COMPRESSED PPT

Electric Potential,Work and Point Charges

GENERAL PHYSICS 2
3RD QUARTER
RECALL ELECTRIC FLUX CONCEPT
• Electric flux is the amount of electric field passing through a closed surface.
• Flux is positive when electric field is outward, and negative when electric field is
inward through the closed surface.
• Gauss’ Law states that the electric flux is proportional to the net charge enclosed
by the surface, and the constant of proportionality is e0. In symbols, it is
 0   qenc
 
 0  E  dA  qenc
• There are three geometries we typically deal with:

Geometry Charge Density Gaussian surface Electric field

Linear l= q/L Cylindrical, with axis 
E
along line of charge 2 0 r
Line of Charge

Sheet or s = q/A Cylindrical, with axis  

E E
Plane along E. 0 Conducting 2 0 Nonconducting

Spherical r = q/V Spherical, with center q  q 

E rR E   r
on center of sphere 4 0 r 2 3 
 4 0 R 
r<R

September 26, 2007

Recal…cont’d
• The electric field is zero inside a conductor.
• The electric field is zero inside a cavity within a conductor,
unless there is a charge inside that is not in contact with the
walls.
• The electric field at the surface of a conductor is always
perpendicular to that surface.
• Note, none of this is true for insulators.
 Lesson 1:
Electric Potential and Work
 Electric Potential
• Consider an electric field between two equally but oppositely charged
plates a and b whose separation is small. The electric field would be
uniform between these plates.
Work  The electric field will do work to move the charge across the
electric field.
• W = ΔKE
• The charge has high Electrical Potential Energy near b
• As the charge move closer to a, the Electrical PE decreases
while the KE increases
• The size of PE is dependent on the size of the electric field
 F = qE; W = Fd;

W = qEd ;

V= W / q if point A is the ground/infinity

Vba = Vb- Va if point is not the ground;

we get the electric potential difference

Vba = Wba/q

Solution:
SAMPLE PROBLEM W = 1.2 x 10 -5 J q = 6 x 10 -7
A charge of 6 x 10 -7 C is transferred from infinity to point
A. If the work done to this is 1.2 x 10 -5 J, what is the Formula: V = W/q
potential at point A?
V = 1.2 x 10 -5 J / 6 x10 -7 C
= 20 V
 Scenario I
• A positive charge is moved from the positive plate to the negative
plate
• Does the charge gain potential (+voltage) or lose it (-voltage)
• Is the change in the PEelectric positive or negative?
• Is the work done by the electric field positive or negative?

*Volts is the unit for electric potential in honor of Alessandro Volta.

1volt = 1J/C
 Answer
• Negative
• Negative
• Positive - Wnet is positive (force is in the same direction as
displacement)
 Scenario II
• A positive charge is moved from the negative plate to the positive
plate.
• Does the charge gain potential (+voltage) or lose it (-voltage)
• Is the change in the PEelectric positive or negative?
• Is the work done by the electric field positive or negative?
 Answer
• Positive
• Positive
• Negative(force is in opposite direction of displacement)
 Scenario III
• A negative charge moves from the negative plate to the positive plate.
• Does the charge gain potential (+voltage) or lose it (-voltage)
• Is the change in the PEelectric positive or negative?
• Is the work done by the electric field positive or negative?
 Answer
• Positive
• Negative
• Positive
 Example I
• A charge of –6.0μC is moved from ground to a point where the
potential is +75V. a) What is the change in PE? b) Is the work done by
the electric field positive or negative? c) How much work is done by
the electric field?

ANS. -4.5x10-4J, Positive, 4.5x10-4J

Reminders for point charges and Electric potential

* For point charges, the electric potential infinitely

away from a point charge is zero

*The electric potential near a negative charge is negative (less

than zero).
*The electric potential near a positive charge is large and
decreases to zero at large distances