Scribd
Upload
51 views13 pages

Electric Potential and Circuits Overview

1. The document discusses electric potential and circuits, focusing on electric potential energy, electric potential, equipotential surfaces, conductors, and potential gradient. 2. It defines electric potential as potential energy per unit charge and provides formulas to calculate potential for point charges and continuous charge distributions. 3. Equipotential surfaces represent locations in space where electric potential is the same, and field lines are always perpendicular to equipotential surfaces. Conductors have zero electric field inside and conductive surfaces form equipotential surfaces.

Uploaded by

wcsuazo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
51 views13 pages

Electric Potential and Circuits Overview

1. The document discusses electric potential and circuits, focusing on electric potential energy, electric potential, equipotential surfaces, conductors, and potential gradient. 2. It defines electric potential as potential energy per unit charge and provides formulas to calculate potential for point charges and continuous charge distributions. 3. Equipotential surfaces represent locations in space where electric potential is the same, and field lines are always perpendicular to equipotential surfaces. Conductors have zero electric field inside and conductive surfaces form equipotential surfaces.

Uploaded by

wcsuazo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Electric Potential

Module 7 - Electric Potential and Circuits

PHYS 51 GHYZ | 1st Semester AY 2023-2024


Electric Potential and Circuits
Module 7

• CHAPTER 1: Electric Potential


At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Determine the electric potential energy associated with a collection of


point charges

2. Calculate the electric potential produced by a collection of point


charges
Recall: Electric Potential Energy
Two point charges

kqq0 1 qq0
U= =
r 4πϵ0 r
With several charges

q0 qi
4πϵ0 ∑
U=
i
ri

Images from Young, et al., Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics 13th Ed
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
- potential energy per unit charge
Electric potential due to a point charge q Electric potential due to a
collection of charges
kqq0
U r kq V=
1
4πϵ0 ∑
qi
V= = = i
ri
q0 q0 r Electric potential due to a
continuous charge distribution

Unit: 1 Volt (V) = 1 Joule per coulomb (J/C) 1 dq


4πϵ0 ∫ r
V=
Recall:
Wa→b = − ΔU = − (Ub − Ua) = Ua − Ub
q0 q0 q0 q0 q0
Potential Di erence
(or Voltage)
Wa→b
= Va Vb = Vab
q0

Images from Young, et al., Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics 13th Ed
ff
Recall:
⃗
∫
Wa→b = − F ⋅ d l ⃗

q0 q0

Va − Vb = − E ⃗ ⋅ d l ⃗
∫
Volt Newton Meter
per
coulomb
1 V/m = 1 N/C
Images from Young, et al., Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics 13th Ed
Recall:
Wa→b = − ΔU = Va − Vb
q0 q0

Ua − Ub = q0(Va − Vb) = q0Vab

e 1 Volt

−19
Electron volt 1eV = 1.602 × 10 J
Find the potential at any height y between
two oppositely charged parallel plates.

U(y) q0Ey
V(y) = = = Ey
q0 q0

Potential di erence between the plates

Vab = Va − Vb = Ed

Images from Young, et al., Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics 13th Ed
ff
EQUIPOTENTIAL SURFACES
- electric potential is the same at every point on the surface

Images from Young, et al., Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics 13th Ed
EQUIPOTENTIAL SURFACES
- electric potential is the same at every point on the surface

• Field lines and equipotential surfaces are always


mutually perpendicular.

• E need not be constant over an equipotential


surface.

Images from Young, et al., Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics 13th Ed
CONDUCTORS
What we know:

⃗
at all points inside a
E =0 conductor (otherwise,
charges would move)

• When charges are at rest, a conducting


surface is always an equipotential
surface.

• Since the electric eld is always


perpendicular to an equipotential
surface, eld lines are perpendicular to a
conductive surface,
Images from Young, et al., Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics 13th Ed
fi
fi
Potential Gradient
a b
⃗
∫b ∫a
Va − Vb = dV = − E ⋅ dl ⃗

b b
⃗
∫a ∫a
− dV = E ⋅ dl ⃗
E ⃗ = Ex i ̂ + Ey j ̂ + Ezk̂
⃗
Note:

−dV = E ⋅ d l ⃗ ⃗ ̂ ̂
d l = dx i + dy j + dzk ̂

−dV = Exdx + Eydy + Ezdz


Potential Gradient

( ∂x ∂z )
Ex = −
∂V ⃗
E =− i ̂ ∂V
+j ̂ ∂V
+k ̂ ∂V
∂x ∂y
∂V
( ∂x ∂z )
Gradient operator
∇ ⃗ f = i ̂ + j ̂ + k̂
∂ ∂ ∂
Ey = − (“grad” or “del”) ∂y
f
∂y
∂V ⃗ ⃗
E = − ∇V
Ez = −
∂z
( ∂x ∂z )
∇ ⃗ V = i ̂ + j ̂ + k̂
Potential ∂ ∂ ∂
gradient V
∂y

You might also like