Algebra-based Physics II

Chapter 19
Electric potential energy &
The Electric potential

Why energy is stored in an

electric field?

How to describe an field

from energetic point of
view?

Class Website: Natural way of energy release

http://www.phys.lsu.edu/~jzhang/teaching.html
19.1 Potential Energy

Gravitational force is a conservative force

Recall Conservative Forces

1. The work done on an object by a conservative force depends only

on the objects initial and final position, and not the path taken.
2. The net work done by a conservative force in moving an object
around a closed path is zero.

Work (WAB) = decrease of potential energy

= P
A = PEA- PEB = mgy = mgh

G
h
W=0

B
Electric Potential Energy
The electric force also a conservative force

Lets place a positive point charge q in a uniform electric field and let it move from
point A to B (no gravity):

How much work is done by the field in moving the

+ + + + + charge from A to B?
+q
yo A

E *Remember, W = F d, where F is the component of

the constant force along the direction of the motion.

yf B
- - - - -
Here, F = qE , so W = qE ( y f yo ) = qEy

Introduce: Electrostatic Potential Energy (EPE)

 Algebra-based Physics II

Sep.1st, Chap. 19.2-4

Electric potential
Electric potential distribution
Equipotential surfaces

Announcements:
1. HW2 (part A & B) posted.

electric potential of charges

Class Website:

http://www.phys.lsu.edu/~jzhang/teaching.html
 WAB = EPE = ( EPEB EPE A ) = EPE A EPEB
EPE represents the increase of electric potential energy

The work done is equal to the decrease in electrostatic potential energy!

Charge feels electric force Field force does work on charge

E B
WAB
q F A
+
+ q
Force is conservative

ur WAB EPE EPE A EPEB

ur F = =
E q q q q
q
Define the electric field to describe EPE
the field distribution V= Depend on position
q
 The quantity on the right is the potential energy per unit
EPE
V= charge. We call this the Electric Potential, V:
q
The electric potential is a scalar !

It belongs to the field only!

The electric potential also describe the

distribution of field
When charge is at different
position, it has different EPEs,
Thus there are different electric
Energy J
Units? Charge = C = [Volt ] = [V ] potential in the space

Review of Work: 1. Work is not a vector, but it can be either positive or negative:
Positive Force is in the same direction as the motion
Negative Force is in the opposite direction as the motion

2. If positive work is done on an object, the object speeds up.

3. If negative work is done on an object, the object slows down.

19.2 Electric Potential Difference
We can talk about the value of the potential at different points in space:

For example, what is the difference in electrostatic potential between two points, A and
B, in an electric field???

+ + + + + EPEB EPE A WAB

A
+q
VB VA = =
q q q
E

So,
WAB
B V = VB VA = Why is there a
minus sign???
- - - - - q
Lets say the charge at point A is positive:

If I release it, which way will it move? It moves down toward B!

Since the force is down and the motion is down, positive work is done on the
charge. Thus, WAB is positive.

This means that (VB VA) is negative, or VA > VB.

We say that point A is at a higher potential than point B.

Summary :
Any charge, starting from rest, will accelerate from high to low potential energy
region by electric force.
WAB = EPE A EPEB

Positive charges, starting from rest, will accelerate from regions of high potential
and move toward regions of low potential.

Negative charges, starting from rest, will accelerate from regions of low potential
and move toward regions of high potential.

WAB
V = VB VA =
q
Clicker Question 19-1
Under an external field (E), Which side of space (left or right) for a positive
charge has a lower potential energy?

E Right
Left

1. Left side
2. Right side

The external electric field lines start from left to

right and a positive charge moves from high to
low potential energy region, thus the right side 0% 0%
has a lower potential energy for a positive
charge.
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One common object associated with voltages is a battery:

Light bulb
Notice that the positive charge moves from
higher potential (+) to lower potential (-).
++
Wires

1.5 Volts
Battery

-
J The battery supplies 1.5
1.5 V = 1.5 Joules of energy for every
C coulomb of charge.

The word volt also appears in a unit of energy:

Lets accelerate an electron from rest through a potential difference of 1 Volt:

 1 Volt
The electron gets accelerated from low
potential to high potential It gains
Battery

- + Hole kinetic energy.

- - + The energy gained by an electron when

-
+ accelerated through a potential difference
- of 1 Volt = 1 electron volt = 1 eV.
- +

If I accelerated an electron from rest through a potential difference of 50,000 V, then I know
immediately that its kinetic energy is 50,000 eV.

Energy is usually expressed in Joules: 1 eV = 1.602 10-19 J

Just like in a gravitational field, in an electric field, potential energy (PE) can be converted
into kinetic energy (KE):
Example: Lets bring a small positive test charge from very far
away in toward a fixed, positive point charge:

As I push the charge in closer and closer, the repulsive force on it gets bigger and bigger:
F

+ *Thus, I have to do work on the charge to move it closer. +

The work I do on the charge goes into increasing its potential energy!
Now release the charge..
F
+ + The charge converts its stored EPE into KE!!!

Remember: The total mechanical energy of a system must be conserved.

ETot = 12 mv 2 + 12 I 2 + mgh + 12 kx 2 + EPE

KETrans KERot PEGrav PEElastic PEElectro

And,.If the work done by nonconservative forces is zero, then:

ETot f = EToto
19.3 The Electric Potential of a Point Charge
An electric potential exists around charges.
What is the form of the potential for a point charge?
Lets place a positive test charge near a positive fixed point charge:
A B
+Q +q
F The electric field created by the point
+ +
charge does work on the test charge and
rA
moves it to the right
rB

What is the work done by the field in moving the charge from A to B?
qQ
Well, W = Fd, and the force is given by Coulombs Law: F = k
r2
But, the force is not constant as the charge moves
from rA to rB, since the force depends on r.

Thus, we have to use calculus and integrate the

force over the distance:
qQ qQ
Result: WAB =k k
rA rB
 WAB Q Q
From earlier, we know that: VB VA = = k k
q rB rA

Q
If we let rB be really far away, i.e. rB , then VB = k 0.
rB
*This sets our zero potential at infinity.
Q
Thus, we are left with: V A = k . rA is just some arbitrary distance from the
rA point charge, so we drop the subscript:

Q
V =k This is the electric potential due
to a point charge.
r

We now have 3 equations which kind of look similar:

qQ Q Q
F =k 2 E=k 2 V =k
r r r
Force between two charges. Electric field of a point charge. Electric potential of a point charge.
 Algebra-based Physics II

Sep.1st, Chap. 19.2-4

Electric potential
Electric potential distribution
Equipotential surfaces

Announcements:
1. HW2 (part A & B) posted.
electric potential of charges

Class Website:

http://www.phys.lsu.edu/~jzhang/teaching.html
Electric potential due to a point charge if we assume V = o as r :

Q
V =k =
r { 0 (positive charge)
0 (negative charge)

Electric potential energy with q:

-
Wab = q (VB VA )

We now have 3 equations which kind of look similar:

qQ Q Q
F =k 2 E=k 2 V =k
r r r
Force between two charges. Electric field of a point charge. Electric potential of a point charge.
Clicker Question 19-2
Which side of space (left or right) is at a higher potential?

E Right
Left

1. Left side
2. Right side

The electric field points from left to right,

and electric field lines start from regions
of high potential, thus the left side is at a
higher potential. 0% 0%

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Example 1:

Two electrons are initially hold with a distance of 5 x 10-6 m. Then one of them is
released and move away to infinity, what is the ultimate kinetic energy of the electron?
The conservative electric force does the work and increase the kinetic energy.

USE energy conservation:

i
Emec = Emec
f

1 1
me vi2 + EPEi = me v 2f + EPE f (vi = 0, EPE f = 0)
2 2
1 2 EPEi
EPEi = me v f v f =
2

2 me
e e2
EPEi = qVr = e k = k
ri ri
2ke 2 2k
vf = =e (ri = 5 10 6 m)
me ri me ri
Clicker Question 19-2

Four identical charges (q) are located at the four corners of a square with
side length a. What is the electric potential at the center of the square?

a
1. Zero
2. Not zero

V = V j = V1 + V2 + V3 + V4 = 4V1
j

q q 2q 0% 0%
V1 = k = k =k
r1 1 a
a
2

o
ro

er
ze

tz
kq

no
V =4 2
a
19.4 Equipotential Surfaces
Q
So the potential from a point charge is V =k
r
E
SB

SA This means the potential is the

same in every direction around the
+ r point charge at a distance r away.
In 3D, this forms a spherical shell of
radius r around the charge.

Thus, the electric potential is the same everywhere on this spherical

surface (SA). It is called an equipotential surface.

Equipotential surfaces are surfaces of constant potential.

Lets look at another equipotential surface (SB) around the point charge:
We know the electric field lines point everywhere radially outward:

Notice: The electric field lines are perpendicular to the equipotential surfaces.
 E Since SA is closer to the positive charge than
SB, SA is at a higher potential than SB.
SB

SA

+ r
Thus, electric field lines point in the
direction of decreasing potential, i.e.
they point from high potential to low
potential.

Work? The net electric force does no work as a charge moves on an

equipotential surface.

Why? WAB But, if we are on an equipotential

We defined VB VA = .
q surface, then VA = VB, and WAB = 0.

Or.

In order for the charge to feel a force along an equipotential surface, there must be a
component of the field along the surface, but E is everywhere perpendicular to the
equipotential surface.
 equipotential surface

a point charge

a charged straight wire

Fields, Potentials, and Motion of Charges - Summary

Electric field lines start on positive charges and end on negative ones.

Positive charges accelerate from regions of high potential toward low potential.

Negative charges accelerate from regions of low potential toward high potential.

Equipotential surfaces are surfaces of constant potential.

Electric field lines are perpendicular to an equipotential surface.

Electric field lines are perpendicular to the surface of a conductor, thus a

conductor is an equipotential surface!

Electric field lines point from regions of high potential toward low potential.

Therefore, positive charges move in the same direction as the electric field points,
and negative charges move in the opposite direction of the electric field.

The electric force does no work as a charge moves on an equipotential surface.

Parallel plate capacitor
A s B

E The positive plate is at a potential of

+ - +9 V and the negative plate is at 0 V.
+ -
+ - What would the equipotential surfaces
+ - look like between the plates?
+9 V +6 V +3 V 0V

They would be a parallel set of planes!

Let the plates be separated by a distance s.

The electric field is then =

[Change in voltage] E = V
[Change in distance] s

This is called the electric field gradient.

Thus, the electric field also has units of [V / m]

19.5 Capacitors

Two oppositely charged conductors separated by some small distance.

Volts We can charge the plates by

connecting them to a battery:

- + The higher the voltage on our battery, the

more charge we can put on each plate.
- +
-Q + +Q
- Thus, Q V
- +
Make this an equality: Q = CV C is a new quantity called the Capacitance.

C=
Q

[Charge] = C = [Farad] = [F]
[Voltage] V
Units?
V

*A farad is a very large capacitance. We often use microfarads (f) and picofarads (pf).

110-6 F 110-12 F

The larger the capacitance, the more charge it will hold!

Example:

What voltage is needed to store 7.2 10-5 C on the plates of a 6.0 F capacitor?

Volts Q = 7.2 105 C

What do we know:
C = 6.0 106 F
- +
- + USE the definition of capacitance:
-Q + +Q
- Q 7.2 105
- + Q = CV so V = = 6
= 12 V
C 6 10

Reality:
Dielectrics

We can fill the space between the plates with some insulating material, say air,
oil, paper, rubber, plastic, etc.
Dielectric This material is called a dielectric.

Eo
+ -+ - So what effect does the dielectric have on the
E
field between the plates?
+ -+ -
Since the dielectric is an insulator, the charges
+ -+ - in it arent free to move, but they can separate
slightly within each atom:
-+
+ -
Each one of these atoms now produces a small
internal electric field which points in the opposite
direction to the field between the plates:

Thus, the net electric field between the plates is reduced by the dielectric.

Eo
The reduction of the field is represented by the following: =
Eo is the field without the dielectric E
E is the field with the dielectric

is called the dielectric constant, and it must be greater than 1.

 Eo
= Since is the ratio of two electric fields, its unitless.
E
Material
Vacuum 1
Air 1.00054
Water 80.4

The larger is, the more it reduces the field between the plates!

Eo Lets say the plates have surface area A and are separated by a
+ - distance d.
V V q
+ - E = Eo = E o =
1
= =
d d o o A
-
+
o A
q= V But, q = CV , so
+ - d
d o A
C=
d
Capacitors store charge - what about energy?

EPEStored = 12 qV = 12 CV 2

oA oA 2 2
V = Ed and C = , so EPEStored = 1
2 E d ( )
d d

Rearrange this: EPE = 12 o E 2 ( Ad ) = 12 o E 2 (Vol)

Volume between the plates

EPE
= Energy Density = 12 o E 2 Units? Energy J
Vol Volume = m 3

*This expression holds true for any electric fields, not just for capacitors!