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The electric field intensity due to an electric dipole on its axis at a distance x (x a) and on its equatorial line at a distance y (y a) are the same. What is the ratio of x and y?

Asked in GUJCET 2021 · Dipole moment and dipole field

• (1) √[3]2:1
• (2) 2:1
• (3) 1:√[3]2
• (4) 1:2

Step-by-step solution

Why the other options are wrong

• (2) Forgets the cube root: the condition gives (x³)/(y³)=2, so x/y=√[3]2, not 2.
• (3) Inverts the ratio. At equal distances the axial field is twice the equatorial field, so for equal fields the axial point must be farther away: x>y.
• (4) Inverts the ratio and also drops the cube root. For equal fields x³=2y³, so x is the larger distance.

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