General

Physics 2 12
General Physics 2 – Grade 12
Quarter 3 – Module 5: Equipotential Surfaces and Electric Field and
Capacitors
First Edition, 2020

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 General
Physics 2 12
Quarter 3
Self-Learning Module 5
Equipotential Surfaces and
Electric Field
Capacitors
Introductory Message

For the facilitator:

Welcome to the General Physics 2 Grade 12 Equipotential surfaces and

Electric Field and Capacitors!

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed, and

reviewed by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its
Officer-in-Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A.
Agustin, in partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor,
Honorable Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum using the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in
developing this instructional resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and

independent learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims
to help learners acquire the needed 21st-century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely:
Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while
taking into consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies
that will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them
to manage their learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
 For the learner:

Welcome to the General Physics 2 Module 5 on Equipotential Surfaces and

Electric Field and Capacitors!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an
active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills

that you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson

at hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts

and skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and

application of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest - This measures how much you have learned from the
entire module.
 EXPECTATIONS

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

A. infer the direction and strength of electric field vector, nature of the electric
field sources, and electrostatic potential surfaces given the equipotential
lines;
B. calculate the electric field in the region given a mathematical function
describing its potential in a region of space; and
C. deduce the effects of simple capacitors (e.g., parallel plate, spherical,
cylindrical) on the capacitance, charge, and potential difference when the
size, potential difference, or charge is changed.

PRETEST

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Electric field
A. is always perpendicular to the equipotential surface
B. is always tangent to an equipotential surface
C. always bisects an equipotential surface
D. makes an angle to an equipotential that depends on the charge
2. A positive charge moves to the right as shown. Its kinetic
energy
A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. Remains constant
D. Zero
3. Which direction does the electric potential increase
the most?
A. A
B. C
C. D
D. E
4. A capacitor is a device used to .
A. store electrical energy
B. store magnetic energy
C. vary the resistance
D. dissipate energy
5. What is the value of capacitance of a capacitor which has a voltage of 5V and
has a 10C of charge?
 A. 2F
B. 4F
C. 6F
D. 8F

RECAP
Directions: Circle the correct figure in column B which is being described in
Column A.
1. Electric field of a
positive charge

2. Electric field of a
negative charge

3. Electric field of two

positive charges

4. Electric field of a
positive and negative
charge

5. Uniform electric field

 LESSON

Figure 1: duck-billed This is a duck-billed platypus. Duck-billed platypus is

platypus an aquatic freshwater animal. Do you know how does
it get its food? It hunts its food (like shrimps, worms
and insects) by using its electro receptors in its bill to
detect a minute electric potentials produced by the
muscles of its prey.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3ADu
ck-billed_platypus_(Ornithorhynchus_anatinus)_from_the_rivers_of_Australia_%40mcrmuseum_-
NaturesLibrary_(20477381429).jpg&psig=AOvVaw3PbJeLcSQuJI_i0WqceoTF&ust=1613108627430000&
source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMjh6IeR4e4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Equipotential Surfaces and Their Relation to Electric Field

Figure 2: The electric field Using the equation for electric potential 𝑉 = 𝑈⁄𝑄 , this
and equipotential lines
leads us to an electric potential difference
between two metal plates
𝛥𝑈
𝛥𝑉 =
𝑄

Substituting 𝛥𝑈 𝑡𝑜 − 𝑄𝐸𝑑

This gives 𝛥𝑉 = − 𝐸𝑑

Rearranging the equation

https://s3-us-west-
2.amazonaws.com/courses-images-
archive-read-only/wp-
content/uploads/sites/222/2014/12/20
105721/Figure_20_02_01a.jpg
𝛥𝑉
𝐸 = −
𝑑
The magnitude of the electric field is largest in regions
where V is changing rapidly (and ΔV is large).
Conversely, the electric
field is zero in regions Figure 3: Direction of electric
field

where V is constant. Notice that because of the

negative sign in the equation, the electric field is
directed from regions of high potential to regions of
low potential.

This relation involves the component of the electric

field in the direction parallel to the displacement d.
The electric field is a vector, so if we want to find E
in a particular direction, we must consider how the
potential V changes along that direction.
A positive test charge placed near a negative charge would have low potential
energy. To instill anything with potential energy, we have to do work by moving it
over a distance. Work must be done to push a positive charge against the arrows of
an electric field (either towards another positive charge, or away from a negative
charge). If you try to pull a negative charge away from a positive charge--against an
electric field--you have to do work.

For any charge located in an electric field, its electric potential energy depends on
the type (positive or negative), amount of charge, and its position in the field.
Electric potential energy is measured in units of joules (J).

An equipotential surface is a surface on which electric potential is the same

everywhere. Consider Figure below, which shows an isolated positive point charge
and its electric field lines. Electric field lines radiate out from a positive charge and
terminate on negative charges. While we use blue arrows to represent the
magnitude and direction of the electric field, we use green lines to represent places
where the electric potential is constant. These are called equipotential lines in two
dimensions, or equipotential surfaces in three dimensions. The term equipotential is
also used as a noun, referring to an equipotential line or surface.

Figure 4: Equipotential surfaces

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/courses-images-archive-read-only/wp-content/uploads/sites/222/2014/12/20105743/Figure_20_04_02a.jpg

It is important to note that equipotential lines are always perpendicular to electric

field lines. No work is required to move a charge along an equipotential, since ΔV =
0. Thus the work is

𝑊 = − 𝛥𝑈 = −𝑞𝛥𝑉 = 0

Sample Problem
1. A uniform electric field of 500 N/C is established between two oppositely
charged metal plates. A particle with a charge of + 0.003 C is moved from
the bottom (negatively charged) plate to the top plate. (Imagine that the
string is tied to the charged that is pulling it upward.) The distance between
the plates is 5 cm.
a. What is the change in the potential energy of the charge?
 b. What is the change in electric potential from the bottom to the top
plate?

I. Given: 𝐸 = 500 𝑁⁄𝐶 III. Solution:

𝑄 = + 0.003 𝐶 a. 𝛥𝑈 = 𝑞𝐸𝑑
𝑑 = 5 𝑐𝑚 = 0 𝛥𝑈 = (0.003 𝐶)(500 𝑁⁄𝐶 )(0.05 𝑚)
a. 𝛥𝑈 = ? 𝛥𝑈 = 0.075 𝐽
b. 𝛥V = ?
II. Formula:
b. 𝛥𝑉 = 𝛥𝑈⁄𝑄
𝛥𝑈 = 𝑞𝐸𝑑
𝛥𝑈 0.075 𝐽
𝛥𝑉 = 𝛥𝑉 =
𝑄 0.003 𝐶
𝛥𝑉 = 25 𝑉

Capacitors
Figure 5: Capacitors
In general, a capacitor consists of two-
conductor of any shape placed near one another
without touching. It is common practice to fill
the region between conductors or plates with an
electrically insulating material called a
dielectric.

A capacitor stores electric charge. Each

capacitor plate carries a charge of the same
magnitude, one positive and the other negative. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9
/Capacitors_%287189597135%29.jpg
The ability of a capacitor to store a charge on its
conductive plates is its capacitance value.

The magnitude of the charge Q on each plate of a capacitor is directly proportional

to the magnitude V of the potential difference between the plates:
𝑄
𝐶=
𝛥𝑉
where C is the capacitance.

SI unit of capacitance: Coulomb/Volt (C/V) = Farad (F)

The magnitude of the field between plates is:

𝑄
𝐸=
𝜖0 𝐴

The magnitude of the potential difference between the two plates is:
𝛥𝑉 = 𝐸𝑑

Combining the two equations, we find:

𝑄𝑑
𝛥𝑉 = 𝐸𝑑 =
𝜖0 𝐴
 Table 1: Parallel Plate capacitor, Spherical capacitor and Cylindrical capacitor and their formulas

Parallel – plate
Spherical capacitor Cylindrical capacitor
capacitor

𝐴 2𝜋𝜀0 𝐿
𝐶 𝑘(𝑟1 )(𝑟2 ) 𝐶=
𝑑 𝐶 = 4𝜋𝜀0 𝑅
𝑟2 − 𝑟1 ln ( 2⁄𝑅 )
1

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commo https://d3jlfsfsyc6yvi.cloudfront.net/image/mw:
https://snappygoat.com/b/bb9064afc545c85bcf ns/3/3f/Spherical_Capacitor.svg 1024/q:85/https%3A%2F%2Fhaygot.s3.amazon
6cd71b29f250a9e5c28df3
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Sample Problem:

A parallel plate capacitor has a square plate of side 6.0 cm and separated by a
distance of 2 mm. (a) Calculate the capacitance of this capacitor. (b) If a 15 V
battery is connected to the capacitor, what is the charge stored in any of the
plates? (The value of 𝜀0 = 8.85 𝑥 10−12 𝑁𝑚2 /𝐶 2 )

I. Given:
𝐴 = 6.0 𝑐𝑚 𝑥 6.0 𝑐𝑚
𝐴 = 3.6 𝑥 10−3 𝑚2 II. Formula:
𝑑 = 2 𝑚𝑚 = 2.0 𝑥 10−3 𝑚 𝜀0 𝐴
𝑉 = 15 𝑉 𝐶=
𝑑
𝐶 =? 𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉
𝑄 =?

III. Solution:
𝜀0 𝐴
𝐶= 𝑄 = 𝐶𝑉
𝑑
(8.85 𝑥 10−12 𝑁𝑚2 /𝐶 2 )(3.6 𝑥 10−3 𝑚2 )
𝐶= 𝑄 = 1.593 𝑋 10−11 𝐹 (15𝑉)
2.0 𝑥 10−3 𝑚
3.186 𝑥 10 𝑁/𝐶 2
−14
𝑄 = 2.39 𝑥 10−10 𝐶
𝐶=
2.0 𝑥 10−3 𝑚
𝐶 = 1.593 𝑥 10−11 𝐹 𝑄 = 23.9 𝑥 10−9 𝐶 = 23.9 𝑛𝐶
 ACTIVITIES
Activity 1: Equipotential lines

Draw the equipotential lines on the following electric fields.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/VFPt_cha https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Linee_di_flus
rges_plus_minus.svg so_cariche_uguali.svg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/VFPt_four_charges.s https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Fields-of-
vg point-charges.svg

Activity 2: Let’s Solve! Equipotential surfaces and their relation to the

electric field

1. Dry air will support a maximum electric field strength of about 2.0 x 108
V/m. Above that value, the field creates enough ionization in the air to make
the air a conductor. This allows a discharge or spark that reduces the field.
What, then, is the maximum voltage between two parallel conducting plates
separated by 3.5 cm of dry air?
2. An equipotential surface that surrounds a + 3.0 μC point charge has a
radius of 2.0 cm. What is the potential of this surface?
3. A spark plug in an automobile engine consists of two metal conductors that
are separated by a distance of 0.5 mm. When an electric spark jumps
between them, the magnitude of the electric field is 4.0 x 107 V/m. What is
the magnitude of the potential difference 𝛥V between the conductors?

Activity 3: Solving is Fun! Capacitor

1. Calculate the voltage of a battery connected to a parallel plate capacitor with
a plate area of 3.0 cm2 and a plate separation of 5mm if the charge stored on
the plates is 6.0 pC.
2. A cylindrical capacitor has a length of 6 cm is made of two concentric rings
with an inner radius of 2.5 cm and an outer radius of 3.5 cm. How much
charge is present in this capacitor if it is connected to a 15 V battery?
 3. A spherical capacitor has an inner sphere of radius 10 cm and an outer
sphere of radius 14 cm. The outer sphere is earthed and the inner sphere is
given a charge of 2.5 µC. The space between the concentric spheres is filled
with a liquid of dielectric constant 32. Determine the capacitance of the
capacitor.

VALUING

An important application of electric fields

and equipotential lines involves the
heart. How do the electric signals
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/09/15/20/46 maintain the heart’s rhythm?
/heart-1672625__340.png

WRAP-UP
Self-Assessment
Directions: Use the space provided to prepare a KWL chart. In the first column,
write things you already know about the center of mass. In the second column,
write things you want to know. In the last column, write the things you learned
about the electric potentials and capacitors.

K W L
What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned
 POSTTEST

Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer.

1. The electric field acts between two parallel plates. Which of the following
statements is not correct?
A. E is inversely proportional to distance.
B. The field is uniform.
C. A charge would experience a force VdQ.
D. Field lines are at right angles to the plates.
2. Which of the following statements concerning the work done when a small
charge is moved in the field is incorrect?
A. When it is moved from either P to Q or S to R, the
work done is the same in each case.
B. When it is moved from Q to R no work is done.
C. When it is moved around the path PQRS, the
overall work done is zero.
D. When it is moved around the path PQRS, the
overall work done is equal to twice the work done
in moving from P to Q.
3. An equipotential surface that surrounds a + 5.0 μC point charge has a
radius of 5.0 cm. What is the potential of this surface?
A. 9.0 x 103 V
B. 9.0 x 104 V
C. 9.0 x 105 V
D. 9.0 x 106 V
4. The electric potential inside a parallel-plate capacitor
A. is constant.
B. increases linearly from the negative to the positive plate.
C. decreases linearly from the negative to the positive plate.
D. decreases inversely with distance from the negative plate.
5. Initially a charged capacitor stores 2000 μJ energy. When the potential
difference decreases by 3.0 V, the energy stored by it becomes 600 μJ. What
is the capacitance of this capacitor?
A. 94 μF
B. 156 μF
C. 187 μF
D. 243 Μf
 KEY TO CORRECTION

5.B 5.B 5.A

4.A 4.B 4.A
3.)1.25 nF 3.)20,000 V 3.B 3.C 3.D
2.)15 nC 2.)1.35 MV 2.B 2.D 2.B
1.)11.29 V 1.)7 MV 1.B 1.C 1.A
ACTIVITY 3 ACTIVITY 2 RECAP POSTTEST PRETEST

References
Nicholas J. Giordano. 2018. General Physics 2. Manila: REX Book Store Inc

Jerry D. Wilson and Anthony J. Buffa. 2003. PHYSICS 4th Edition. Philippines:
Pearson Education South Asia PTE. LTD

John D. Cutnell and Kenneth W. Johnson. 2004. Physics 6th Edition. Philippines:
Golden Gate Printers

Giancoli, Douglas. PHYSICS Principles with Applications Sixth Edition. PDF file.
September 2, 2020. www.Giancoli.Physics(6th).pdf

OpenStax. “Physics.” Lumen. Accessed February 12, 2021.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/physics/chapter/19-4-equipotential-lines/.

Jack. “Get Ready. Be Prepared. Understand the Big Ideas.” Practice Problems: Capacitance
Solutions. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.physics-
prep.com/index.php/practice-problems-capacitors/43-physics-2-unit-1/1437-practice-
problems-capacitance-solutions.

Libretexts. “8.2: Capacitors and Capacitance.” Physics LibreTexts. Libretexts, November 5,

2020.https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/University_Physics/Book%3A_University
_Physics_(OpenStax)/Map%3A_University_Physics_II_-
_Thermodynamics_Electricity_and_Magnetism_(OpenStax)/08%3A_Capacitance/8.02
%3A_Capacitors_and_Capacitance.