“Introduction to Electricity”

Course Code: PHY104

Lecture # 4
“Electric Potential”

Dr. Matiullah Khan

Associate Professor of Physics, KUST
E-mail: [email protected]
 Contents of Chapter 17

• Electric Potential Energy and Potential Difference

• Relation between Electric Potential and Electric Field
• Equipotential Lines and Surfaces
• The Electron Volt, a Unit of Energy
• Electric Potential Due to Point Charges
• Potential Due to Electric Dipole; Dipole Moment

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 Contents of Chapter 17

• Capacitance
• Dielectrics
• Storage of Electric Energy
• Digital; Binary Numbers; Signal Voltage
• TV and Computer Monitors: CRT, Flat Screens
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

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 17.1 Electric Potential Energy and
Potential Difference

The electrostatic force is

conservative—potential energy
can be defined
Change in electric potential
energy is negative of work done
by electric force:
(17-1)

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 17.1 Electric Potential Energy and
Potential Difference

Electric potential is defined as potential energy per unit

charge; analogous to definition of electric field as force
per unit charge:
(17-2a)

Unit of electric potential: the volt (V).

1 V = 1 J/C.

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 17.1 Electric Potential Energy and
Potential Difference

Only changes in potential can be measured, allowing

free assignment of V = 0.

(17-2b)

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 17.1 Electric Potential Energy and
Potential Difference

Analogy between gravitational and electrical potential

energy. Just as the more massive rock has more potential
energy, so does the larger charge:

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 17.2 Relation between Electric Potential and
Electric Field

Work is charge multiplied by potential:

Work is also force multiplied by distance:

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 17.2 Relation between Electric Potential and
Electric Field

Solving for the field,

(17-4b)

In general, the electric field in a given direction at any

point in space is equal to the rate at which the electric
potential decreases over distance in that direction.

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 17.3 Equipotential Lines and Surfaces

An equipotential is a line or surface

over which the potential is constant.
Electric field lines are perpendicular
to equipotentials.
The surface of a conductor is an
equipotential.

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 17.3 Equipotential Lines and Surfaces

Equipotential lines of an electric dipole:

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 17.4 The Electron Volt, a Unit of Energy

One electron volt (eV) is the energy gained by an

electron moving through a potential difference of
one volt.

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 17.5 Electric Potential Due to Point Charges

The electric potential due to a point charge can be

derived using calculus.

(17-5)

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 17.5 Electric Potential Due to Point Charges

These plots show the potential

due to (a) positive and (b)
negative charge.

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 17.5 Electric Potential Due to Point Charges

Using potentials instead of fields can make solving

problems much easier—potential is a scalar quantity,
whereas the field is a vector.

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 17.6 Potential Due to Electric Dipole;
Dipole Moment

The potential due to an electric dipole is just the

sum of the potentials due to each charge, and can
be calculated exactly.

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 17.6 Potential Due to Electric Dipole;
Dipole Moment

Approximation for potential

far from dipole:

(17-6a)

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 17.6 Potential Due to Electric Dipole;
Dipole Moment

Or, defining the dipole moment p = Ql,

(17-6b)

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 17.7 Capacitance

A capacitor consists of two conductors that are close but

not touching. A capacitor has the ability to store electric
charge.

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 17.7 Capacitance

Parallel-plate capacitor connected to battery. (b) is a

circuit diagram.

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 17.7 Capacitance

When a capacitor is connected to a battery, the charge on

its plates is proportional to the voltage:
(17-7)

The quantity C is called the capacitance.

Unit of capacitance: the farad (F)
1 F = 1 C/V

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 17.7 Capacitance

The capacitance does not depend on the voltage; it is a

function of the geometry and materials of the capacitor.
For a parallel-plate capacitor:

(17-8)

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 17.8 Dielectrics

A dielectric is an insulator, and is characterized by a

dielectric constant K.
Capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor filled with
dielectric:

(17-9)

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 17.8 Dielectrics

Dielectric strength is the

maximum field a dielectric
can experience without
breaking down.

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 17.8 Dielectrics

The molecules in a dielectric tend to become oriented in a

way that reduces the external field.

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 17.8 Dielectrics

This means that the electric field within the dielectric is

less than it would be in air, allowing more charge to be
stored for the same potential.

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 17.9 Storage of Electric Energy

A charged capacitor stores electric energy; the energy

stored is equal to the work done to charge the capacitor.

(17-10)

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 17.9 Storage of Electric Energy

The energy density, defined as the energy per unit

volume, is the same no matter the origin of the electric
field:
(17-11)

The sudden discharge of electric energy can be harmful

or fatal. Capacitors can retain their charge indefinitely
even when disconnected from a voltage source—be
careful!

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 17.9 Storage of Electric Energy

Heart defibrillators use electric discharge to “jump-start”

the heart when its beats become irregular, and can
save lives.

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 17.10 Digital; Binary Numbers; Signal Voltage

Analog signal voltages vary continuously.

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 17.10 Digital; Binary Numbers; Signal Voltage

Digital signals use binary

numbers to represent numerical
values.

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 17.10 Digital; Binary Numbers; Signal Voltage

In order to convert an analog signal to digital, the signal

must be sampled. A higher sampling rate reproduces the
signal more precisely.

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 17.10 Digital; Binary Numbers; Signal Voltage

Before it is sent to a loudspeaker or headset, a digital

audio signal must be converted back to analog.

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 17.10 Digital; Binary Numbers; Signal Voltage

Noise can easily corrupt an

analog signal; a digital
signal is much less sensitive
to noise.

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 17.11 TV and Computer Monitors: CRTs,
Flat Screens

A cathode ray tube contains

a wire cathode that, when
heated, emits electrons.
A voltage source causes
the electrons to travel to
the anode.

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 17.11 TV and Computer Monitors: CRTs,
Flat Screens

The electrons can be steered using electric or

magnetic fields.

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 17.11 TV and Computer Monitors: CRTs,
Flat Screens

CRT monitors have a large cathode ray tube as their

display. Variations in the field steer the electrons on
their way to the screen.

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 17.11 TV and Computer Monitors: CRTs,
Flat Screens

Flat screens contain tiny pixels in red, green, and blue

whose brightness can be changed.

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 17.11 TV and Computer Monitors: CRTs,
Flat Screens

The array of pixels then

creates an image; this
example has very low
resolution. HD screens
have 1080 × 1920 pixels.

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 17.12 Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

The electrocardiogram detects

heart defects by measuring
changes in potential on the
surface of the heart.

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 Summary of Chapter 17

• Electric potential is potential energy per unit charge:

(17-2a)

• Electric potential difference: work done to move

charge from one point to another
• Relationship between potential difference and field:
(17-4a)

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 Summary of Chapter 17

• Equipotential: line or surface along which potential is

the same
• Electric potential of a point charge:

(17-5)

• Electric dipole potential drops off as 1/r2

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 Summary of Chapter 17

• Capacitor: nontouching conductors carrying equal and

opposite charge
• Capacitance:
(17-7)

• Capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor:

(17-8)

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 Summary of Chapter 17

• A dielectric is an insulator
• Dielectric constant gives ratio of total field to external
field
• Energy density in electric field:

(17-11)

• Digital electronics convert analog signal to digital

approximation using binary numbers
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