ELECTRIC

POTENTIAL
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN
GENERAL PHYSICS 2
STEM-SCIENCE UNIT
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Objectives
 Differentiate electric potential, electric potential
energy, and electric potential difference from
each other;
 Relate electric potential with work, potential
energy, and electric field;
 Evaluate the potential at any point in a region
containing point charges; and
 Calculate the electric field, electric potential,
electric potential energy, and electric potential
difference.
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Outline
 Electric Potential
 Electric Potential Difference
 Electric Potential Energy

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
 Fill in the blanks:
I have the potential to
__________________.

Padlet Recitation No. 1 (3 pts.)

3 minutes

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
QOTD: Question of the Day

When is a charged particle more

useful: at rest or when moved?
Why?

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
Electric potential (EP)
 amount of work done by an external
agent to bring a unit positive charge
(test charge) from a point of zero
potential to an arbitrary location where
there is a point charge.
 Symbol: V
 SI unit: Volts (V)
+
 Equivalent: 1 V = Joule per Coulomb
(J/C)
 Scalar

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential (EP)

V – electric potential (in Volts)

W – work done by an external agent (+W) or by the electric
field (-W) (in Joules)
q – unit positive charge (in Coulomb)
∆PE – change in Electric Potential Energy (in Joules)
(+∆PE when caused by external agent, -∆PE when caused
by electric field)
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential (EP)
kQ
W = Fd; Fe = Eq; E =
r2

kQ kQq
W = Eqd = 2 qd W=
r r
kQq kQq 1 kQ
V= r V=
r q V=
q r
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential (EP)

kQ
V=
r

V – electric potential (in Volts)

k – Coulomb’s constant
Q – point charge (in Coulombs)
r – distance between a certain point and the location of the
point charge (in meters)
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EP at a point (P) due to several point
charges (Q)
Vp – electric potential at
point P (in Volts)
k – Coulomb’s constant
Q – point charge (in
Coulombs)
r – distance between
point P and the location
kQ1 kQ 2 kQ n of the point charges (in
Vp = + + ⋯+ meters)
r1 r2 rn
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EP Sample Problem No. 1 (p.37 of textbook)

There is an electric potential of 120 V at a point

that is 0.25 m away from a charge. Find the
magnitude and sign of the charge.
GIVEN
V=
r=
k=

REQUIRED

Padlet Recitation No. 2

(2 pts.) 3 minutes
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EP Sample Problem No. 2 (University
Physics 16th Edition)

GIVEN
Q1 =
Q2 =
r1a = r2a =
r1b = r2b =
r1c = r2c =
k = 9 × 109 Nm2 /C2

Padlet Recitation No. 3

(3 pts.) 3 minutes
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
DIFFERENCE
Electric potential difference (EPD)
 is the work done in carrying a unit positive
charge from a point of lower potential to a point of
higher potential.

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential difference (EPD)
 is the work done in carrying a unit positive
charge from a point of lower potential to a point of
higher potential.

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential difference (EPD)
 Symbol: ∆V
 SI Unit: Volts (V)
 Equivalent: 1 V = Joule per Coulomb (J/C)
 Scalar

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential difference (EPD)
 is the work done in carrying a unit positive
charge from a point of lower potential to a point of
higher potential.

∆V – electric potential difference (in Volts)

V1 - electric potential at the point of lower
∆V = V2 − V1 potential (in Volts)
V2 - electric potential at the point of
higher potential (in Volts)

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential difference (EPD)
 is the work done in carrying a unit positive
charge from a point of lower potential to a point of
higher potential.

∆V – electric potential difference (in

W Volts)
∆V = W – work done (in Joules)
q
q – unit positive charge (in Coulomb)

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Electric potential difference (EPD)
 is the work done in carrying a unit positive
charge from a point of lower potential to a point of
higher potential.

W W
∆V = V2 − V1 ∆V = = V2 − V1
q q

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPD between parallel metal plates

W = Fd;
Fe = Eq;
W = Eqd

Eqd
∆V =
q
W
∆V =
q ∆V = Ed
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPD between parallel metal plates

∆V = Ed

∆V – EPD (in Volts)

E – electric field (in N/C)
d – distance between point of higher potential and point of
lower potential (in meters)
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPD created by point charges
∆V – EPD (in Volts)
k – Coulomb’s
constant
Q – point charge (in
Coulombs)
rA - distance from
point charge to
point A (in meters)
kQ kQ
∆V = VB − VA ∆V = − rB - distance from
rB rA point charge to
point B (in meters)
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPD Sample Problem No. 1 (University
Physics 16th Edition)

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPD Sample Problem No. 2 (University
Physics 16th Edition)

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ENERGY
Electric potential energy (EPE)
 energy stored due to the position of an electric
charge relative to another charge, a ground or
infinity.
 Symbol: ∆PE
 SI Unit: Joule (J)
 Scalar

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPE at a point due to a charge
kQq
∆PE =
r

∆PE – EPE (in Joules)

k – Coulomb’s constant
Q – point charge (in Coulombs)
q – test charge (in Coulombs)
r – distance between point charge and test charge (in
meters)
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPE of Several Charges

kQ1 Q 2 kQ1 Q 3 kQ 2 Q 3
ΣEPE = + +
r12 r13 r23

ΣEPE – total EPE (in Joules)

k – Coulomb’s constant
Qx Qy – paired point charges
(in Coulombs)
rxy – distance between
paired point charges (in
meters)
MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPE Sample Problem No. 1 (p.40 of textbook)

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
EPE Sample Problem No. 2 (University
Physics 16th Edition)

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN
Let’s Summarize!

MS. ALYSSA MARIE C. PAISAN | GENERAL PHYSICS 2 | STEM-SCIENCE UNIT | UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST - CALOOCAN