Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PHY 1103 - Electric Potential
PHY 1103 - Electric Potential
Ref: wikipedia
Electric potential energy
Electric Potential Energy: Electric potential energy, or electrostatic potential energy,
is a potential energy (measured in joules) that results from conservative Coulomb
forces and is associated with the configuration of a particular set of point charges
within a defined system.
When an electrostatic force acts between two or more charged particles within a
system of particles, we can assign an electric potential energy U to the system. If the
system changes its configuration from an initial state i to a different final state f, the
electrostatic force does work W on the particles.
Hence,
We use
to have
Ans: 350V
Here,
Finally,
or,
To find the total work W done on the particle
by the field as the particle moves from point i
to point f, we integrate the works done on
the charge
in which we have dropped the subscript f. And, moving the test charge
along the displacement gives
This results:
Or,
which results
https://physics.info/electric-potential/practice.shtml
Electric potential: Problems
• Soln 3: Since the charges are identical in magnitude and equally far from the
origin, we can do one computation for both charges.
kq
E=9000 N/C E =
r2
Electric field lines come out of positive charges and go into negative charges. At
the origin, this results in an electric field that points "left" (away from the positive
change) and "up" (toward the negative charge). These two vectors form the legs
of a 45°–45°–90° triangle whose sides are in the ratio 1:1:√2.
∑E = √2 × 9,000 N/C
• Moving "up" and to the "left" in equal amounts results in a 135° standard angle.
• Once again, since the charges are identical in magnitude and equally far from
the origin, we only need to compute kq
one number.
V =
V = 9,000 V r
https://physics.info/electric-potential/practice.shtml
Electric potential: Problems
Electric potential is a scalar quantity. It doesn't have direction, but it
does have sign. The positive charge contributes a positive potential and
the negative charge contributes a negative potential. Add them up and
watch them cancel.
∑V = 9,000 V − 9,000 V
• The electric potential at a point in space is defined as the work per
unit charge required to move a test charge to that location from
infinitely far away. ΔV = ΔU E
Algebra shows that work is charge times potential difference. Since the
potential at the origin is zero, no work is required to move a charge to
this point. ΔUE = qΔV = 0 J
https://physics.info/electric-potential/practice.shtml
Electric potential: Problems
• Prob. 4: A proton (mass m, charge +e) and an alpha particle (mass 4m,
charge +2e) approach one another with the same initial speed v from
an initially large distance. How close will these two particles get to
one another before turning around?
• Soln 4: The kinetic energy of the moving particles is completely
transformed into electric potential energy at the point of closest
approach.
Ue = K
k(e)(2e) 1 1
= (m)v2 + (4m)v2
r 2 2
4ke2
r =
5mv2
https://physics.info/electric-potential/practice.shtml
Electric potential: Problems
• Prob. 5: An electron in the atmosphere is moved upward through the
displacement by an electrostatic force due to a downward electric
field E. Find the potential energy of the electron.
Soln: Sample problem in Fig. 24-1
• Prob.6:
Soln: P.T.O.
Electric potential: Problems
Soln:
Electric potential: Problems