Chapter 23

Electric Potential

PowerPoint Lectures for

University Physics, Thirteenth Edition
Hugh D. Young and Roger A. Freedman
Lectures by Wayne Anderson
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Finding potential by integration

Example 23.6: Potential at a

distance r from a point charge?

Va Vb E dl
a

Va Vb E dl
b

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Calculating electric potential

Example 23.8
(a charged conducting
sphere).
Total charge q in sphere
of radius R
V = ? everywhere

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Calculating electric potential

Example 23.8
(a charged conducting
sphere).
Total charge q in sphere
of radius R
V = ? everywhere

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Oppositely charged parallel plates

Example 23.9: Find potential at any height y between 2
oppositely charged plates

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An infinite line charge or conducting cylinder

Example 23.10 Potential at r
away from line?

Va Vb E dl
a

E (r )
r
2 0 r

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An infinite line charge or conducting cylinder

Consider cylinder
Same result for r > R
What about inside
conducting cylinder??

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A ring of charge
Charge Q uniformly around thin ring of radius a. VP=?

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A finite line of charge

Example 23.12 Potential at P a distance x from ring?

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Equipotential surfaces and field lines

Equipotential surface is surface on which electric potential is same at
every point.
Field lines & equipotential surfaces are always mutually perpendicular.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Equipotential surfaces and field lines

Equipotential surface is surface on which electric potential is same at
every point.
Field lines & equipotential surfaces are always mutually perpendicular.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Equipotential surfaces and field lines

Equipotential surface is surface on which electric potential is same at
every point.
Field lines & equipotential surfaces are always mutually perpendicular.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Equipotentials and conductors

When all charges are at rest:
Surface of conductor is always an equipotential surface.
E field just outside conductor is always perpendicular to surface
Entire solid volume of conductor is at same potential.

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Potential gradient
Consider a uniform vector E field
Consider moving a unit charge along x-axis a very small
distance from x to x+x (at constant y and z)
Work done against field from x to x+x:

Work/unit
charge

x x

E dl E x
x

Work against field by you

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Potential gradient
Consider a uniform vector E field
Consider moving a unit charge along x-axis a very small
distance from x to x+x (at constant y and z) in this field
YOU have to do work against field from x to x+x
Remember Work by you against field = PE

You lift mass up against gravity = gain in grav. PE!

You push + charge against E field = gain in elec. PE!

Your work against the field increases the potential energy.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Potential gradient
Consider a uniform vector E field
Consider moving a unit charge along x-axis a small distance
from x to x+x (at constant y and z)
But Work (per unit charge) done against field = V

Work
V ( x x, y, z ) V ( x, y, z )
unit q

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.

Potential gradient
Consider a uniform vector E field
Consider moving a unit charge along x-axis a small distance
from x to x+x (at constant y and z)
But Work (per unit charge) done against field = V!
In the limit as x goes to 0

W
V
V ( x x, y, z ) V ( x, y, z )
x
unit q
x

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Potential gradient
So uniform vector E field is the gradient of a scalar Potential

V
Work / unit q E x x
x
x

so
V
Ex
x
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Potential gradient
Create E as the gradient of the Potential

V
Ex
x
V
Ey
y
V
Ez
z

E ( , , )V V
x y z
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education Inc.