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Lecture 7 - Chapter 23 Part 3

This document summarizes key concepts from a chapter on potential energy, including: 1) It reviews work and potential energy, and introduces potential energy of electric fields. 2) It defines electric potential as the work required to move a unit charge between two points, and shows the relationship between electric field and electric potential. 3) It describes how to calculate the total potential energy of a system of multiple charges by summing the potential energies of all charge pairs. 4) It provides examples of calculating electric potential and potential energy for problems involving conductive spheres and lines of charge.

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Mircea Pantea
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37 views18 pages

Lecture 7 - Chapter 23 Part 3

This document summarizes key concepts from a chapter on potential energy, including: 1) It reviews work and potential energy, and introduces potential energy of electric fields. 2) It defines electric potential as the work required to move a unit charge between two points, and shows the relationship between electric field and electric potential. 3) It describes how to calculate the total potential energy of a system of multiple charges by summing the potential energies of all charge pairs. 4) It provides examples of calculating electric potential and potential energy for problems involving conductive spheres and lines of charge.

Uploaded by

Mircea Pantea
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Introductory Physics II

Chapter 23 – part 3
Potential energy
Examples

Lecture 7 – January 31
Outline of chapter 23

• Work and Potential Energy - review


• Potential energy of the electric field
• Potential energy for the field of a point charge
• Potential energy for the uniform electric field
• Electric Potential
• Electric Potential of a point charge
• Relationship between electric field and electric potential
• Equipotential surfaces
• Potential energy of a system of charges
• Examples
Electric Potential
general relationship between E and V
∞
V 𝑟 = ‫𝑙 𝑑 ⋅ 𝐸 𝑟׬‬Ԧ

Electric Potential
Electric field (scalar)
(vector)
V
𝐸

𝐸 = −𝛻𝑉
𝜕𝑉
𝐸𝑥 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = − = −6𝑥𝑦 2 + 2𝑧 3
𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑉
𝐸𝑦 (𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = − = −6𝑥 2 𝑦 − 𝑧 3
𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑣
𝐸𝑧 x, y, 𝑧 = − = −3𝑦𝑧 2 + 6𝑧 2 𝑥
𝜕𝑧
𝐸𝑥 (1,1,1) = −6 + 2 = −4
E𝑦 (1,1,1) = −6 − 1 = −7 𝐸 = 16 + 49 + 9 =
E𝑧 (1,1,1) = −3 + 6 = 3 = 74 ≈ 8.6 𝑉 Τ𝑚
Electric Potential Energy of a System
of Charges
𝑄𝑞
𝑈(𝑟) = 𝑘 Potential energy of a system of two charges
𝑟
This equation assumes that the potential energy is zero when the separation
between charges becomes infinite (very large).
W𝑟→∞ = −Δ𝑈 = 𝑈𝑟 − 𝑈∞ = 𝑈𝑟
Then the potential energy tells how much work is done by the electric force
when the two charges are moved far, far away from each other (at “infinite”
distance).

U(r) > 0 The electric force does positive work, the charges move apart due
to the electric force. This is the case for two positive or two negative charges.
U(r) < 0 The electric force does negative force, is opposed to the
separation. An external force is required to separate the system. This is the case
for one positive and one negative charge.
Electric Potential Energy of a System
of Charges
What if we have more than two charges?
If we want to move them apart, will the q2
electric force do overall negative or positive qq1
work? 1
q3
The sign of the total potential energy of the
system will give the answer.

How do we find the total potential energy of the system?


One way is to add the energies of all possible pairs in the system. And make sure
each pair is taken only once.
In this example we have U12,U13 and U23.
Electric Potential Energy of a System of Charges

In general, the total energy is given by 𝑈 = ෍ 𝑈𝑖𝑗


𝑖<𝑗

• Uij is the energy of the pair of charges i and j.


• The condition i<j is supposed to avoid taking same term twice.
• U12 is the same as U21 so in the example above I included U12 but not U21.

Explicitly, for point charges,


𝑞𝑖 𝑞𝑗
𝑈 = ෍ 𝑈𝑖𝑗 = 𝑘 ෍
𝑟𝑖𝑗
𝑖<𝑗 𝑖<𝑗

rij is the distance between charges i and j.


Electric Potential Energy of a System of Charges

Example:
q2
q1
𝑟12 = 2 𝑚
q3
𝑟13 = 3 𝑚

𝑟23 = 1 𝑚

𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞1 𝑞3 𝑞2 𝑞3
𝑈=𝑘 + +
𝑟12 𝑟13 𝑟23

4(−1) 4 ⋅ 3 −1 3
𝑈=𝑘 + + ≅ k −2 + 6.9 − 3 ≅ 1.9 𝑘 > 0
2 3 1

𝑈 ≅ 1.71 × 1010 𝐽
Examples of problems solving
Field and potential of a charged conductive sphere

• Recall that all points on the surface and


inside a conductive object have the same
potential (at electrostatic equilibrium).

• For the space outside the sphere, we can


consider all the charge on the sphere as
located in the center of the sphere.
(Gauss’ law)

• Considering this property, we can


calculate both electric field and potential
outside the sphere using the formulae
for point charge.

• Measure distance from the center of the


sphere but remember that only works
G
G
G
More examples of problems solving
Potential energy

See video “Problem 23.57” on BB


Link to video
More examples of problems solving
Potential

1
න 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑙𝑛 𝑥 + 𝑎2 + 𝑥 2
𝑎2 + 𝑥 2

See video “Potential of finite line of charge” on BB Link to video

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