Electric Potential & Electric Potential Energy

Electric Potential &
Electric Potential
Energy
Electric Potential Energy
 The electrostatic force is a conservative
(=“path independent”) force
 It is possible to define an electrical
potential energy function with this force
 Work done by a conservative force is
equal to the negative of the change in
potential energy
Work and Potential Energy
 There is a uniform field
between the two
plates
 As the positive charge
moves from A to B,
work is done
 WAB=F d=q E d
 ΔPE =-W AB=-q E d
 only for a uniform field
Potential Difference
(=“Voltage Drop”)
 The potential difference between points
A and B is defined as the change in the
potential energy (final value minus
initial value) of a charge q moved from
A to B divided by the size of the charge
 ΔV = V – V = ΔPE /q
B A
 Potential difference is not the same as
potential energy
Potential Difference, cont.
 Another way to relate the energy and the potential
difference: ΔPE = q ΔV
 Both electric potential energy and potential
difference are scalar quantities
 Units of potential difference
V = J/C
 A special case occurs when there is a uniform
electric field
 V – V = -Ed
B A
 Gives more information about units: N/C =
V/m
Energy and Charge
Movements
 A positive charge gains electrical potential
energy when it is moved in a direction opposite
the electric field
 If a charge is released in the electric field, it
experiences a force and accelerates, gaining
kinetic energy
 As it gains kinetic energy, it loses an equal amount
of electrical potential energy
 A negative charge loses electrical potential
energy when it moves in the direction opposite
the electric field
Energy and Charge
Movements, cont
 When the electric field is
directed downward, point
B is at a lower potential
than point A
 A positive test charge that
moves from A to B loses
electric potential energy
 It will gain the same
amount of kinetic energy
as it loses potential energy
Summary of Positive Charge
Movements and Energy
 When a positive charge is placed in an
electric field
 It moves in the direction of the field
 It moves from a point of higher potential to
a point of lower potential
 Its electrical potential energy decreases
 Its kinetic energy increases

Summary of Negative Charge
Movements and Energy
 When a negative charge is placed in an
electric field
 It moves opposite to the direction of the
field
 It moves from a point of lower potential to
a point of higher potential
 Its electrical potential energy decreases
 Its kinetic energy increases

Example: A proton moves from rest in an electric field of 8.0 104
V/m along the +x axis for 50 cm. Find a) the change in in the
electric potential, b) the change in the electrical potential energy,
and c) the speed after it has moved 50 cm.
a) V=-Ed=-(8.0104 V/m)(0.50 m)=-4.0104 V
b) PE=q V=(1.610-19 C)(-4.0 104 V)=-6.4 10-15 J
KEi+PEi=KEf+PEf, KEi=0
KEf=PEi-PEf=-PE,
mpv2/2=6.410-15 J
mp=1.6710-15 kg
2(6.4  10 15 J ) 6
v  27
 2 . 8  10 m/s
1.67  10 kg
16.2 Electric Potential of a
Point Charge
 The point of zero electric potential is
taken to be at an infinite distance from
the charge
 The potential created by a point charge
q at any distance r from the charge is
q
V  ke if r, V=0 and if r=0, V 
r
V decreases as 1/r, and, as
a consequence, E
decreases 1/r2.
Electric Potential of an electric
Dipole
+q
-q
Electric Potential of Multiple
Point Charges
 Superposition principle applies
 The total electric potential at some
point P due to several point charges is
the algebraic sum of the electric
potentials due to the individual charges
 The algebraic sum is used because
potentials are scalar quantities
Electrical Potential Energy of
Two Charges
 V1 is the electric potential
due to q1 at some point P1
 The work required to bring
q2 from infinity to P1
without acceleration is
q2E1d=q2V1
 This work is equal to the
potential energy of the
two particle system
q1q2
PE  q2V1  k e
r
Notes About Electric Potential
Energy of Two Charges
 If the charges have the same sign, PE is
positive
 Positive work must be done to force the two
charges near one another
 The like charges would repel
 If the charges have opposite signs, PE is
negative
 The force would be attractive
 Work must be done to hold back the unlike charges
from accelerating as they are brought close
together
Example: Finding the Electric
Potential at Point P (apply V=keq/r).
6
9 2 2 5 .0  10 C
V1  (8.99  10 Nm / C )  1.12  10 4 V,
4. 0 m
9 2 2 (2.0  10 6 C)
V2  (8.99  10 Nm / C )  3.60  10 3 V
(3.0m) 2  (4.0m) 2
Superposition: Vp=V1+V2
Vp=1.12104 V+(-3.60103 V)=7.6103 V
5.0 C -2.0 C
Problem Solving with Electric
Potential (Point Charges)
 Remember that potential is a scalar quantity
 So no components to worry about
 Use the superposition principle when you
have multiple charges
 Take the algebraic sum
 Keep track of sign
 The potential is positive if the charge is positive
and negative if the charge is negative
 Use the basic equation V = keq/r
Potentials and Charged
Conductors
 W =-PE= -q(VB – VA) , no work is required
to move a charge between two points that
are at the same electric potential  W=0
when VA=VB
 All points on the surface of a charged
conductor in electrostatic equilibrium are at
the same potential
 Therefore, the electric potential is a
constant everywhere on the surface of a
charged conductor in equilibrium
Overview: Conductors in Equilibrium
 The conductor has an excess
of positive charge
 All of the charge resides at the
surface
 E = 0 inside the conductor
 The electric field just outside
the conductor is perpendicular
to the surface
 The potential is a constant
everywhere on the surface of
the conductor
 The potential everywhere
inside the conductor is
constant and equal to its value
at the surface
The Electron Volt
 The electron volt (eV) is defined as the
energy that an electron (or proton) gains
when accelerated through a potential
difference of 1 V
 Electrons in normal atoms have energies of 10’s of
eV
 Excited electrons have energies of 1000’s of eV
 High energy gamma rays have energies of millions
of eV
 1 V=1 J/C  1 eV = 1.6 x 10-19 J
Equipotential Surfaces
 An equipotential surface is a surface on

which all points are at the same
potential
 No work is required to move a charge at a
constant speed on an equipotential surface
 The electric field at every point on an
equipotential surface is perpendicular to
the surface
Equipotentials and Electric
Fields Lines (Positive Charge):
 The equipotentials
for a point charge
are a family of
spheres centered on
the point charge
 The field lines are
perpendicular to the
electric potential at
all points
Equipotentials and Electric
Fields Lines (Dipole):
 Equipotential lines
are shown in blue
 Electric field lines
are shown in
orange
 The field lines are
perpendicular to
the equipotential
lines at all points

Electric Potential & Electric Potential Energy

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Electric Potential &

 Its kinetic energy increases

 Its kinetic energy increases

 An equipotential surface is a surface on

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