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Electric potential energy and Electric potential

Student guide page 22 section 2.3.

Cutnell page 569

Review page 569 as an introduction

Recall gravitational potential energy as the energy the body possesses by virtue of its position
relative to the surface of the earth.

Consider the positive test chargeq 0 that is placed at point A between two oppositely charged
plates. The test charge will experience an electric force F=q 0 E that is directed downwards

( positive test charge ) as the result of electric field existing in the region
between the plates. As the charge moves downwards from point A to B , work
is done by the electric gravitational force which is

Electric potential energy W AB =EPE A−EPE B ( The SI unit is joules)

The electrostatic force is conservative force hence the path A – B has no effect
on the results, it only depends on the charge.

The electric potential difference

Relating the work done W by the electric force when the charge q moves
AB 0

EPE
from A to B. Work per unit charge is called the electric potential and denoted by V = and
q0
the SI unit is joule per coulomb briefly known as volt. N.B. Electrical potential energy and
electrical potential are not the same since the electrical potential energy is measured in joules
and electric potential is measured in joules per coulomb (volts)

The electrical potential difference between points A and B .

EPE B EPE A EPE B −EPE A −W AB

V B−V A = − = =
q0 q0 q0 q0

∆( EPE )❑ −W AB
∆V = =
q0 q0

The negative sign indicates that the charge has higher electric potential at point A than at point
B.
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Example 1 page 571.

(a). determines the electrical potential energy which will be in Joules

(b). determines the electrical potential energy which will be in volts.

The positive test charge accelerated from a point of higher electric potential to a point B of
lower electric potential. A negative charge will accelerate from the lower potential to a higher
potential. Read page 571 given paragraph before example 2.

EXAMPLE 2 figure 19.3. Try to understand the explanation.

A positive test charge placed at point A will accelerate

towards B then C.

What about if it was a negative charge placed at point B?

Read page 572 for figure 19.4

Example 3 page 572

EPE B−EPE A W AB
V B−V A = =¿−
q0 q0

work W AB
and recall Power= =
time t

Pt =W AB=EPE A −EPE B

Pt
V A −V B =
q0

q0
Recall n=
e

Pt
V A −V B =
ne
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Pt
n=
(V A −V B )e

Page 595 exercises 6 and 7

Electron volt

The change in potential energy of an electron when the electron moves through a potential
difference (eV)

Hence one electron volt is the magnitude of the potential energy change when the electron
moves through a potential of 1 volt

eV =|q 0 ∆ V |=|(−1.6 ×10 C ) ×(1.00 V )|=1.60 × 10

−19 −19
J.

One million electron volt = 1 MeV

The Conservation of Energy

Example 4 page 574

Recall that mechanical energy is conserved if total non-conservative forces is zero.

Since the only forces acting on the particle are gravitational

force and electrostatic force which are both conservative forces then mechanical energy is
conserved.

Total energy = Translational kinetic energy + rotational kinetic energy + Gravitational potential
energy + Elastic potential energy + electric potential energy

1 2 1 2 1 2
E= m v + I ω +mgh+ k x + EPE
2 2 2

1 2 1 2
m ( v B ) + EPE B= m ( v A ) + EPE A
2 2
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1 2 1 2
m ( v B ) − m ( v A ) =EPE A−EPE B
2 2

Swapping – big subtract small.

EPE B−EPE A
(V ¿ ¿ B−V A )= ¿
q0

(V ¿ ¿ A−V B )q0 =EPE A −EPE B ¿

1 2 1 2
m ( v B ) − m ( v A ) =(V ¿ ¿ A−V B ) q 0 ¿
2 2

2
( vB) =
2(V ¿ ¿ A−V B)q 0
m
2

√
+ ( v A ) ¿( v B )❑ =
2(V ¿ ¿ A−V B )q0
m
2
+( v A ) ¿

The speed of the particle at point B.

Check the questions page 594 No. 1, 5 and 8.; CYU page 576.
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Potential of a point charge ( section 19.3 – page 576 )

Read the paragraph in conjunction to the given figure 19.7

Positive point charge creates an electric potential. Now placing

the positive test charge between the points A and B, the test
charge experience electrostatic force of repulsion F and the
force is given by
q q0
F=k 2
r

When the test charge is moved between A and B work is done,

since the force varies with the position of the charge, Force is
not constant hence we cannot use force times distance to calculate work.

It has been calculated that the work done between the point A and B is given by

q q0 q q0
W AB =k −k
rA rB

−W AB
V B−V A = ;
q0
q q
V B−V A =k −k
rB rA

q
Should point B be further away and becomes infinitely large, the factor k becomes zero and
rB
V B also becomes zero, hence
q
V A =k
rA

q
Omitting the subscripts then potential of a point charge becomes ; V ❑=k
r

When q is positive then V becomes positive indicating that the charge has raised the potential
above zero and when q is negative , V becomes negative indicating that the charge has
decreased the potential below zero. See figure 19.8

Example 5 and example 6

Should be simple to follow, plug and play. See figure 19.8 and 19.9

Study the conceptual question page 578 No. 7

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Electrical potential energy of group of charges placed at a point.

This illustrated by example 8 on page 578 which should be easy to follow.

CYU page 579 ; Exercises Page 595 No. 13, 14, 15

Equipotential and electric field

Equipotential surface is the surface where electric potential is the same everywhere. The given
example is the one on figure 19.12 which illustrate that as long the distance from a point charge
is the same, the potential becomes the same. As the distance increases, potential of the
equipotential surface becomes smaller.

−W AB
Since the potential is the same everywhere , then V B=V A , then V B−V A = =0 ; hence
q0
the electric force does no work when the test charge moves along the circular path ABC, but
the electric force do work when the charge moves from point A to D.

How is the equipotential related to the electric field?

The figure 19.13 illustrate the positive point charge with electric field lines radiating away from
the charge. It can be shown that each electric field line created is perpendicular to the
equipotential surface and points in the direction of the decreasing potential. Do you understand
why somewhere is higher potential and somewhere is lower potential?
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Figure 19.16 illustrate the parallel plate capacitor where the plates becomes our equipotential
surfaces since the metal plates are perpendicular to the electric field. The potential difference
−W AB
between the plates is given by ∆ V ¿ V B−V A = , where A is the point on the positive plate
q0
and B point on the negative plate. The work done by the electric force as the positive test
charge moves from point A to B is W AB =F ∆ s, where ∆ s refers to the displacement along a
line perpendicular to the plates. Recall that the force is equal to the product of the charge and
the electric field i.e. F=Eq0 . So the work done becomes W AB =F ∆ s=q 0 E ∆ s

−W AB −q0 E ∆ s
∆ V ¿ V B−V A = =
q0 q0

∆V
E ¿❑−
∆s

∆s
The quantity is referred as the potential gradient with the unit volt per meter
∆V

Study example 9 page 581

The first part concentrate on the parallel plates i.e. between point A and B and calculate the
electric field that exist between them. Then the same electric field will be perpendicular to the
equipotential and can now be used to calculate the distance between the equipotential
surfaces. Read the last paragraph on page 581 – 582 which concludes that the electric field
between the parallel plates is
V
E ¿❑ CYU page 582 .
d

Self study – Section 22.9

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Capacitors and dielectrics

The capacitance of a capacitor

Study the figure 19.17

The capacitor is filled with electrically insulating material

called dielectric. A capacitor has a function of storing charge
and each plate carries charge of equal magnitude, one
positive and one negative. The electric potential of the
positive plate exceed that of the negative plate by the
amount V.

When the charge on the plate is doubled, the V also

doubles,

Introducing proportionality constant then

q=CV , where C is the proportionality constant called
capacitance. The SI unit of capacitance is coulomb/volt = farad (F).

Inserting the dielectric between the capacitor.

Read page 583 last paragraph in conjunction with this summary.

The dielectric will alter the electric field hence increasing the capacitance. Not all field
generated passes through the dielectric material. Hence the electric field inside the capacitor
with dielectric is weaker than the empty capacitor. The reduction in the electric field is
described by the dielectric constant k where
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E0
k= where E0 is magntitude of electric field without dielectric and E inside the dielectric.
E
Dielectric constant is a number without unit. k depend of the nature of the material. See table
19.1 page 584.

The capacitance of the capacitor is affected by the type of the material inserted and the
geometry of the plates. If the charge on each plate is kept constant then the electric field
between the plate is given by

E0 V
E= =
k d

An empty capacitor has electric field

q V
E= =
ϵ0 A d

E0 q
E= =
k ∈0 A

ϵ 0 AVk
Then q=
d

Recall q=CV

Combing the highlighted equations we have

ϵ 0 Ak
C= (parallel plate filled with dielectric). It has been shown that the capacitance is
d
affected by the geometry (A) and d and the type of the material k. when the capacitor is empty
k =1

Summary

The charge stored by an empty capacitor q 0=C 0 V

The charge stored by the dielectric filled capacitor q=kC 0 V

The final charge as the result of inserting the dielectric material is given by q 0 +∆ q where ∆ q is
the additional charge that flows when the dielectric is inserted.

Now complete the exercise page 584 example 10

What happens if the battery is disconnected before the dielectric material is inserted.

See example 11
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Once the battery is disconnected, the charge remains constant.

Inserting the dielectric material decreases the electric field between the plates , hence from V
= Ed, since d is constant, then V decreases and the capacitance increases.

Check questions on page 597 – 598 Q 51 and 64

Energy stored in a capacitor

The capacitor does not only store charge it also store energy.

The work done in charging the capacitor is the product of the charge transferred and the
1
average potential difference.W =qV . The total work done by the battery is W = qV
2

Hence energy stored , taking q=C V ,

then

( ) 1 ϵ 0 Ak
2 2
1 1 2 1 q q 2
W =energy= ( CV ) V = C V = C = = (Ed)
2 2 2 C 2C 2 d

Since A times the d gives the volume between the plates, the energy per unit volume or energy
energy 1 2
density is Energy density = = kϵ 0 E
volume 2

CYU page 587 17 and 18; See the summary on page 592 and 593; Page 597 no. 46, 44, 33