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Q.Assertion (A): Equal amount of positive and negative charges are distributed uniformly on two halves of a thin circular ring as shown in figure. The resultant electric field at the centre O of the ring is along OC.
Reason (R): It is so because the net potential at O is not zero.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true but R is false.
(D) Both A and R are false.

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2024MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
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LONG_ANSWER

The upper half of the ring (containing +q, near A) and the lower half (containing -q, near C) both produce a field at O pointing from A towards C -- so the resultant field at O genuinely is along OC. Assertion (A) is true. But equal and opposite charges at the same distance from O contribute equal and opposite potentials that exactly cancel, so the net potential at O is zero -- the opposite of what Reason (R) claims. Option (C).

Field and potential at the centre of an oppositely-charged half-ring pair

The ring is split into two halves: the upper half (through A) carries uniformly-distributed charge +q+q, and the lower half (through C) carries uniformly-distributed charge −q-q (the figure shows ++ symbols on the upper arc and ×\times/plain marks on the lower arc).

Checking Assertion (A) -- the field direction. Each small element of the positive (upper) half repels a test charge at O, pushing it away from the positive arc -- i.e. from A towards C. Each element of the negative (lower) half attracts a test charge at O towards itself -- i.e. also from A towards C. Both halves' contributions point the same way, straight from A to C, so the two add constructively along a single line: the resultant field at O is indeed directed along OC. A is true. …

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