ELECTRIC POTENTIAL

• Electric Potential Energy

- For two point charges
- For several point charges
• Electric Potential
- Due to a single point charge
- Due to several point charges
• Equipotential Surface
  Whena charge is immersed in an it has an associated potential
energy associated with electrical interactions, i.e.:
  When moves in , Force of , does work on the charge in terms of
Electric Potential Energy, EPE or U
𝑏 𝑏
  ⃗ ¿∫ 𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 𝑑𝑙 ¿
𝑊 𝐴 → 𝐵=∫ ⃗
𝐹 ∙ 𝑑 𝑙=
𝑎 𝑎

𝑏
 
¿∫ 𝑞𝐸𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 𝑑𝑙
𝑎

where: Ө – angle between

or and distance element dl.
 EPE depends on the position of the charged
particle in an (analogous to gravitational
potential energy that depends on the height of
a particle above the ground)
 The Electric Potential Energy
 
 From: dW  F  ds
 
 Then dW  q0 E  ds
f  
W  q0  E  ds
i

f  
U  U f  U i  W  q0  E  ds
i
 Potential difference depends
From: Wa→b = – (Ub – Ua) = Ua – Ub
only on the source charge
Wa→b = –ΔU distribution (Consider points i and f
 The difference in potential energy without the presence of the test charge;
exists only if a test charge is moved
 Electric force acting is conservative
between the points.
  The work, Wa→b , done by this force on qo between the two
oppositely charged conducting plates, :
 
Wa→b =
or
Wa→b = qo E (ya – yb) with: ya – initial position
yb –
final position
   moving from point a to b in the uniform

W is positive, U decreases W is negative, U increase

  (moves in the direction of )   (moves opposite to )
  From: Wa→b = E ( –)

 • and + moves along . and + moves opposite .

 i.e.: and in same direction and in opposite direction

 Ө = 0 Ө=
 Hence, :

 does positive work (+W) does negative work (–W)

 U decreases U increases
 K increases K decreases

 II. –moving from point a to b in a uniform :

Figure 1c Figure 1d
 W is negative, U increases W is positive, U decreases
  (moves in the direction of )   (moves opposite to )

 
 ya > yb and (–)qo moves in the direc. of E . – ya < yb and (–)qo moves along E .
 
i.e.: Ῡ and F in opposite direction i.e.: Ῡ and F in same direction
o
 Ө = 180  Ө=0
Hence, E : Hence, E :
– does negative work (– W) – does positive work (+W)
– U increases – U decreases
– K decreases – K increases
Conclusion:

 1.) U decreases ⟶ When (+) moves in the direction, or (–) moves opposite to
the direction of electric acting on it;

  2.) U increases ⟶ When (+) moves opposite, or (–) in the direction of the
electric acting on it;

 3.) does (+)W ⟶ When (+) moves in the direction, or (–) moves opposite to
the direction of electric acting on it;

 4.) does (–)W ⟶ When (+) moves opposite, or (–) in the direction of the
electric acting on it;
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY, U:

a.) Electric Potential Energy, U, of Two-Point Charges:

  When qo moves from point a
to b in ,

  From Coulomb’s Law:

 Electric force is not constant during the displacement (i.e. decreases as it moves
farther)

Hence,
 𝑟𝑏 𝑟𝑏 𝑞1 𝑞0
Wa→b = ‫𝑟𝑑 𝑟𝐹 ׬‬ = ‫𝑟׬‬ 𝑘 𝑑𝑟
𝑟𝑎 𝑎 𝑟2

𝑟 𝑏 𝑑𝑟
= kq1qo ‫׬‬
𝑟𝑎 𝑟 2

1 1(dependent only on initial and final

𝑊 𝑎 → 𝑏=𝑈 = 𝑘 𝑞1 𝑞 𝑜 ⃒ ⃒
− conditions
𝑟𝑎 𝑟𝑏 and not on the ath taken)

  When is at a distance r from q and ⟶ , ≈ 0 , hence:

  𝟏 𝒒𝟏 𝒒 𝒐
𝑼= ·
𝟒 𝝅 𝜺𝒐 𝒓
 where: +U - if and are of same sign (+W)
  –U - if and are of opposite sign (–W)
 [Note: U always defined relative to some reference point where U = 0 ,
i.e. as: → , U→0

b) Electric Potential Energy, U, for Several Point Charges:

 The electric potential energy for a test charge

in the electric field produced by a collection
of charges:

  𝒒𝒐 𝒏 𝒒𝒊 𝒒 𝒐 𝒒𝟏 𝒒 𝟐 𝒒 𝟑 𝒒𝒏
𝑼= ∑
𝟒 𝝅 𝜺𝒐 𝒊 𝒓𝒊
=¿ + + +…
𝟒 𝝅 𝜺𝒐 𝒓𝟏 𝒓𝟐 𝒓𝟑 (𝒓𝒏
¿
)
  If the system consists of more than two charged particles, calculate U for each
pair of charges and sum the terms algebraically for the total system.

1 q1q2 q1q3 q2 q3
U  U12  U13  U 23  (   )
4 0 r12 r13 r23
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL/POTENTIAL/VOLTAGE; V
– defined as the potential energy per unit charge.

 
V= Unit: V = Joule/Coulomb or volt (Allesandro Volta)


If qo is moved (w/o 𝑎Ԧ) from pt.a ⟶ pt. b in E
 Wa→b = – ΔU

  = =–

Vab = – (Vb – Va) = Va – Vb (Potential Difference between a & b )

 i.e.:
Potential @ pt. a with respect to pt.b W that must be done to move
a unit q from a to b against electric field force.
Potential Difference in a Uniform Electric Field downhill
 Electric field lines always for + q
point in the direction of
decreasing electric
 Apotential.
system consisting of a positive
charge and an electric field loses
electric potential energy when the
charge moves in the direction of the
field (downhill).
 A system consisting of a negative
charge and an electric field gains
electric potential energy when the
charge moves in the direction of the
field (uphill). Potential difference does not depend on
the path connecting them
   If + moves in the direction of
   If - moves in the direction of
  Also,
+ ⟶ experiences in the direction of toward lower V.
– qo ⟶ experiences opposite of toward higher V.

Conclusion:
+qo tends to fall from a region of higher V to a region of lower V.
–qo tends to increase from a region of lower V to a region of higher V.
Electric Potential, V :
1.) Due to a Single Point Charge is:
1 q1q0
From: U 
4 o r
and dividing both sides by qo gives

q 1 q
V k 
r 4 o r

where : +V ⟶ if +q
–V ⟶ if –q
2.) Due to Several Point Charges is:
𝑞𝑖
From: U =k qo σ 𝑛𝑖=1
𝑟𝑖
  Electron Volt, eV:
- A unit defined as the kinetic energy acquired/gained by a particle
carrying a charge = qe when it moves thru a potential difference of 1V.
  a
Since qe = 1.602x10-19 C ,
nd
hence, 1eV = (1.602x10-19C V =
)(1V)
1eV  1.602 x1019 J
Sample problems:

1.) C qb = +12nC , qr = -12nC

13cm Find the potential @ each point (Va , Vb , Vc) due to either q’s

b ∙ 4cm 6cm a∙ 4cm

 2.) Using the same figure in (1.), find the electric potential energy associated
with q =+4.0nC if placed at points a, b, and c respectively.

4.) In the figure below, a particle with mass of 5x10-9kg and qo= 2.0nC starts from rest at
pt. a and moves in straight line to pt.b. What is its speed at pt.b?

3nC a b -3nC

1cm 1cm 1cm

 Equipotential Surface
 A 3-dimensional surface consisting of a
continuous distribution of points having the
same electric potential at every point;
 Hence, the potential difference between any
two points on an equipotential surface is zero;
 Equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular
to electric field lines;
 No work is done by the electric field on a
charged particle while moving the particle
along an equipotential surface.
 The surface of a conductor is an equipotential surface. (A conductor must be entirely
at the same potential in statics. There is no electric field within a conductor in statics
because otherwise an electron would experience a force and would move.)
Is Work positive or negative?
 The right figure shows a family of equipotential surfaces associated with the
electric field due to some distribution of charges. V1=100 V, V2=80 V, V3=60 V,
V4=40 V. WI, WII, WIII and WIV are the works done by the electric field on a
charged particle q as the particle moves from one end to the other. Which
statement of the following is not true?

A. WI = WII
B. WIII is not equal to zero
C. WII equals to zero
D. WIII = WIV
E. WIV is positive