Lesson 4

Electric Potential and Electric

Potential Energy
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to:
1. define what electric potential is;
2. understand the difference between electric
potential energy and electric potential difference;
3. relate electric potential and electric field; and
4. solve problems involving electric potential energy
and electric potential difference.
Electric Potential Energy (U)
⋆ Electric potential energy is the
energy that is needed to move a
charge against an electric field.
⋆ Its unit is joules (J).
Electric potential energy in a uniform field
❖ In the figure, a pair of charged parallel
metal plates sets up a uniform, downward
electric field.
❖ The field exerts a downward force on a
positive test charge.
❖ As the charge moves
downward from point a to
point b, the work done by the
field is independent of the
path the particle takes.
Electric potential energy in a uniform field
⋆ According to work-energy theorem
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = ∆𝐾𝐸
⋆ According to the law of conservation
of energy, a change in kinetic energy
is equal to a negative change in
potential energy.
∆𝐾𝐸 = −∆𝑈
so
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = −∆𝑈
Electric potential energy in a uniform field
⋆ And since electric field equation can be
obtained from coulomb's law such that:
𝐹
𝐸=
𝑞𝑜
And work equation can be expressed in terms of:
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝐹𝑑

𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝑞𝑜 𝐸𝑑

⋆ These equations can be rewritten like this:

𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = −∆𝑈
−∆𝑈 = 𝐹𝑑
−∆𝑈 = 𝑞𝑜 𝐸𝑑

∆𝑈 = −𝑞𝑜 𝐸𝑑
Electric potential energy in a uniform field
• If the positive charge moves in the • If the positive charge moves opposite
direction of the field, the field does the direction of the field, the field does
positive work on the charge. negative work on the charge.
• The potential energy decreases. • The potential energy increases.
Electric potential energy in a uniform field
• If the negative charge moves in the
• If the negative charge moves opposite
direction of the field, the field does
the direction of the field, the field does
negative work on the charge.
positive work on the charge.
• The potential energy
• The potential energy decreases.
increases.
Electric potential energy of two point charges

• The electric potential energy of

two point charges only 𝑘𝑞𝑞𝑜
depends on the distance 𝑈=
between the charges.
• This equation is valid no
𝑟
matter what the signs of the
charges are. ❖𝑈 is the potential energy
• Potential energy is defined to ❖𝑘 is the Coulomb’s constant
❖𝑞𝑜 and q are values of charges
be zero when the charges are ❖R is the distance between charges

infinitely far apart.

Electric potential energy of two point charges
If two charges have the same sign, the If two charges have opposite signs, the
interaction is repulsive, and the electric interaction is attractive, and the electric
potential energy is positive. potential energy is negative.
Electric Potential (V)
⋆ Potential is potential energy per unit charge.

𝑈
𝑉=
𝑞𝑜
❖𝑈 is the potential energy
❖𝑉 is the Electric Potential or Voltage
❖𝑞𝑜 is the value of charge

⋆ It is also known as voltage, with units joules/coulomb

(J/C) or volts (V)
Electric Potential Difference (𝑉𝑎𝑏 )
⋆ The potential of a with respect to b (Vab = Va –
Vb) or simply potential difference is equal the
work done by the electric force (𝑊𝑎→𝑏 ) when a
unit charge (1 C) moves from a to b.

𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = −∆𝑈
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = − 𝑈𝑏 − 𝑈𝑎
Divide both sides of equation 𝑞𝑜

𝑊𝑎→𝑏 𝑈𝑏 𝑈𝑎
=− −
𝑞𝑜 𝑞𝑜 𝑞𝑜

𝑊𝑎→𝑏
= − 𝑉𝑏 − 𝑉𝑎
𝑞𝑜

𝑊𝑎→𝑏
= 𝑉𝑎 − 𝑉𝑏
𝑞𝑜

𝑊𝑎→𝑏
= 𝑉𝑎𝑏
𝑞𝑜
Example Problem: (EASY)
How much work does the electric field do in moving a
-7.7μC charge from the ground to a point whose
potential is +65V higher?

• If the negative charge moves opposite

the direction of the field, the field does
positive work on the charge.
Example Problem: (EASY)
How much work does the electric field do in moving a
-7.7μC charge from the ground to a point whose
potential is +65V higher?
Given:
𝑉𝑎 = 0 𝑉
𝑉𝑏 = +65 𝑉 Solution:
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝑉𝑎 − 𝑉𝑏
𝑞𝑜 = −7.7 × 10−6 𝐶
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 0𝑉 − 65𝑉
Required: 𝑉𝑎𝑏 = −65𝑉
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 =?
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝑞𝑜 𝑉𝑎𝑏
Equation: 𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = (−7.7 × 10−6 𝐶)(−65𝑉)
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝑉𝑎 − 𝑉𝑏
𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 𝑞𝑜 𝑉𝑎𝑏 𝑊𝑎→𝑏 = 5.01 × 10−4 𝐽
 Guide Question:

1.Why does the birds does not

get electrified upon landing
on the high voltage wires?
Answer:

• Birds sitting on a wire don’t touch the ground (or

anything in contact with the ground), so electricity
stays in the power line.

• But, if a bird touches a power line and equipment or

other metal that is grounded, it gives electricity a
path to the ground, and the bird could be shocked.

• Additionally, if a bird were to touch two wires at

once, it would create a circuit. Meaning electricity
would flow through the bird and likely electrocute it.
Electric Potential of a point charge

⋆ Electric Potential of a point

charge is given by the equation
below:
𝑘𝑞
𝑉=
𝑟
⋆ It is also known as voltage,
with units joules/coulomb (J/C)
or volts (V)
Finding electric potential from the electric
field
If you move in the direction of the electric field, the electric potential
decreases, but if you move opposite the field, the potential increases.
Finding electric potential from the electric
field
If you move in the direction of the electric field, the electric potential
decreases, but if you move opposite the field, the potential increases.
Electric Potential of collection of point
charges
⋆ Electric Potential of collection
of point charges are given by
the equation below:

𝑞𝑖
𝑉 = 𝑘෍
𝑟𝑖
𝑖

❖𝑞𝑖 is the value of ith point charge

❖𝑟𝑖 is distance of the ith point charge from where it is
measured
❖k is the Coulomb’s constant
❖V is the total electric potential
Example Problem: (EASY)
An electric dipole consists of point charges 𝑞1 = +12𝑛𝐶
and 𝑞2 = −12𝑛𝐶 placed 10.0 cm apart. Compute the
electric potentials at points a, b, and c.
 Example Problem: (EASY)
An electric dipole consists of point charges 𝑞1 = +12𝑛𝐶
and 𝑞2 = −12𝑛𝐶 placed 10.0 cm apart. Compute the
electric potentials at points a, b, and c.
Solution: V at point A
𝑞𝑖
𝑉 = 𝑘෍
𝑟𝑖
𝑖
𝑘𝑞1 𝑘𝑞2
𝑉𝑇 = +
𝑟1 𝑟2
𝑁𝑚 2 𝑁𝑚 2
(8.99 × 109 2 )(12 × 10−9 𝐶) (8.99 × 109 2 )(−12 × 10−9 𝐶)
𝑉𝑇 = 𝐶 + 𝐶
6.0 × 10−2 𝑚 4.0 × 10−2 𝑚

𝑉𝑇 = −899 𝑉
 Example Problem: (EASY)
An electric dipole consists of point charges 𝑞1 = +12𝑛𝐶
and 𝑞2 = −12𝑛𝐶 placed 10.0 cm apart. Compute the
electric potentials at points a, b, and c.
Solution: V at point B
𝑞𝑖
𝑉 = 𝑘෍
𝑟𝑖
𝑖
𝑘𝑞1 𝑘𝑞2
𝑉𝑇 = +
𝑟1 𝑟2
𝑁𝑚 2 𝑁𝑚 2
(8.99 × 109 2 )(12 × 10−9 𝐶) (8.99 × 109 2 )(−12 × 10−9 𝐶)
𝑉𝑇 = 𝐶 + 𝐶
4.0 × 10−2 𝑚 14.0 × 10−2 𝑚

𝑉𝑇 = 1 926.43 𝑉
 Example Problem: (EASY)
An electric dipole consists of point charges 𝑞1 = +12𝑛𝐶
and 𝑞2 = −12𝑛𝐶 placed 10.0 cm apart. Compute the
electric potentials at points a, b, and c.
Solution: V at point C
𝑞𝑖
𝑉 = 𝑘෍
𝑟𝑖
𝑖
𝑘𝑞1 𝑘𝑞2
𝑉𝑇 = +
𝑟1 𝑟2
𝑁𝑚 2 𝑁𝑚 2
(8.99 × 109 2 )(12 × 10−9 𝐶) (8.99 × 109 2 )(−12 × 10−9 𝐶)
𝑉𝑇 = 𝐶 + 𝐶
13.0 × 10−2 𝑚 13.0 × 10−2 𝑚

𝑉𝑇 = 0 𝑉
Electric Potential in a uniform electric field
⋆ To find the potential
difference between plates
in a uniform electric field,
we can use the equation
below:

𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝐸𝑑
❖𝑉𝑎𝑏 is the potential difference
❖𝐸 is the electric field
❖d is the distance between the plates
Example Problem: (EASY)
Two parallel plates are charged to produce a potential difference
of 50V. If the separation between the plates is 0.050m,
Calculate the magnitude of the electric field in the space
between the plates.
Given:
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 50 𝑉
𝑑 = 0.050m Solution:
𝑉𝑎𝑏
𝐸=
𝑑
Required:
𝐸 =? 50 𝑉
𝐸=
0.050𝑚

Equation:
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝐸𝑑
Or 𝐸 = 1000 𝑁/𝐶
𝑉𝑎𝑏
𝐸=
𝑑
Equipotential surfaces and field lines
⋆ An equipotential surface is a surface
on which the electric potential is the
same at every point.

⋆ Field lines and equipotential

surfaces are always mutually
perpendicular.

⋆ Shown are cross-sections of

equipotential surfaces (blue lines)
and electric field lines (red lines)
for a single positive charge.
Equipotential surfaces and field lines
Equipotential surfaces and field lines for a dipole
Equipotential surfaces and field lines
Field and potential of two equal positive charges
Equipotential surfaces and field lines
Field and potential of uniform electric field
GUIDED PRACTICE 1:
What potential difference is needed to stop an electron that has
an initial velocity 6.0 × 105 m/s?
GUIDED PRACTICE 2:
Two parallel plates, connected to a 45 V power supply, are separated by an
air gap. How small can the gap be if the air is not to become conducting by
exceeding its breakdown value of 3 × 106 𝑉/𝑚?
GUIDED PRACTICE 3:
A proton moves a distance d=0.50 m in a straight line
between points a and b in a linear accelerator. The
electric field is uniform along this line, with magnitude
7 𝑉
𝐸 = 1.5 × 10 in the direction from a to b.
𝑚
a. Calculate the force of the proton.
b. Calculate work done on it by the field.
c. Calculate the potential difference (𝑉𝑎𝑏 )
Thank You
For Today!
See you in the next class!