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Chapter 4
Electrostatic Fields

Part 4
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 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL

The electric field intensity E due to a charge distribution can

be obtained from:

Coulomb's law or
Gauss's law when the charge distribution is symmetric
The electric scalar potential V

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Suppose we wish to move a point charge Q from point A to
point B in an electric field E
the force on Q is F = QE
the work done in displacing the charge by dl is

dW =  F .dl =  QE.dl
B
W   Q  E .dl
A
B
W
Potential difference: V AB     E .dl J/C or V
Q A

ve (extenal agent) 4

Potential difference:
V AB V B V A
the potential at B with reference to A

Absolute potentials
V A and V B are absolute potentials at A and B, respectively.
is the potental difference between the point and a reference
If we take infinity as reference  assume the potential at infinity is zero.

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If E is due to a point charge Q located at the origin
B
V AB    E .dl
A
rB
Q
V AB    4 r
rA
2
a r .dra r

Q 1 1
V AB     V B V A
4  rB rA 
choose infinity as reference : rA   V A  0
Q
V AB 
4 r 6
If E is not located at the origin
Q
V AB 
4 o | r  r ' |
the zero potential (reference) point has been chosen to not be at
infinity ,then:

Q
V AB  C
4 o | r  r ' |
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Points charge:
Q1 =3 C at (0,0,0) , Q2 =  4  C at (2,  1,3) , Q3 =5 C at (0,4,  2)
V()=0
Find the potential at (  1,5, 2) ?

Sol :
Q1 Q2 Q3
V (r )    Co
4 o | r  r1 | 4 o | r  r2 | 4 o | r  r3 |
| r  r1 || (1,5, 2)  (0, 0, 0) || ( 1,5, 2) | 1  25  4  30
| r  r2 || (1,5, 2)  (2, 1,3) || ( 3, 6, 1) | 9  36  1  46
| r  r3 || (1,5, 2)  (0, 4, 2) || (1,1, 4) | 1  1  16  18
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 Q1 Q2 Q3
V (r )    Co
4 o | r  r1 | 4 o | r  r2 | 4 o | r  r3 |
| r  r1 || ( 1, 5, 2)  (0, 0, 0) || ( 1, 5, 2) | 1  25  4  30
| r  r2 || ( 1, 5, 2)  (2, 1, 3) || ( 3, 6, 1) | 9  36  1  46
| r  r3 || (1, 5, 2)  (0, 4, 2) || ( 1,1, 4) | 1  1  16  18
3  106 4 106 5 10 6
V (1, 5, 2)     0  10.124 kV
4 o 30 4 o 46 4 o 18

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V AO V O V A  2 V A
Q 1 1  Q Q
    
4  ro rA  4 o | r  ro | 4 o | r  rA |

| r  ro || (0, 6, 8)  (0, 0, 0) | 10

| r  rA || (3, 2, 6)  (0, 0, 0) | 7

9
5 10  1 1
2 V A  10  7  V A  3.925 V
4
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(b) Find the potential at B(1,5,7)?

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V BO V O V B  2 V B
Q 1 1  Q Q
    
4  ro rB  4 o | r  ro | 4 o | r  rB |

| r  ro || (0, 6, 8)  (0, 0, 0) | 10

| r  rB || (1, 5, 7)  (0, 0, 0) | 75

5  109 1 1 
2 V B  10   V B  2.7 V
4  75 
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(C) Find the potential difference VAB ?
V AB V B V A  3.925  2.7  1.23 V

or :
Q 1 1
V AB    
4  rA rB 
rA | (1, 5, 7)  (0, 0, 0) | 75
rB | (3, 2, 6)  (0, 0, 0) | 7

5  10 9  1 1
V AB      1.23 V
4  75 7  15
  
Given that E= 3x  y a x  x a y KV/m
2

find the work done in moving a  2 C charge from

(0,5,0) to (2,  1,0) by taking the path
(a) (0,5, 0)  (2,5, 0)  (2, 1, 0)
(b) y  5  3x

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(a )
W   Q  E .dl
 2   1  
 
 Q    3x 2  y dx  y 5,z 0      x  dy  x  2,z 0  
  x 0 
  
 y  5 

 2   1  
 
 Q    3x 2  5 dx      2  dy  
  x 0 
  
 y  5 

 Q  3
0

x  5x   2 y  5 


2 1
 
 Q   8  10    2  10  
 Q  6   2  106  6  103
 12mJ 17
(b )
W   Q  E .dl
dl  dx a x  dya y
5 y
y  5  3x  x 
3
 2   1 
 
 Q    3x 2  y dx  y 53x      x  dy  5 y
  x 0

  
 y  5
x
3  
 2   1
 5 y  
 
 Q    3x 2  5  3x dx     
  x 0  dy  
   y 5  3   
 Q 12   6
 Q  6 
 Q  6   2 106  6 103
 12mJ 18
(b )
W   Q  E .dl
dl  dx a x  dya y
Other sol.
Part(b)
y  5  3x  dy  3dx
y 5x 0
y  1  x  2
 2   1 
 
 Q    3x  y dx  y 53x      x  dy  y 53x  
  x 0
2

   y 5  
 2   2 
  2

 Q    3x  5  3x dx      x  3dx   

  x 0   x 0 
 2 
  2

 Q    3x  6x  5 dx  

  x  0  
 Q  6 
 Q  6   2  10 6  6  103
 12mJ 19
Given that E=  z  1 sin a    z  1 cos a + sin az V/m
find the work done in moving a 4 nC charge from

(a) A(1,0,0) to B(4,0,0)

W AB   Q  E .dl
dl  d  a 
 4 
 Q      z  1 sin   d   0,z 0  
   1  
 
 4 
 Q      0  1 sin 0  d   0,z 0    0
   1  
  20
 o
(b) B(4,0,0) to C(4,30 ,0)
W BC   Q  E .dl
dl  d  a
  30 
 Q      z  1 cos   d     4,z 0  
   0  
 
  30 
 Q      0  1 cos   4d    4,z 0  
   0  
 
  30 
 4Q    cos d     4Q  0.5   2Q
   0  
   
 8 nJ 21
(c) C(4,30 ,0) to D(4,30 ,  2)
o o

W CD   Q  E .dl
dl  dz a z
  2 
 Q      sin   dz    4, 30  
 
  z 0 
  2 
 Q     4sin 30  dz  
 
  z 0 
  2  
 2Q    dz    4Q
 
  z 0  
 16 nJ
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(d) A to D
W W AB W BC W CD  0  8  16  8 nJ

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 2
Given that V=xy z
Find the work expanded in transfering a 2 C
point charge from (1,  1, 2) to (2,1,  3)
B
W AB   Q  E .dl   QV AB   Q V B V A 
A

V B V (2,1, 3)  (2)(1) ( 3)  6 V

2

V A V (1, 1, 2)  (1)( 1) (2)  2 V

2

W AB   Q V B V A   2 10 6
 6  2  16 μJ
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Given that E=a x  z a y +2 yz a z V/m
2

find the work done in moving a 5nC charge from

(1,2,  4) to (3,  5,6)
Sol: 1050 J

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