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Electric potential energy is similar to gravitational potential energy – both involve field forces.
Analogy:
- Energy is required to move an object against its - Movement of a positive test charge within an
gravitational field electric field is accompanied by changes in PE
- Objects naturally move from high PE under the - Going against nature requires work by an
influence of field force external force
-Work must be done to move an object against - Work would increase PE
nature
- is potential energy associated with a charge due to its position in an electric field.
If more than two charges are present, get the sum of the energies of every pair of two charges
that are present to get the total potential energy.
for 3 charges
Notes in Physics for Engineers/m.a. de salit
If the charges have the same sign, PE is positive
→ Positive work must be done to force the two charges near one another
→ The like charges would repel
Electric Potential
the amount of work needed to move a unit charge from a reference point to a specific point
against an electric field
also called potential difference or voltage.
the potential energy per unit charge in an electric field
*Notes:
- Electric potential is a scalar quantity
- the sign of V is the same as the sign of q
- a positively charged particle produces a positive electric potential and a negatively charged particle
produces a negative electric potential
the potential difference V between two points in a uniform electric field E is equal to the product
of E and the distance r between the points in a direction parallel to E.
Notes in Physics for Engineers/m.a. de salit
PROBLEMS/EXERCISES:
1. If a charge of magnitude 6.5 x 10-17 C is being held in place 2.0 x 10-8m from a charge of
- 8 x 10-19 C which is also being held in place, what is the electric potential energy of the system?
2. Find the electrical potential energy U for the array of three charges located at the vertices of an
equilateral triangle with side 12.5 m. q1 = +8 µC , q2 = q3 = - 9 µC
Notes in Physics for Engineers/m.a. de salit
3. A potential difference of 10.0 volts exists between two points, A and B, within an electric field.
What is the magnitude of charge that requires 2.0 × 10–2 joule of work to move it from A to B?
4. Calculate the electric potential of q1 = 25.0 nC at (a) 1.00m, (b) 2.00m, and (c) infinite long
distance from it.
Notes in Physics for Engineers/m.a. de salit
5. Three point charges are fixed in place as shown in the figure below. (a) Determine the electric
potential at point P (assuming V = 0 at infinity). (b) How much electric potential energy would an
electron placed at point P have? (4.6 x 105 V, -7.4 x 10-14J)
Notes in Physics for Engineers/m.a. de salit
Try to solve:
6. Calculate the electric potential (a) at point A in the figure below due to charges shown and (b) at
point B
5. A manufacturer claims that a carpet will not generate more than 5.0 kV of static electricity. What
magnitude of charge would have to be transferred between a carpet and a shoe for there to be a 5.0
kV potential difference between the shoe and the carpet, approximating the shoe and the carpet as
large sheets of charge separated by a distance of 1.0 mm?
( Answer: 1.1 x 10-6 C)