Patrick Joseph Cardinal Mzaza

Department of Physics & Electronics, School of Natural & Applied

Sciences,
University of Malawi (2022)
08-May-23 1
 Recall that near the surface of the earth, the
acceleration due to gravity is a constant.
 This is analogous to saying that the gravitational field
is a constant. Therefore, a constant electric field
interacts with charge the same way a constant
gravitational field interacts with mass. Positive
charge plays the role of mass.

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 There is potential energy in gravity, and in electricity.
A constant electric field can be produced with a parallel plate
capacitor.
In General
The electric potential is not the same as the electric
potential energy. It is related to the electric potential
energy by the formula
V= UE/q

where V is the electric potential and UE is the electric

potential energy.

 Note that this is a scalar so potentials can be added like scalars.

The SI Units of Electric Potential is joule/coulomb = volt (V).

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 The electric field, like the gravitational field, is a
conservative field. That means the work done to move a
charged object from one point to another in an electric field
does not depend on the path taken, but just on the total
displacement.

 We don't have any absolute reference frame for electric

potential, just like there is no one for gravitational potential,
and like gravity we can only measure changes in potential
energy.
 qΔV = ΔU (NB: U means Uf - Ui.)

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 The work done to move a charge in a conservative
field, like a gravitational or electrical field is given by:
W = Fd(cosθ); in a constant conservative field (like
gravity)

W = Eqd(cosθ); in a constant electric field

 Recall that we can relate the change in potential
energy to work done.

 The work done by the conservative field on an object is

always the negative of the change in potential energy.

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The work done by the electric field to move an object
from point b to point a is given by;
W =-q(Vf-Vi) = -q(Va - Vb) = -qΔV.

 ΔV = ∆Uc/q = -Wc/q = -Eqd(cosθ)/q = -Ed

(Since E and d are parallel, cos(0) =1. Note the minus

sign).

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 But the relationship between the change in potential
energy (∆UE) and the work done (W) depends on
whether we talk about the work done by the field or by
an object against the field.

 If it is the work done by the conservative field we get

WC =-∆UC.

 But if it is work done by an object against the field, we

get W = +∆UC. Everything about work and potential
energy can be applied in the case of the electric field.

08-May-23 7
Example
A proton with a charge of 1.6x10-19C is released from
rest in a uniform electric field of magnitude 8x104 V/m.
After the proton has moved 0.5 meters:

(a) What is the change in electric potential?

∆V = -Ed = -4.0x104 V

(b) What is the change in potential energy?

∆UE = Uf - Ui = q∆V = -6.4x10-15 J.
The sign shows that it’s at
a lower potential

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(c) What is the speed of the proton?
(mp = 1.67 x 10-27Kg)

08-May-23 9
The point charge creates an electric potential.

Since V = -Ed or ΔV = -ΔEd; setting d = r and using calculus

with

gives

 Note that this means that the potential (as well as

electric field) from a point charge at an infinite distance
away is usually chosen to be zero, since 1/∞ = 0.

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The Electron Volt

 This is unit of energy (NOT SI). It’s the amount of

energy one electron gains when it moves through a
potential of 1 volt.

1 eV = (1.6x10-19 C)(1 V) = 1.6x10-19 Joules

08-May-23 11
Example

How much work does it take to move a

charge of q = -3.0μC in the diagram below to a
point 0.5 meters from a charge of Q1= 20μC?

08-May-23 12
Solution

ri = ∞, so

W = ∆UE = q∆V = q(kQ1/rfinal – kQ1/rinitial),

W=(-3.0μC)(8.99x109N-m2/C2)(20.0μC)/0.5m
= -1.08 J.

08-May-23 13
What if another charge (Q2) is added as the figure below
shows?

What is the total work done by the system?

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Solution

The work (W1) to move q =-3.0 μC to a point 0.5 meters

from a charge of Q1 is -1.08 J.

Now we must move Q2 to within 0.3 m of Q1 and to

within 0.6 m of q. The work (W2) to move it to within 0.3
m of Q1 is the same calculation as above with r2 = 0.3 m
and r1= ∞,

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Solution

 W2 = ∆UE = Q2∆V = Q2(kQ1/r2 – kQ1/r1) = 3.0 J

and finally, the work it takes to move Q2 to within 0.6 m of
q is given by the same equation,

W3 = ∆UE = Q2∆V = Q2(kq/r2 - kq/r1) = -0.22 J

So the total work is given by

W =W1 + W2 + W3 = 1.70 J

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 READ WIDELY.

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