MODULE 3 Electric Potential
MODULE 3 Electric Potential
MODULE 3 Electric Potential
Electric Potential
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
DISCUSSION
This chapter is about energy associated with electrical interactions. Every time you
turn on a light, listen to an MP3 player, or talk on a mobile phone, you are using electrical
energy, an indispensable ingredient of our technological society.
When a charged particle moves in an electric field, the field exerts a force that can
do work on the particle. This work can always be expressed in terms of electric potential
energy. Just as gravitational potential energy depends on the height of a mass above the
earth’s surface, electric potential energy depends on the position of the charged particle
in the electric field. We will describe electric potential energy using a new concept called
electric potential, or simply potential. In circuits, a difference in potential from one point
to another is often called voltage. The concepts of potential and voltage are crucial to
understanding how electric circuits work and have equally important applications to
electron beams used in cancer radiotherapy, high-energy particle accelerators, and many
other devices.
Electrical potential energy
Mechanical energy is conserved as long as friction and radiation are not present.
As with gravitational and elastic potential energy, electrical potential energy can be
included in the expression for mechanical energy. If a gravitational force, an elastic force,
and an electric force are all acting on an object, the mechanical energy can be written as
follows:
ME = KE + PE grav + PE elastic + PE electric
To account for the forces (except friction) that may also be present in a problem,
the appropriate potential-energy terms associated with each force are added to the
expression for mechanical energy.
Recall from your study of work and energy that any time a force is used to move
an object; work is done on that object. This statement is also true for charges moved by
an electric force. Whenever a charge moves—because of the electric field produced by
another charge or group of charges—work is done on that charge.
The equation is valid only for a uniform electric field, such as that between two
oppositely charged parallel plates. In contrast, the electric field lines for a point charge
are farther apart as the distance from the charge increases. Thus, the electric field of a
point charge is an example of a nonuniform electric field.
Figure: (a) In an elevated position, the ram has gravitational potential energy. When
released, this energy is transferred to the pile below and (b) similar energy transfer occurs
for electric charges.
Potential Difference
The electric potential at some point is defined as the electrical potential energy
associated with a charged particle in an electric field divided by the charge of the particle.
𝑃𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐
𝑉=
𝑞
The potential at a point is the result of the fields due to all other charges near
enough and large enough to contribute force on a charge at that point. In other words,
the electric potential at a point is independent of the charge at that point. The force that a
test charge at the point in question experiences is proportional to the magnitude of the
charge.
∆𝑃𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐
∆𝑉 =
𝑞
The potential difference in a uniform field varies with the displacement from
a reference point
The expression for potential difference can be combined with the expressions for
electrical potential energy. The resulting equations are often simpler to apply in certain
situations. For example, consider the electrical potential energy of a charge in a uniform
electric field.
𝑃𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 = −𝑞𝐸𝑑
This expression can be substituted into the equation for potential difference.
∆(−𝑞𝐸𝑑)
∆𝑉 =
𝑞
As the charge moves in a uniform electric field, the quantity in the parentheses does not
change from the reference point. Thus, the potential difference in this case can be
rewritten as follows:
∆𝑉 = −𝐸𝑑
Where:
Keep in mind that d is the displacement parallel to the field and that motion perpendicular
to the field does not change the electrical potential energy.
The reference point for potential difference near a point charge is often at
infinity
𝑃𝐸𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞1
𝑉𝐴 = =𝑘 =𝑘
𝑞2 𝑟𝑞2 𝑟
𝑞1 𝑞1 1 1
𝑉=𝑘 − 𝑘 = 𝑘𝑞1 ( − )
𝑟1 𝑟1 𝑟1 𝑟2
Potential difference between a point at infinity and A point near a point charge.
𝑞
∆𝑉 = 𝑘
𝑟
Where
V = potential difference
k = Coulomb constant
q = value of the point charge
r = distance to the point charge
This result for the potential difference associated with a point charge appears
identical to the electric potential associated with a point charge. The two expressions look
the same only because we have chosen a special reference point from which to measure
the potential difference.
The superposition principle can be used to calculate the electric potential for
a group of charges
The electric potential at a point near two or more charges is obtained by applying
a rule called the superposition principle. This rule states that the total electric potential at
some point near several point charges is the algebraic sum of the electric potentials
resulting from each of the individual charges. While this is similar to the method used
previously to find the resultant electric field at a point in space, here the summation is
much easier to evaluate because the electric potentials are scalar quantities, not vector
quantities. There are no vector components to consider.
To evaluate the electric potential at a point near a group of point charges, you
simply take the algebraic sum of the potentials resulting from all charges. Remember, you
must keep track of signs. The electric potential at some point near a positive charge is
positive, and the potential near a negative charge is negative.
Sample Problem no.
A charge moves a distance of 2.0 cm in the direction of a uniform electric
field whose magnitude is 215 N/C. As the charge moves, its electrical potential
energy decreases by 6.9 x 10–19 J. Find the charge on the moving particle.
What is the potential difference between the two locations?
Given Required Equation
∆PE electric =−6.9 × 10 −19J (a) q = ? (a) ∆PE electric =−qEd
d = 0.020 m
E = 215 N/C (b) ∆V = ? (b) ∆V =−Ed
Solution
Derive ∆PE electric =−qEd to solve for q, and substitute values.
SYNTHESIS
The students will answer the following questions orally:
A. What happen to the change of EPE when the charge
moves from point a to b?
___________________________________
___________________________________
C. What happen to the change of EPE when the charge moves from point b to a?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
D. What happen to the electric potential difference when the charge moves from b to
a?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
OUTPUT
A proton is released from rest at x = -2.00 cm in a constant electric field with magnitude
1.50 X 10^3 N/C, pointing in the positive x-direction.
(a) Calculate the change in the electric potential energy associated with the
proton when it reaches x = 5.00 cm.
(b) An electron is now fired in the same direction from the same position. What is
the change in electric potential energy associated with the electron if it
reaches x = 12.0 cm?
(c) If the direction of the electric field is reversed and an electron is released from
rest at x = 3.00 cm, by how much has the electric potential energy changed
when the electron reaches x = 7.00 cm?
VALUES
Relate the pressure and stress they have experiencing as a positive charge
moving from lower potential (low pressure) to higher potential (high pressure) which
results to electric potential difference.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________