Electric Potential

and Equipotentials

U = qV
 Electrical Potential
Review:
Wa → b = work done by force in going from a to b along path. b
b r r b r r
Wa → b = ∫ F • dl = ∫ qE • dl F
a a
b r r
ΔU = U a − U b = Wa → b = ∫ qE • dl θ
a a
dl
U = potential energy

ΔU U a − U b Wa → b b r r
ΔV = Va − Vb = = = = ∫ E • dl
q q q a

• Potential difference is the work done per unit charge by the

electric field as the charge moves from a to b.
• Only changes in V are important; can choose zero at any point.
Let Vb = 0 at b = infinity and Va → V, then:

∞ r r V = electric potential
V =∫ E • dl
r allows us to calculate V
everywhere if we know E
 Potential from charged spherical shell

• E-field (from Gauss' Law) V

q q
• r < R: Er = 0 4πε0 R 4πε0 r

• r >R: q 1
Er = R r
4 πε 0 r 2
R

• Potential R

• r > R:
∞ r r ∞ 1 q q
V =∫ E • dl = ∫ E r dr =
r r 4πε 0 r
• r < R:
∞ r r ∞ R ∞ 1 q
V = ∫ E • dl = ∫ E r dr = ∫ E r dr + ∫ E r dr = 0 +
r r r R 4πε 0 R
Outside: same as point charge at center!
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL for Charged Spherical Conductor

Suppose we have a charged q

Metal sphere with charge q.

What is the electric potential

as a function of radius r?

The potential is constant

inside a conductor.
 Lecture 10, ACT 1
1 A point charge Q is fixed at the a
center of an uncharged conducting Q
spherical shell of inner radius a
and outer radius b.
b
– What is the value of the potential Va at
the inner surface of the spherical shell?
1 Q 1 Q
(a) Va = 0 (b) Va = (c) Va =
4 πε 0 a 4 πε 0 b
 Eout
Lecture 10, ACT 1
1 A point charge Q is fixed at the
center of an uncharged conducting a
spherical shell of inner radius a Q
and outer radius b.
– What is the value of the potential Va at b
the inner surface of the spherical shell?
1 Q 1 Q
(a) V a = 0 (b) Va =
4 πε 0 a (c) Va =
4 πε b
0

• How to start?? The only thing we know about the potential is

∞ r r
its definition:
Va ≡ Va − V∞ = ∫ E • dl
a
• To calculate Va, we need to know the electric field E
• Outside the spherical shell: r Q rˆ
E=
• Apply Gauss’ Law to sphere: 4πε 0 r 2
• Inside the spherical shell: E=0
∞ r r b r r 1 Q 1 Q
Va = ∫ E • dl + ∫ E • dl Va = +0 Va =
a 4πε 0 b 4 πε 0 b
b
Preflight 6:

Two spherical conductors are separated by a large distance.

They each carry the same positive charge Q. Conductor A has a
larger radius than conductor B.

A
B

2) Compare the potential at the surface of conductor A

with the potential at the surface of conductor B.
a) VA > VB b) VA = VB c) VA < VB
 Electrical Potential
Two ways to find V at any point in space:
• Use electric field: ∞ r r
V = ∫ E • dl
r
• Sum or Integrate over charges:
q1
r1 P
1 qi
q2 r2
r3
V= ∑i 4πε r
0 i

q3
For charge distribution: P treat like E from charge distribution
r
1 dq but scalar
4πε 0 ∫ r
dq V=
Q addition

Examples of integrating over a distribution of charge:

• line of charge – see next slides
• ring of charge – see next slides
• disk of charge
Be able to do these.
 Continuous Charge Distributions
Fun with calculus.
Example: V on the axis of a line of charge.

V at P?
r P
x dq
Q x0 x
0 V
L dx
1 dq
dV = r = ( x0 − x); dq = λ dx
4πε 0 r
1 λ dx λ
dV = L dx
4πε 0 ( x0 − x)
V =
4πε 0 ∫
0 ( x0 − x)

Integrate using substitution λ ⎛ x0 ⎞

of variables: u = x0 – x; du = -dx V = ln⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
4πε 0 ⎝ ( x0 − L) ⎠
 Continuous Charge Distributions
Example: V on axis of a ring of charge.

V at P? dq y
r = x 2
+ a 2
a P
dq 1 Q
dV = x
4πε 0 r 0 x
z
1 dq
dV =
4πε 0 x 2 + a 2

1 dq 1 Q
V =
4πε 0 ∫ x +a
2 2
=
4πε 0 x + a
2 2 ∫ dq = 4πε x2 + a2
0

Result for x = 0?

Result for x >> a?

 Potential from a charged sphere

1 q
V (r) =
4πε0 r
Er
(where V (∞) ≡ 0 )

Equipotential
• The electric field of the charged sphere has spherical symmetry.
• The potential depends only on the distance from the center of the
sphere, as is expected from spherical symmetry.
• Therefore, the potential is constant on a sphere which is
concentric with the charged sphere. These surfaces are called
equipotentials.
• Notice that the electric field is perpendicular to the equipotential
surface at all points.
 Equipotentials
Defined as: The locus of points with the same potential.
• Example: for a point charge, the equipotentials are spheres centered on
the charge.

The electric field is always perpendicular

to an equipotential surface!
A r r
Why?? VB − V A = ∫ E • dl
B
Along the surface, there is NO change in V (it’s an equipotential!)
Therefore,
Ar r
∫ E • dl = ΔV = 0
B
r r
We can conclude then, that E • dl is zero.

If the dot product of the field vector and the displacement vector is zero,
then these two vectors are perpendicular, or the electric field is always
perpendicular to the equipotential surface.
EXAMPLES of Equipotential Lines
 Conductors
+ + +
+ +
+
+
+
+ +
+ + +
+

• Claim
The surface of a conductor is always an
equipotential surface (in fact, the entire
conductor is an equipotential).

• Why??

If surface were not equipotential, there would be

an electric field component parallel to the surface
and the charges would move!!
Preflight 10:

A B

3) The two conductors are now connected by a wire. How do the

potentials at the conductor surfaces compare now ?

a) VA > VB b) VA = VB c) VA < VB

4) What happens to the charge on conductor A after it is

connected to conductor B ?

a) QA increases
b) QA decreases
c) QA doesn’t change
 Charge on Conductors?
• How is charge distributed on the surface of a conductor?
– KEY: Must produce E=0 inside the conductor and E normal to the
surface .

Spherical example (with little off-center charge):

+ + + E=0 inside conducting shell.

+ - -- +
+ - -- + charge density induced on
- inner surface non-uniform.
+q -
+ - - +
- - + charge density induced on
+ - - - outer surface uniform
+ +
+ + +
E outside has spherical
symmetry centered on spherical
conducting shell.
 Equipotential Example
• Field lines more closely
spaced near end with most
curvature – higher E-field

• Field lines ⊥ to surface

near the surface (since
surface is equipotential).

• Near the surface,

equipotentials have similar
shape as surface.

• Equipotentials will look

more circular (spherical) at
large r.