Chapter 16

Electrical Energy and Capacitance

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 OBJECTIVES

With the concept of electric potential in hand, we

can begin to understand electric circuits, starting
with an investigation of common circuit elements
called capacitors.

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LESSONS TOPICS

16.1 Potential Difference and Electric Potential

16.2 Electric Potential and Potential Energy Due to
Point Charges
16.3 Potentials and Charged Conductors
16.4 Equipotential Surfaces
16.6 Capacitance

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16.1 Potential Difference and
Electric Potential

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 Electric Potential Energy
The change in the electric potential energy of a
system consisting of an object of charge q moving
through a displacement ∆x in a constant electric
field 𝐄 is given by:

where 𝐄𝐱 is the component of the

electric field in the x-direction and
∆x = 𝑥𝑓 − 𝑥𝑖

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Remark-Potential energy is a characteristic of the
charge-field system due to an interaction between
the field and a charge placed in the field.

■ Quick Quiz 16.1

If an electron is released from rest in a uniform electric
field, does the electric potential energy of the charge–
field system
(a) increase,
(b) decrease, or
(c) Remain the same?

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EXAMPLE-16.1 Potential Energy
Differences in an Electric Field
A proton is released from rest at x = − 2.00 cm in a
constant electric field with magnitude 1.50 × 103 N/C,
pointing in the positive x-direction. (a) Calculate the change
in the electric potential energy associated with the proton
when it reaches x = 5.00 cm. (b) An electron is now fired in
the same direction from the same position. What is the
change in electric potential energy associated with the
electron if it reaches x = 12.0 cm? (c) If the direction of the
electric field is reversed and an electron is released from
rest at x = 3.00 cm, by how much has the electric potential
energy changed when the electron reaches x = 7.00 cm?
Solution
∆𝑥 = 5cm −(−2 cm) = 7 𝑐𝑚 = 7 × 10−2 m
E = +1.50 = 103 N/C
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(a) ∆PE = −qEx ∆x
= −(1.6× 10−19 C)(1.50 × 103 N/C)(7 × 10−2 m)
= −1.68× 10−17 J

(b) ∆𝑥 = 12cm −(−2 cm) = 14 𝑐𝑚 = 14 × 10−2 m

for electron
∆PE = qEx ∆x
= (1.6× 10−19 C)(1.50 × 103 N/C)(14 × 10−2 m)
= 3.36× 10−17 J

(c) ∆𝑥 = 7cm −(3 cm) = 4 𝑐𝑚 = 4 × 10−2 m

E = −1.50 = 103 N/C and, for electron
∆PE = qEx ∆x
= (1.6× 10−19 C)(−1.50 × 103 N/C)(4 × 10−2 m)
= −9.6× 10−17 J Department of Physics 8
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Electric potential difference or
Voltage

 Voltage is the work to be done, upon an unit charge

to move between two points, against a static electric
field.
 A voltage which is a measure of electric potential
difference, is the cause of electrical current to flow
in a closed circuit.
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 Potential Difference
The electric potential difference ∆ V
between points A and B is the change
in electric potential energy as a
charge q moves from A to B divided
by the charge q:

SI unit: joule per coulomb, or volt ( J/C, or V)

∆PE = q∆V

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Remark-Electric potential is characteristic
of the field only, independent of a test charge that
may be placed in that field.

 Released from rest, positive

charges accelerate spontaneously
from regions of high potential to
low potential.

 Negative charges do exactly the

opposite: released from rest,
they accelerate from regions of
low potential toward regions of
high potential.

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■ Quick Quiz 16.2
If a negatively charged particle is placed at rest in an
electric potential field that increases in the positive x-
direction, will the particle
(a) accelerate in the positive x-direction,
(b) accelerate in the negative x-direction, or
(c) remain at rest?

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EXAMPLE 16.3- TV Tubes and
Atom Smashers
In atom smashers (also known as cyclotrons and linear
accelerators) charged particles are accelerated in much the
same way they are accelerated in TV tubes: through
potential differences. Suppose a proton is injected at a
speed of 1.00 × 106 m/s between two plates 5.00 cm apart,
as shown in Figure. The proton subsequently accelerates
across the gap and exits through the opening. (a) What
must the electric potential difference be if the exit speed is
to be 3.00 × 106 m/s ? (b) What is the magnitude of the
electric field between the plates, assuming it’s constant?
Solution
𝑣𝑖 = 1.00 × 106 m/s
𝑣𝑓 = 3.00 × 106 m/s
∆𝑥 =5.00 cm= 5 × 106 m/s
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16.2 Electric Potential and Potential
Energy Due to Point Charges

 Electric potential
The electric potential due to a point charge q at
distance r from the point charge is:

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 Electric potential energy
The electric potential energy of a pair of point charges
separated by distance r is:

The electric potential of two or more charges is

obtained by applying the superposition principle.

 Superposition principle
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.

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EXAMPLE 16.4 Finding the Electric
Potential
A 5.00 μC point charge is at the origin, and a point charge
𝑞2 = −2.00 μ𝐶 is on the x-axis at (3.00, 0) m, as in Figure.
(a) If the electric potential is taken to be zero at infinity,
find the electric potential due to these charges at point P
with coordinates (0, 4.00) m. (b) How much work is
required to bring a third point charge of 4.00 μC from
infinity to P ?
Solution
𝑞1 = 5.00 × 10−6 C
𝑞2 = −2.00 × 10−6 C
𝑟1 = 4.0 m
𝑟2 = 42 + 32 = 5.0 m
𝑉𝑝 = ?
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 𝑞
V= 𝑘𝑒
𝑟

b q3 = 4.00 × 10−6 C
W=?

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16.3 Potentials and Charged
Conductors
The electric potential at all points on a charged
conductor can be determined by combining two
equations:

-------(1)

∆𝑃𝐸 = 𝑞∆𝑉 -------(2)

W = −𝑞∆𝑉

 No net work is required to move a charge between

two points that are at the same electric potential.

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Charged Conductors
An arbitrarily shaped conductor with
an excess positive charge:

 All points on the surface of a charged

conductor in electrostatic equilibrium
are at the same potential.

 The electric potential is a constant

everywhere on the surface of a charged
conductor in equilibrium.

 The electric potential is constant

everywhere inside a conductor and
equal to that same value at the
surface.
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 The Electron Volt
The electron volt is defined as the energy that an
electron (or proton) gains when accelerated through
a potential difference of 1 V. The conversion between
electron volts and joules is

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 16.4 Equipotential Surface
 Every point on the surface of a charged conductor
in electrostatic equilibrium is at the same potential.
Further, the potential is constant everywhere inside
the conductor and equals its value on the surface.

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The electric field is always oriented perpendicular
to an equipotential surface.

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16.6 Capacitance
 Capacitor
A capacitor is a device used in a variety of electric
circuits, such as to tune the frequency of radio
receivers, eliminate sparking in automobile ignition
systems, or store short-term energy for rapid release
in electronic flash units.

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Structure of a capacitor

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 Capacitance
The capacitance C of a capacitor is the ratio of the
magnitude of the charge on either conductor (plate) to
the magnitude of the potential difference between the
conductors (plates):

SI unit: farad (F) = coulomb per volt (C/V)

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Assignment- 6
Problem No-
1,2,6,7,8,
11,12,13,15,
26,28,60.
Total-(12)

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