ dependence (instead of $1/r^{2}$),would Gauss's law be still true?
$(c)$ $A$ small test charge is released at rest at a point in an electrostatic field configuration. Will it travel along the field line passing through that point?
$(d)$ What is the work done by the field of a nucleus in a complete circular orbit of the electron? What if the orbit is elliptical?
$(e)$ We know that electric field is discontinuous across the surface of a charged conductor. Is electric potential also discontinuous there?
$(f)$ What meaning would you give to the capacitance of a single conductor?
$(g)$ Guess a possible reason why water has a much greater dielectric constant $(=80)$ than,say,mica $(=6)$?