Batteries and Potential Difference.

A battery is a device that stores positive charge on one

of its terminals and negative charge on the other
terminal.
Electric Potential Energy.
Potential energy can be defined as the capacity for
doing work which arises from position.
In the electrical case, a charge will exert a force on any
other charge and potential energy arises from any
collection of charges.
For example, if a positive charge Q
1
is fixed at some
point in space, any other positive charge which is
broght close to it will experience a replsive force
and will therefore have potential energy. !he potential
energy of a test charge Q
"
in the vicinity of this sorce
charge will be#
r
Q Q
k x Force Energy
" 1
distance = =
Electric Potential.
At a point in space, the electric potential is the
potential energy per nit of charge that is associated
with a static electric field. It is a scalar $antity,
typically measred in volts.
r
Q
k
Q
r
Q Q
k
P
"
" 1
%harge
&nergy Potential
point a at otential = =
Potential at a point is defined as the work done in
moving a charge of 1 colomb from infinity to that
point. 'ymbol for potential at the point A is
(
A
!he difference in electrical potential between two
points is known as the potential difference or voltage.
Potential Difference between two charged metal
plates A and B
A )
* +
!he electric field that exists between two metal plates
is niform except at the edges. %heck the diagrams for
the electric field lines.
If an electron , +ve charge - were moved from the
positive plate A to the negative plate ), work wold
have to be done to overcome the force of replsion
between the +ve electron and the +vely charge metal
plate at ).
!his work wold be stored in the election as potential
energy as long as the election remains at plate ). !his
is also tre if a *ve charge is moved from plate ) to A.
)ecase of this change in potential energy we say that
there is a difference in potential or potential difference
, p.d. - between the plates.
!he potential difference in this context is an indication
of the amont of work that wold be done in moving a
charge between two points.
!he '.I. nit of potential difference is called the (olt
and the potential difference is also called voltage.
!he nit (olt is defined as follows # !here is a
potential difference of 1 (olt between two points when
1 .ole of work has to be done to move 1 %olomb of
charge between the two points.
(
A )
is symbol for the potential difference between A
and )
/ote also (
A)
0 (
A
+ (
)

1elationship between potential difference ( and work
done ,energy- is given by
2314 53/& 0 Q . (.
1elationship between &lectric Field Intensity , & - and
Potential ( at a distance of r,m- from a point charge is
given by
r E V . =
1elationship between &lectric Field Intensity , & - and
Potential difference ( between two parallel charge
metal plates a distance d ,m- apart is given by
d E V . =
Also it is important to note that Potential or Potential
difference is a scalar $antity and this is always the
case the
if Q is +ve then the potential is negative and
if Q is *ve then the potential is positive.
&lectric 5ipole# &$al and opposite point charges a
distance r ,m- apart.
Q
1
Q
"
r ,m-
&xample 1.An electric dipole has a positive charge of
"6% and a length of 6.7mm.
%alclate ,i- the electric force between the two
charges
,ii- &lectric field intensity at the midpoint ,A- of the
dipole.
,iii- !he potential at the midpoint.
Q
1
A Q
"
r ,m-
Q
1
0 * "6x16
+8
% Q
"
0 + "6x16
+8
%
,i- 9se %olomb:s ;aw to calclate the vale of the
force i.e. magnitde
F 0 1 |Q
1
| |Q
"
|
< r
"
0 = x 16
=
"6 x 16
+8
x "6 x 16
+8
,7 x 16
+<
-
"
0 1.<< x 16
>
/
,ii- !o calclate the total electric field intensity at the
midpoint of the dipole we will calclate the field
strength de to each point charge individally first and
then calclate the total by adding the two vales
together remembering that there are each vectors and
so they have to be added as sch.
&
1A
0 !he electric field intensity at the midpoint A of
the dipole de to the charge Q
1
a distance
".7 mm from A
&
"A
0 !he electric field intensity at the midpoint A of
the dipole de to the charge Q
"
a distance
".7 mm from A
As & is a vector $antity we need to calclate its
magnitde and its direction
|& | 0 k |Q|
r
"
|&
1A
| 0 k |Q
1
|
r
"
0 =x16
=
,"6 x16
+8
-
,".7 x16
+<
-
"
0 ".?? x 16
1"
/ %
+1
Acting Away from Q
1
|&
"A
| 0 k |Q
"
|
r
"
0 =x16
=
,"6 x16
+8
-
,".7 x16
+<
-
"
0 ".?? x 16
1"
/ %
+1
Acting towards Q
"
'o the directions of &
1A
and &
"A
are the same i.e. away
from Q
1
and towards Q
"
are the same direction so the
total vale of
&
A
0 ".?? x 16
1"
/ %
+1
* ".?? x 16
1"
/ %
+1
&
A
0 7.88 x 16
1"
/ %
+1
!owards Q
"
1ecall adding two vectors in the same direction.
,iii- !o calclate the potential at A
since Q
1
is a positive charge it cases a positive
potential
(
1A
0 &
1A
. r 0 ".?? x 16
1"
, ".7 x16
+<
-
0 >." x 16
?
(olts
As Q
"
is a negative charge it cases a negative
potential.
(
"A
0 &
"A
. r 0 + ".?? x 16
1"
,".7 x16
+<
-
0 + >." x 16
?
(olts
(
A
0 (
1A
* (
"A
0 6 (
Problem 'heet &lectrostatics.
1. %alclate ,a- !he electric field intensity in air at a
distance of @6 cm from a point charge of 7 n%. ,b-
!he force acting on a charge of <66% placed at @6cm
from the original charge.
". A dipole has a positive charge of 8% and a length
of 6."mm
%alclate ,a- !he force acting on the +ve charge ,b-
!he electric field intensity and the electric potential at
the midpoint of the dipole. ,c- !he electric field
intensity at a distance of 6.7mm beyond the *ve
charge.
@. !wo parallel plates have a p.d. of 766 k( placed
across them. !he plates are "6cm apart. %alclate ,a-
!he electric field intensity between the plates ,b- !he
force acting on an electron placed between the plates
given that e 0 1.8 x 16
+1=
%.
,c- Aow long will it take an electron starting from one
plate to reach the other plate m
e
, mass of electron - 0
= x 16
+@1
kg.
<. A dipole has a positive charge of 1.8 x 16
+1=
% and a
length of " x

16
+16
m
%alclate ,a- !he force acting on the +ve charge ,b-
!he electric field intensity and the electric potential at
the midpoint of the dipole , point A -. ,c- !he electric
field intensity and the electric potential at a distance of
16 x 16
+16
m beyond the *ve charge , point ) -.
7. An electric field is maintained between two parallel
metal plates by a p.d. of 1666 (. A charge of 1 x 16
+17
% is moved between the plates by the forces of the
field which exists between the plates. !he plates are
"6 mm apart.
,a- Aow mch work is done in moving the charge
from one plate to another
,b- %alclate the field strength in / %
+1
,c- %alclate the field strength in ( m
+1