LECTURE 8

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ENERGY

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Objectives

Calculate the
Calculate the potential minimum work
energy of a system of needed to assemble a
point charges system of point
charges
Recall (from Physics 71)
1. When a force 𝐹Ԧ acts on a particle,
Point b

the work 𝑊𝑎→𝑏 done BY the force is

𝑏 𝑏
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = ‫𝐹 𝑎׬‬Ԧ ⋅ d𝑙Ԧ = ‫𝐹 𝑎׬‬ d𝑙 cos𝜙
where 𝜙 is the angle between the vectors.

Point a

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Recall (from Physics 71)
2. If 𝐹Ԧ is a conservative
force, the work done is
given by
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝑈𝑎 − 𝑈𝑏
= −(𝑈𝑏 −𝑈𝑎 )
= −Δ𝑈

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Recall (from Physics 71)
3. Work-energy theorem:
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝐾𝑏 − 𝐾𝑎 = Δ𝐾
Work due to conservative forces only:
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = −Δ𝑈 = Δ𝐾
𝐾𝑏 + 𝑈𝑏 = 𝐾𝑎 + 𝑈𝑎

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ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY IN A
UNIFORM FIELD
𝑦𝑎 → 𝑦𝑏 :
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = − 𝑈𝑏 − 𝑈𝑎
= 𝑞0 𝐸(𝑦𝑎 − 𝑦𝑏 )
Work that is done by electric
field when charge moves
from a to b
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Case 1:

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Case 2:

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ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY IN A
UNIFORM FIELD
In general, whether test charge qo is positive or negative,

• U increases if qo moves in the direction opposite to that of the

electric force.
• Negative work done by electric field
• U decreases if qo moves in the direction similar to that of the
electric force.
• Positive work done by electric field

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 TWO DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝑈𝑎 − 𝑈𝑏
• Work that is done by electric field when charge moves
from a to b
• Work that must be done by an external force to move
the charge slowly from b to a against electric force

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Work done by the electric field
in moving a point charge from a to b
b

Minimum work done by an external force

in moving a point charge from a to b
2
1
For both paths 1 and 2:
The same amount of work is done by the a
electric field and by external force.

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 But…
What is Ua and Ub?

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The electric potential energy of a
q3
point charge anywhere in space is q2 b
the potential energy
corresponding to its interactions
with all other charges. q 4 r2 2
r3 1
r4
q
Electric potential energy at point a
associated with qo:
o
q1 r1 a

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 q3 s3
q2 b
s2
q4 s4 2
1
s1
Electric potential energy at qo
point b associated with qo:
q1
a

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ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY, U
In general, the potential energy of a single charge
due to an 𝑛 number of charges is given by q3

qn r3
q1
rn
r1
U is always defined relative to some r2
r4
q2
q4
reference point where

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 We also talk about the electric potential energy U
associated in assembling charges from infinity
(from ∞ )
(from ∞ )
q2 q1

Enumerating unique pairs of interacting charges, we get the total potential energy to assemble the charges as shown
above:
𝑞1 𝑞2
𝑈=𝑘
𝑟12

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 We also talk about the electric potential energy U
associated in assembling charges from infinity
(from ∞ )
(from ∞ )
q2 q1
(from ∞ )
q3

Enumerating unique pairs of interacting charges, we get the total potential energy to assemble the charges as shown
above:
𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞1 𝑞3 𝑞2 𝑞3
𝑈=𝑘 + +
𝑟12 𝑟13 𝑟23

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 We also talk about the electric potential energy U
associated in assembling charges from infinity
(from ∞ )
(from ∞ )
q2 q1
(from ∞ )
q3 q4 (from ∞ )

Enumerating unique pairs of interacting charges, we get the total potential energy to assemble the charges as shown
above:
𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞1 𝑞3 𝑞2 𝑞3 𝑞1 𝑞4 𝑞2 𝑞4 𝑞3 𝑞4
𝑈=𝑘 + + + + +
𝑟12 𝑟13 𝑟23 𝑟14 𝑟24 𝑟34

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ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY, U
Electric potential energy U associated in assembling charges from
infinity

In general,
𝑖 < 𝑗 to avoid overcounting
(i.e. 𝑞1 𝑞2 /𝑟12 and 𝑞2 𝑞1 /𝑟21 counted
only once)

▪ total potential energy of the system of charges

▪ total work done by an external force in assembling the
charges from infinity
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NOTE:
While the electric force and the electric potential energy due to a
point charge have similar forms, solving them requires different
approaches.

The direction of the electric force depends on whether the

interaction is attractive or repulsive.

The sign of the electric potential energy depends on the sign of the
charges themselves.
Examples

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Example
Two point charges are located on the x-axis, 𝑞1 = −𝑒 at 𝑥 =
0 and 𝑞2 = +𝑒 at 𝑥 = 𝑎.
(a) Find the work that must be done by an external force to bring a
third point charge 𝑞3 = 𝑒 from infinity to 𝑥 = 2𝑎.
(b) Find the work needed by an external force in assembling the
charges from infinity.

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(a) Find the work that must be done by an external force to
bring a third point charge 𝑞3 = 𝑒 from infinity to 𝑥 = 2𝑎.

0
𝑊𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝑈𝑏 − 𝑈𝑎

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(b) Find the work needed by an external force in assembling
the system from infinity.

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EXAMPLE
A point charge q1 = +Q is held stationary at the origin. A
second point charge q2 = -Q moves from the point 𝑑, 0 to
the point (0, 2𝑑). How much work is done by the electric
field in moving q2?
Work done by electric force when
charge moves from a to b

What is Ua? −𝑘𝑄 2 −𝑘𝑄 2 −𝑘𝑄 2

What is Ub? 𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = − =
𝑑 2𝑑 2𝑑
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EXAMPLE
Two charges are situated at two corners of an equilateral
triangle of side L as shown in the figure. How much work
by an external force does it take to bring in another charge
+q from infinity and place it on the third corner?

What is Ua?
What is Ub? Work done by external force when
charge moves from a to b

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EXAMPLE
Two charges are situated at two corners of an equilateral
triangle of side L as shown in the figure. How much work
by an external force does it take to bring in another charge
+q from infinity and place it on the third corner?

𝑈𝑎 = 0 −2𝑘𝑞 2
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝑈𝑏 − 𝑈𝑎 =
𝑞 −3𝑞 −2𝑘𝑞 2 𝐿
𝑈𝑏 = 𝑘𝑞 + =
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿

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TRY THIS
1. The electric potential energy of two point charges approaches zero as
the two point charges move farther away from each other.
If the three point charges shown here lie at the vertices of an equilateral
triangle, the electric potential energy of the system of three charges is
+q Charge #2
A. Positive
Charge #1
B. Negative +q

C. Zero y

D. Not enough information given to decide –q

x Charge #3
TRY THIS
2. The electric potential energy of two point charges approaches zero as
the two point charges move farther away from each other.
If the three point charges shown here lie at the vertices of an equilateral
triangle, the electric potential energy of the system of three charges is
–q Charge #2
A. Positive
Charge #1
B. Negative +q

C. Zero y

D. Not enough information given to decide –q

x Charge #3
TRY THIS - ANSWERS
1. For a system of 3 charges: where:
𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞2 𝑞3 𝑞1 𝑞3 q1 = q 2 = q
𝑈=𝑘 +𝑘 +𝑘 q3 = -q
𝑟12 𝑟23 𝑟13 r12 = r23 = r13 = r
𝑞𝑞 𝑞(−𝑞) 𝑞(−𝑞)
𝑈= 𝑘 +𝑘 + 𝑘
𝑟 𝑟 𝑟

𝑞2 −𝑞 2 −𝑞 2
𝑈= 𝑘 + 𝑘 + 𝑘
𝑟 𝑟 𝑟

−𝑞2
𝑈=𝑘 B. Negative
𝑟
TRY THIS - ANSWERS
2. For a system of 3 charges: where:
𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞2 𝑞3 𝑞1 𝑞3 q1 = q
𝑈=𝑘 +𝑘 +𝑘 q2 = q3 = -q
𝑟12 𝑟23 𝑟13 r12 = r23 = r13 = r
𝑞(−𝑞) (−𝑞)(−𝑞) 𝑞(−𝑞)
𝑈= 𝑘 + 𝑘 + 𝑘
𝑟 𝑟 𝑟

−𝑞 2 𝑞2 −𝑞 2
𝑈= 𝑘 + 𝑘 + 𝑘
𝑟 𝑟 𝑟

−𝑞2
𝑈=𝑘 B. Negative
𝑟