ELECTRIC POTENTIAL

Chapter 2

Prepared by: Noor Fadhilah Muhamad Sahapini

Lesson contents

Potential difference and electric potential

Electric potential and potential energy due to a
point.
Equipotential surfaces
Capacitance
Parallel-plate capacitor
Combinations of capacitors
Energy stored in a charged capacitor
Lesson outcomes
At the end of this lesson students should be
able to:
define and solve problems related to electric
potential and electric potential energy
explain equipotential surfaces
 Analogy between gravitational and
electrical potential energy:

U W field

Gravitational potential energy energy stored in a gravitational field

Electric potential energy energy stored in an electric field

For BOTH gravitational and electrical potential energy, the change in potential
energy when objects move around is equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to
work done by the field U W field
Electric potential energy

+
++ Where is the charge q when all electric potential
energy is converted to kinetic energy?
+
+++++
q

++++ Answer

+++ When the charge q reaches infinity

+
Electric potential energy

+
++
Click on charge q and observe the animation
showing the meaning of electric potential energy.

+
++++
U + q

++++ infinity

+++ Electric potential energy, U

+ Electric potential energy, U of a charge q at a point in an electric

field is the energy required to bring the charge from infinity to
that point. The unit for electric potential energy is Joule, J.

UE
kq1q2
U E 0 at r
r
 Electric potential
E Electric field strength kQ
E 2
r P
r
Electric potential, V
+
r
+Q
Edx

r
kQ
2
dx

x
kQ

r
Electric potential, V at a point in an electric field is the energy required to bring a unit
positive charge from infinity to the point.
The unit for electric potential, V is JC-1 or volt (V) next

Electric potential also can be defined as electrical UE

V
potential energy per unit charge q
High PE Low PE Low PE High PE

+ - + -
+ - + -
+ - + -
+ - + -
+ + FE - + FE - -
+ - + -
A B - B A
+ + -
+ - + -
E E

The electric force on a charge is always in the direction of lower electric

potential energy. The electric field is always in the direction of lower potential.
The potential at any point also can be defined as the work done per unit charge in
moving a positive charge from zero potential to the point. (Let us choose infinity as
the reference point for zero potential)

WA Fr kQqr
V 2
q q qr
kQ
V
r

previous next
 Potential difference
When a charge q moves form point A to point B, it moves through a potential difference

V V f Vi VB VA

The potential difference is the change in the electric potential energy per unit charge:

U E
V
q
Potential difference (difference in potential), between two points a and b is
measurable. Since the difference in potential energy, is equal to the negative
of work Wba , done by the electric force to move the charge from point A to
point B

U W field
where,

W qV
Therefore, the work done to move the charge is given by

WAB q(VB VA )
 Equipotential surface
Equipotential surface
E
An equipotential surface is one
P on which all point are at the same
potential.
The potential difference
+ between any two points on the
+Q surface is zero, and no work is
required to move a charge from
one point to other.
An equipotential surface must be
perpendicular to the electric field
at any point.

Analogous to a contour map the idea is similar to the lines of constant elevation on a topographic map, which
show where the elevation is same.
 Exercise 1
A
The figure shows two charges of q and +2q at
the point B and C. Given q = 1.0 x 10-7 C.
a) Calculate the electric potential at A and D
10 cm b) Calculate the work done to move a charge
10 cm of 3.0 x 10-7 from A to D.

Answer

midpoint Working steps

-q D +2q
10 cm
 Exercise 1
A
The figure shows two charges of q and +2q at
the point B and C. Given q = 1.0 x 10-7 C.
a) Calculate the electric potential at A and D
10 cm b) Calculate the work done to move a charge
10 cm of 3.0 x 10-7 from A to D.

Answer

midpoint a) At point A : 9000 V Working steps

At point D : 18000 V
-q D +2q b) - 2.7 x 10-3 J
10 cm
a) Electric potential at point A Electric potential at point D
kQ1 kQ2 kQ kQ
VA VD 1 2
r r r r

9 109 1.0 107


9 109 2.0 107


9 109 1.0 107


9 109 2.0 107
0.1 0.1 0.05 0.05
9 103 18 103 18 103 36 103
9 103V 18 103V

b) Work done by electric force

WAD qVD V A

3.0 107 18 103 9 103
2.7 103 J

2.7 103 J
Exercise 2

30 cm A 30 cm B 10 cm

Q1 = +2C Q2 = -2C

Two point charges Q1 and Q2 are arranged as shown in figure. Find

(a) the potential at point A and B
(b) work necessary to move a +20 C test charge from point A to B
(c) work done to move a 5C test charge from point B to infinity

Answer