1 1 r

Electric Potential W  k q1q 2    b

Electric Potential Energy  rb ra  dr
ds q1 (+)
Electric Potential Energy I did the calculation for a + charge
moving away from a – charge; you FE rab
Work done by Coulomb force when q1 a
r could do a similar calculation for ++, ra
moves from a to b: b -+, and ++.
rb   rb k q q
dr
W FE  ds    1 2
dr q1 (+) ds The important point is that the work q2 (-)
ra ra r2 depends only on the initial and final
rb
rb 1  1 FE r positions of q1.
W  k q1q 2 ra r2
dr  k q1q 2  
 r  ra
a q1 (+) b
ra
In other words, the work done by the electric force is
 1 1 1 1 independent of path taken. The electric force is a
W  k q1q 2      k q1q 2    q (-) conservative force.
 rb ra   rb ra  2
You don’t need to worry about the details of the math. They are provided for anybody who wants to study them later. Disclaimer: this is a “demonstration” rather than a rigorous proof.

A charged particle in an electric Now that we realize the electric force is conservative, we can
field has electric potential define a potential energy associated with it.
The subscript “E” is to
energy. U E  U Ef  U Ei    WE if
remind you this is
electric potential energy.
++++++++++++++ After this slide, I will
drop the subscript “E.”

+
It “feels” a force (as given by The change in potential energy when a charge
Coulomb’s law). F q0 moves from point a to point b in the r
E b
electric field of another charge q is
dr
rb   rb k qq ds q0
It gains kinetic energy and loses U E    FE  d     0
dr
potential energy if released. The ------------------- ra ra r2
FE? rab
Coulomb force does positive a
The minus sign in this equation comes from the
work, and mechanical energy is definition of change in potential energy. The ra
conserved. sign from the dot product is “automatically” ? on FE means the
direction depends on the
correct if you include the signs of q and q0. signs of the charges.
q

1
 starting with an equation from two slides back…
rb r
  rb 1  1 b
U   
rb
FE  d  U b  U a  k qq 0  dr   k qq 0   
r2
(from the previous slide)
ra
ra
 r  ra dr
ds q0
is equivalent to your starting equation
1 1
U b  U a  k qq 0    FE? rab
 
U f  U i  q  E  d 
f
 rb ra  a
i ra
By convention, we choose electric this diagram shows q0 after

potential energy to be zero at infinite it has moved from a to b

“i” and “f” refer to the two points for which we are calculating the potential energy difference. You could also
use “a” and “b” like your text does, or “0” and “1” or anything else convenient. I use “i” and “f” because I separation of the charges. q
always remember that (anything) = (anything)f – (anything)i.

The next two slides use this definition of electrical potential

energy to derive an equation for the electrical potential energy 0
of two charged particles.  1 1 0
U b  U   k qq 0   
 rb  

This provides us with the electric potential energy for a system Electric Potential
of two point charges q and q0, separated by a distance r:
We defined the electric field by the force it exerts on a test
1 1 qq 0 charge q0: 
U  r   k qq 0  .  F
r 40 r E = lim 0
q0 0 q
0
You can call the charges q and q0, or q1 and q2, or whatever you want.
If you have more than two charged particles, simply add the potential energies for each unique pair of particles.

Similarly, it is useful to define the potential of a charge in

terms of the potential energy of a test charge q0:

 Ur
V  r  = lim
q0 0 q0
The electric potential V is independent of the test charge q0.

2
 Things to remember about electric potential:
1 qq 0
From U  r  
40 r  Electric potential and electric potential energy are related, but
not the same.
we see that the electric potential of a point charge q is
Electric potential difference is the work per unit of charge
1 q that must be done to move a charge from one point to
V r  . another without changing its kinetic energy.
40 r

 The terms “electric potential” and “potential” are used

interchangeably.
The electric potential difference between points a and b is

rb     Ur
U  ra FE  d  rb F  rb    The units of potential are joules/coulomb: V  r  = .
V     E  d   E  d . q0
q0 q0 ra q
0
ra
1 joule
1 volt =
1 coulomb

Things to remember about electric potential: Two more starting equations:

1 qq 0 1 q
 Only differences in electric potential and electric potential U r  and V  r  
energy are meaningful. 40 r 4 0 r
It is always necessary to define where U and V are zero.
Here we defined V to be zero at an infinite distance from the U r 1 qq 0 1 1 q
sources of the electric field. so    V(r)
q0 40 r q 0 40 r
Sometimes it is convenient to define V to be zero at the (potential is equal to potential energy per unit of charge)
earth (ground).

It should be clear from the context where V is defined to be Potential energy and electric potential are defined relative to
zero, and I do not foresee you experiencing any confusion some reference point, so it is “better” to use
about where V is zero. U A derived equation and not a
V  Vf  Vi  “new” one, but I’ll be nice
q and give it to you anyway.

3
  Electric Potential Energy of a System of Charges
f 
U f  U i  q  E  d 
i To find the electric potential energy for a system of two
charges, we bring a second charge in from an infinite distance
away:
U f Ui f  
   E  d 
q q i
r
q1 q1 q2
 
f A derived equation and not a
Vf  Vi    E  d  “new” one, but I’ll be nice
i and give it to you anyway.
q1q 2
U 0 U k
r
before after

To find the electric potential energy for a system of three Electric Potential and Potential Energy of a Charge
charges, we bring a third charge in from an infinite distance Distribution (details next lecture)
away:
1 qi
Collection of charges: VP 
40
r.
i i

P is the point at which V is to be calculated, and ri is the distance of the ith

r12 r12
charge from P.
q1 q2
q1 q2
r13 r23

q3 Charge distribution:
dq
before after
q q q q q q  1 dq r
40  r
q1q 2 V . P
U k U  k 1 2  1 3  2 3 
r12  r12 r13 r23 
Potential at point P.

4
Example: a 1 C point charge is located at the origin and a -4 Example: how much work is required to bring a +3 C point
C point charge 4 meters along the +x axis. Calculate the charge from infinity to point P?
electric potential at a point P, 3 meters along the +y axis.
0
y
Wexternal  E  K  U
y q3
qi q q 
VP = k  = k 1 + 2  P Wexternal  U  q 3V
ri  r1 r2 
P
i
3m 0
 1×10-6 -4×10-6  Wexternal  q 3  VP  V 
3m = 9×109  + 
 3 5  x
Wexternal  3 106  4.2 103 
q1 4m q2
3
x
= - 4.2×10 V
q1 4m q2
Wexternal  1.26 103 J
The work done by the external force was negative, so the work done by the electric field was
positive. The electric field “pulled” q3 in (keep in mind q2 is 4 times as big as q1).

Positive work would have to be done by an external force to remove q3 from P.

Thanks to Dr. Waddill for the use of these examples.

Example: find the total potential energy of the system of three The Electron Volt
charges.
An electron volt (eV) is the energy acquired by a particle of
y charge e when it moves through a potential difference of 1 volt.
q3 U= qV
P  q1 q 2 q1 q 3 q 2 q 3 
U = k + + 
3m  r12 r13 r23 
1 eV= 1.6 10-19 C  1 V 

q1 4m q2 x 1 eV= 1.6 10-19 J


 1×10-6 -4×10-6
U = 9 109  +

1×10-6 3×10-6
+
 
-4×10-6 3×10-6       This is a very small amount of energy on a macroscopic scale,
 4 3 5  but electrons in atoms typically have a few eV (10’s to 1000’s)
  of energy.
-2
U = - 2.16 10 J

5
 Electric Potential of a Charge Distribution plate 1  
V  V1  V0    E  d y
plate 0
x
Example: potential and electric field between two parallel d d E
conducting plates. V      E dx   E  dx  Ed z
0 0
d
Assume V0<V1 (so we can determine the direction of the V0 d V1
|V|=Ed
electric field). Also assume the plates are large compared to
their separation, so the electric field is constant and
The famous “Mr.
perpendicular to the plates.
Ed equation!*”

Also, let the plates be separated E

V
E , or V  Ed
by a distance d. d
V0 d V1

Important note: the derivation of Example: A rod of length L located along the x-axis has a total
charge Q uniformly distributed along the rod. Find the electric
V  Ed potential at a point P along the y-axis a distance d from the
origin.
did not require rectangular plates, or any plates at all. It works
y
as long as E is uniform. =Q/L
 P
In general, E should be replaced
 by the component of E along r dq=dx
the displacement vector d . d dq

x dq dx
x dx dV  k k
r x2  d2
L
L
V   dV
0

Thanks to Dr. Waddill for this fine example.

6
 Example: Find the electric potential due to a uniformly charged
L dx Q L dx ring of radius R and total charge Q at a point P on the axis of
V k k 
0 2
x d 2 L 0 x2  d2 the ring.
y
dQ
P A good set of math tables will Every dQ of charge on the
r have the integral: R r ring is the same distance
d dq from the point P.
P x

x dx
x

dx
x2  d2

 ln x  x 2  d 2  x

L
dq dq
dV  k k
kQ  L  L2  d 2  r x2  R 2
V ln  
L  d 
 dq
V dV  k 
ring ring
x  R2
2

dQ
Example: A disc of radius R has a uniform charge per unit area
 and total charge Q. Calculate V at a point P along the central
R r axis of the disc at a distance x from its center.
P x
x
dQ The disc is made of
concentric rings. The
r
area of a ring at a
k P radius r is 2rdr, and
V
2
x R 2 
ring
dq
R x
x
the charge on each ring
is (2rdr).
kQ You must derive an equation for
V the potential at the center of a ring
x2  R 2 if you need it for homework! We *can use the equation for the potential due to a ring,
replace R by r, and integrate from r=0 to r=R.
k2rdr
dVring 
x2  r2

7
 dQ dQ

r r
P x P x
R x R x

1 2rdr  R rdr
V dV    
40 2 0
 
2 2
ring ring
x r 0
x2  r2 Q
V x2  R 2  x
20 R 2
R

V

20
x2  r2 

20
 x2  R 2  x   Q
2 0 R 2
 x2  R2  x  Could you use this expression for V to calculate E? Would you
0
get the same result?
Q

R 2

Here are some electric field and equipotential lines I generated

using an electromagnetic field program. Potentials and Fields Near Conductors

When there is a net flow of charge inside a conductor, the

physics is generally complex.

When there is no net flow of charge, or no flow at all (the

electrostatic case), then a number of conclusions can be
reached using Gauss’ Law and the concepts of electric fields
and potentials…

I’ll discuss in lecture some

implications this figure has
for charged particle motion.

Equipotential lines are shown in red.

8

Summary of key points (electrostatic case):
The electric field inside a conductor is zero.
Any net charge on the conductor lies on the outer surface.
Another key point: the charge density on a conductor surface
will vary if the surface is irregular, and surface charge collects
at “sharp points.”
Therefore the electric field is large (and can be huge) near
“sharp points.”

The potential on the surface of a conductor, and everywhere

inside, is the same.

The electric field just outside a conductor must be

perpendicular to the surface.

Equipotential surfaces just outside the conductor must be

parallel to the conductor’s surface.