Fundamentals of Physics

by Halliday, Resnick and Walker (8th edition)

Chapter 25
Page: 768
Lecture 4
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
When a test charge qo is placed in an electric field E created by some other
charged object, the electric force acting on the test charge is qoE.
𝐹
(since 𝐸 = )
𝑞0
When the test charge is moved in the field by some external agent, the work
done by the field on the charge is equal to the negative of the work done by the
external agent causing this displacement.
So, the work done by the electric field on the charge is;
W = 𝐅. (− d)
W = − 𝒒𝟎 E.d
As this amount of work is done by the field, the potential
energy of the charge–field system is;
U = − 𝒒𝟎 E.d

𝑼
The potential energy per unit charge is independent of the
𝒒𝒐
value of 𝒒𝟎 and has a unique value at every point in an electric
field.

𝑈
This quantity is called the electric potential (or simply the
𝑞𝑜
potential) V.

Thus, the electric potential at any point in an electric field is;

𝑼
𝑽=
𝒒𝟎
POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE
The potential difference between any two points A and B in
an electric field is defined as the change in potential
energy of the system divided by the test charge 𝑞0 .
Its unit is V.
∆𝑈
∆𝑉 =
𝑞0
Potential difference is also equal to
∆𝑉 = − Ed
The minus sign indicates that point B is at a lower
electric potential than point A; that is, 𝑉𝐵 < 𝑉𝐴
(c) Use the concept of conservation of energy to find the speed of the proton at point B.

Solution:
Using conservation of energy:
𝐸𝑖 = 𝐸𝑓
𝑈𝑖 + 𝐾𝑖 = 𝑈𝑓 + 𝐾𝑓 --------- (i)
Since the proton starts at rest, 𝐾𝑖 = 0. So,
Eq (i) => 𝑈𝑖 = 𝑈𝑓 + 𝐾𝑓
𝑈𝑖 - 𝑈𝑓 = 𝐾𝑓 ---------- (ii)
Since ∆U = 𝑈𝑓 - 𝑈𝑖 = -𝑞0 E.d
So,
𝑈𝑖 - 𝑈𝑓 = 𝑞0 E.d
Therefore Eq (ii) will become;
𝐾𝑓 = 𝑞0 E.d
1 2 = 𝑞 E.d
𝑚𝑣 0
2
2𝑞0 𝐸𝑑
𝑣= 𝑚
2 𝑥 1.6𝑥10−19 𝑥 8𝑥104 𝑥 0.5
𝑣= 1.6𝑥10−27
𝒗 = 𝟐. 𝟕𝟕𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟔 𝒎/𝒔
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DUE TO POINT CHARGES
Consider an isolated positive point charge q. We know that such a charge produces an
electric field that is directed radially outward from the charge. To find the electric potential
at a point P located a distance r from the charge, we begin with the general expression for
potential difference:
𝐵
𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐴 = − ‫𝐸 𝐴׬‬. 𝑑𝑟 ------------ (i)

At any field point, the electric field due to the point charge is
𝑘𝑞
𝐸= 2
𝑟
Put the value of E in eq (i)
𝐵
𝑘𝑞
𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐴 = − න 𝑑𝑟
𝑟2
𝐴

𝐵
1
𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐴 = −𝑘𝑞 න 𝑑𝑟
𝑟2
𝐴

1 1
𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑘𝑞( 𝑟 − 𝑟 )
𝐵 𝐴
It is customary to choose the reference of electric potential to be zero at 𝑟𝐴 = ∞. With this
reference, the electric potential created by a point charge at any distance r is;

1 1
𝑉𝐵 − 0 = 𝑘𝑞( 𝑟 - ∞)
𝐵

1
𝑉𝐵 = 𝑘𝑞( 𝑟 - 0)
𝐵

With this reference, the electric potential created by a point charge at any distance r from the
charge is
𝒌𝒒
𝑽=
𝒓

Since Electric potential is a scalar quantity so, We obtain the electric potential resulting from
two or more point charges by applying the superposition principle. That is, the total electric
potential at some point P due to several point charges is the sum of the potentials due to the
individual charges. For a group of point charges, we can write the total electric potential at P
in the form

𝒒𝒊
𝑽=𝒌 ෍
𝒓𝒊
𝒊
POTENTIAL ENERGY DUE TO POINT CHARGES
We will first find the potential energy of a system of two charged particles. If 𝑉1 is the
electric potential at point P due to charge 𝑞1 , then the work an external agent must do to
bring a second charge 𝑞2 from infinity to P is the potential energy U of the two-particle
system.
Therefore, we can express the potential energy of the two-particle system as;

𝑈 = 𝐹. 𝑑

𝑞1 𝑞2
𝑈=𝑘 .𝑟
𝑟12 2 12

𝑞1 𝑞2
𝑈=𝑘
𝑟12

Note that if the charges are of the same sign, U is positive. This is consistent with the fact
that positive work must be done by an external agent on the system to bring the two charges
near one another (because like charges repel). (For example, when we press a spring its U
will increase and we release it, its K.E will increase)
If the charges are of opposite sign, U is negative; this means that negative work must be
done against the attractive force between the unlike charges for them to be brought near each
other.
If more than two charged particles are in the system, we can obtain the total potential energy
by calculating U for every pair of charges and summing the terms algebraically.

As an example, the total potential energy of the system of three charges is

𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟐 𝒒𝟐 𝒒𝟑 𝒒𝟏 𝒒𝟑
𝑼=𝒌( + + )
𝒓𝟏𝟐 𝒓𝟐𝟑 𝒓𝟏𝟑
Solution:
∆𝑈
∆𝑉 =
𝑞0

∆𝑈
𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑞0
Since 𝑉𝐵 is the electric potential of 𝑉𝑃 . So,
∆𝑈
𝑉𝑃 − 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑞0

∆𝑈 = 𝑞0 (𝑉𝑃 − 𝑉𝐴 )

As we know that when the charge is at infinity, its electric potential is 0. So, 𝑉𝐴 = 0

∆𝑈 = 𝑞0 (𝑉𝑃 )

∆𝑈 = (3 𝑥 10−6 )(−6.29 𝑥 103 )

∆𝑼 = −𝟏𝟖. 𝟗 𝒙 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 J
(c) Find the total potential energy of the system illustrated in the Figure.

Solution:
First of all find the distance b/w -6uC charge and 3uC charge
Using Pythagoras theorem
𝐻2 = 𝑃2 + 𝐵2
𝐻2 = 32 + 42
𝐻 = 5𝑚

Now we will use total potential energy formula;

𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑞2 𝑞3 𝑞1 𝑞3
𝑈=𝑘( + + )
𝑟12 𝑟23 𝑟13

−6𝑥10−6 𝑥2𝑥10−6 2𝑥10−6 𝑥3𝑥10−6 −6𝑥10−6 𝑥3𝑥10−6

𝑈= 9𝑥109 𝑥( + + )
3 4 5

𝑼 = −𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝟒𝟖 J