GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &

Capacitance and Capacitors

Electric Potential Energy of Point Charges

- The electric potential energy for two point charges, q1, and q0, separated by a distance
r (see Figure 2.2) is given as,

1 q1 q0
U=
4 πε 0 r

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
- Electric Potential, V, is defined as the potential energy per unit charge. The electric
potential energy is shown by two elements, the charge possessed by the object itself
and the position relative to an object with respect to electrically charged objects. The
magnitude of electric potential is dependent on the amount of work done in moving the
object from one point to another against the electric field.

- When an object is moved against the electric field it gains amount of energy which is
the electric potential energy. In a given charge the electric potential energy is the total
GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors
work done by an external agent in bringing the system of charges from continuity to the
present without any acceleration. It is obtained by dividing potential energy to the
quantity of charge.

- Electric potential energy is a scalar quantity.

- It is measured in terms of Joules.

U
V=
q0
 Unit of Electric Potential: I Volt, V = 1 J/C

Given the sizes of each charge and the distance between them, the electric
potential energy they have relative to each other can be calculated. This is assuming the
two charges can be treated as point charges, which are where all the charge is
concentrated at an exact point in space.

1. The potential of infinity is defined to be zero.

2. If a point charge is positive, the electric potential of the charge is positive. When
moving a charge from infinity to this point, the electric potential increases above a zero
level.

3. If a point charge is negative, the electric potential of the charge negative. When
moving a charge from infinity to this point, the electric energy decreases below a zero
level.

Moving along the direction of the electric field, 𝐸⃑, in both positive and negative point
charges, the electric potential V decreases. Otherwise, the potential 𝑉 increases (see
Figure 2.4).

EQUATION FOR CALCULATING ELECTRIC POTENTIAL

GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors

The POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE between two points can be expressed as a line

integral given by

W a →b b → → b
V ab=V a−V b = =∫ E . dl =∫ E cos ∅ dl
q0 a a

Electron Volt

 One electron volt (1 eV) is the kinetic energy gained by an electron moving through
a potential difference of one volt (1 V).
−19
1 eV =1.602 x 10 J

Equipotential Line

 An equipotential is a line surface over which the electric potential (V) is constant at
every point. Electric field lines are perpendicular to equipotentials.

Equipotential Surface

 An equipotential surface is one on which all points are at the same potential. The
potential difference between any two points on an equipotential surface is zero; there is
no work done to move a charge between two points.

Characteristics of Equipotential Surfaces

GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors
1. No work is done to move a charge between two points on the same equipotential
surface.

2. Electric filed lines are perpendicular to equipotential surface.

3. The surface of a conductor is an equipotential surface.

Solving Problems Involving Electric Potential Energy and Electric Potential

1. Two point charges q1=-e and q2=+e are located on the x-axis at x=0 and x=a
respectively.

a) Find the work that must be done in bringing a third charge q3=+e from infinity to
x=2a

b) Find the total potential energy of these three point charges.

2. In the figure shown, assume that 𝑟12 = 𝑟13 = 𝑟23 = 12 𝑐𝑚, and that q1=+q, q2=-4q and
q3=+2qwhere q=150nC. What is the potential energy of the system?
GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors

3. A proton (+q = +1.602 x 10-19C) moves along a straight line from point a to point b
with a separation distance d = 0.50m. Considering the electric field along this line is
uniform with magnitude of 1.50 x 107V/m and directed from point a to point b.
Determine:

a) the force on the proton

b) the work done on it by the field (in Joules & eV units)

c) the potential difference (Vab)

GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors

Summary
• A charged object has electric potential energy by virtue of its location in an electric field.

• Electric potential energy is a form of mechanical energy. It is expressed in electron volts

(eV).

• The electric potential, or voltage, at any point in an electric field is the electric potential energy per unit
charge for a charged object at that point.

• The work done by the electric force on a charged particle moving in an electric field is equal to the negative
of the change in electric potential energy.
GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors
• Electric Potential can be calculated by summing or integrating over the charges.

• Electron volt (1 eV) is the kinetic energy gained by an electron moving through a potential difference of one
volt (1 V),

• An equipotential surface is one on which all points are at the same potential.

Capacitance and Capacitors

Capacitor - is a component which has the ability or “capacity” to store energy
in the form of an electrical charge producing a potential difference (Static
Voltage) across its plates, much like a small rechargeable battery. There are
many different kinds of capacitors which are available from very small
capacitor beads used in resonance circuits to large power factor correction
capacitors, but they all do the same thing, they store charge.
GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors

 a capacitor consists of two or more parallel conductive (metal) plates which

are not connected or touching each other but are electrically separated either by
air or by some form of a good insulating material such as waxed paper, mica,
ceramic, plastic, or some form of a liquid gel as used in electrolytic capacitors.

 The insulating layer between a capacitors plates is commonly called the

Dielectric. Due to this insulating layer, DC current cannot flow through the
capacitor as it blocks it allowing instead a voltage to be present across the
plates in the form of an electrical charge.

Capacitance – is the ability of an object (in this case a circuit element) to store
an electric charge Q. The circuit element that has this property is called a
capacitor. When a capacitor is connected in series to a power supply (in this
case, a DC power supply of potential V), charges – Q and + Q are stored in the
plates of the capacitor when they are connected to the negative and positive
terminals of the DC-power supply, respectively. The potential across the plates
of this capacitor is then equal to the potential V of the power supply.
Capacitance C is defined as the ratio of the charge Q = |±Q| stored in each plate
to the potential V between the plates.
Mathematically,capacitance can be defined by,
GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors

Capacitors in Series and Parallel Connection

Energy Stored and Electric Field Energy in Capacitors

GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors

Dielectric is an insulating material or a very poor conductor of electric current.

When dielectrics are placed in an electric field, practically no current flows in
them because, unlike metals, they have no loosely bound, or free, electrons that
may drift through the material. Instead, electric polarization occurs. The
positive charges within the dielectric are displaced minutely in the direction of
the electric field, and the negative charges are displaced minutely in the
direction opposite to the electric field. This slight separation of charge, or
polarization, reduces the electric field within the dielectric.
GENERAL PHYSICS II| Electric Potential &
Capacitance and Capacitors

Summary
Capacitors play an important role in modern electronics. Its significance can be
observed with current development of technology. The mechanism of capacitor
to charge and discharge electrical energy enables modern devices to function
accordingly. We learned from this lesson the relationship of capacitance to
charge and voltage. Moreover, we were able to analyze the different behaviors
of parameters in series and parallel connections.