Electric potential energy

Electric fiels is measured in N/C

 What is electric field ?
Electric field is the property of space in which electric charge will experience a force when placed in it .

A positive test charge is used to specify the direction of the electric field .
+ = > direction outwards
- = direction is inwards

• Electric field strength is measured in N/C

• E and Q are directly proportional

• If the distance from the source charge increases , the electric field decreases ( inversely
proportional ) .
Uniform electric field

• Electric field originate on positive

and terminate on negative .
• Uniform electric field lines are
parallel and equally spaced .
• Electric field is the same at any
point .
Uniform electric field
Describe the motion of a positive electric charge released from rest in a
uniform electric field :
1. The positive charge will accelerate downwards in a uniform electric
field . (attracted)
2. The electric potential of the positive charge will decrease .
3. The kintec energy of the positive charge will increase as the same
amount of the decrease of electric potential energy .
Electric potential /voltage/potential difference
It is the charge in electric potential energy per charge , measured in
volts .

V=kq/r
W= (q)(delta V)

• As the distance increases = the electric potential “ V “ decreases .

• As the distance from the charge decreases = the electric potential
increases .
What is voltage ?
The amount of electric potential energy per one coloumb of charge .
Electric potential energy
What is this electric potential energy?
It tells you how much energy is stored by work being done on the system,
and is now available to return that energy in a different form, such as
kinetic energy.

If two positive charges are placed near each other, they are a system, and
they have positive electric potential energy.

Once released, they will accelerate away from each other - turning
potential energy into kinetic energy.