ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY

And ELECTRIC POTENTIAL

ANALOGY
Gravitational Potential Electric Potential
Energy Energy

Due to gravitational field. Due to electric field.

mass (m) charge (q)
P.E=mgh=W=F*h P.EE (U)=W=
 Imagine there is an object of mass (m) at some
location.
 Imagine that the object must be moved to
another spot within the field.
 Work must be done in order to accomplish this.
 GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY
m P.E=mgh

m
h= 5m

h= 5m
m W=Fxh
Surface of the earth. F
F
m
Surface of the earth.
ANALOGY
Gravitational Potential Electric Potential
Energy Energy(P.EE or U)
Due to gravitational field.
Due to electric field.
mass (m)
charge (q)
P.E=mgh=W=F*h
P.EE(U)= q=W=
 Imagine there is a particle of charge q at some
location.
 Imagine that the particle must be moved to
another spot within the field.
 Work must be done in order to accomplish this.
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY (U)
Uniformly charged plane
NEGATIVE
a POSITIVE
+q
F=

d
E=F/q

b +q 𝑾 𝒂→ 𝒃=𝑭𝒅 =𝒒 𝑬𝒅
 Uniformly Charged Plane
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
a +q F=

d
E=F/q

b +q 𝑾 𝒂→ 𝒃=𝑭𝒅 =𝒒 𝑬𝒅

W=K.E== q
 Forces acting on a charge q between
two plates, A and B, which have an
electric field E between them.
 The electric force F exerted by the
field on the positive charge is F = qE.
 To move the charge from plate A to
plate B, an equal and opposite force (F
′ = −qE) must be applied.
 The electric potential energy—that is,
the work W done in moving the
positive charge through a distance d—
is W = F′d = −qEd.
P.EE(U) depends on the following:

1. Type of charge(q).
2. Amount of charge (C)
3. Strength of the electric field(E;N/C)
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY (U)

Energy stored in electric charges.

Is the energy needed to moved a charge particle in an
electric field.
Measured in Joules (J)
 P.EE(U)= W
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
 the amount of work needed to move a
unit charge from a reference point to a
specific point against an electric field.
 the electric potential energy per unit
charge.
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
Electric Potential (V) due to a single point.

V = or V = simplify as Volts or V

 Electric Potential is also called as Voltage or Electric Potential

Difference.
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
Electric Potential (V) due to a single point.
Dependent on the following:

1. The amount of charge. 2. Distance from the charge.

V=

V= =
Therefore:
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
Electric Potential (V) due to multiple point charges.

Equals the sum of the Potential of each individual

charge, at a point in a space/system.

Vtotal=V1 + V2 + V3 . . . Vn V= =
Consider this example
V  0
Furthermore,
U Wapplied
V  
q q
so
Wapplied  qV
If we move a particle through a potential
difference of DV, the work from an external
“FORCE” necessary to do this is qDv.
 Kinetic Energy-Work theorem (Work Energy principle)
The work W done by the net force on a particle equals the change
in the particle’s kinetic energy KE.

Why work is equal to negative ∆U?

 A rule of thumb for deciding whether U is increasing:
 If a charge is moving in the direction  If a charge is moved in a direction
that it would normally move, its opposite to that of it would
electric potential energy is normally move, its electric
decreasing. potential energy is increasing.

SLIDE #12
SUMMARY

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY (U=qV )  Change in electric potential energy.

Is the energy needed to move a charge
particle in an electric field. ∆U = U B - UA Or
Measured in Joules or J ∆U = qVB - qVA
 P.EE(U)= W
 One point charge q in the presence of
another point charge Q

U=
SUMMARY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL  Electric Potential (V) due to multiple point charges
 The amount of work needed to move
a unit charge from a reference point to
a specific point against an electric
field. Vtotal=V1 + V2 + V3 . . . Vn
 The electric potential energy per unit
charge.
 Electric Potential (V) due to a single point

V= =
SUMMARY

A rule of thumb for deciding whether EPE is increasing:

 If a charge is moving in the direction that it would

normally move, its electric potential energy is
decreasing.

 If a charge is moved in a direction opposite to that of it

would normally move, its electric potential energy is
increasing.
SUMMARY

Kinetic Energy-Work theorem (Work Energy principle)

The work W done by the net force on a particle equals the change
in the particle’s kinetic energy KE.
 U Wapplied If we move a particle through a
V  
q q potential difference of DV, the
so work from an external “FORCE”
Wapplied  qV necessary to do this is qDv.
Analysis Example
q1 What is the electric potential at point A?
r1
A
 Let r1,r2,r3 be the distances of the
charges to a field point A.
r3
r2
r12, r13, r23) represent the distance
q3 between the charges.

VA=
q2
1. If we bring a charge Q from infinity and place it at point A the work
done would be:

q1
r1
A
Q

r3
r2

q3

q2
2. The total Electric Potential Energy of this system of charges namely, the work
q1
needed to bring them to their current positions.
r1
A Add all the work needed to
compute the total work. The result
would be.
r3
r2

q3

q2
CALCULATIONS
1) A point particle has a charge of -8.0 μC. It moves from point A, with
electric potential VA = +200 V, to point B, with electric potential V B =
+600 V. What is the change in electric potential energy as a result of
this movement?
∆U = UB - UA ∆U = qVB - qVA
∆U = (-8.0x10-6C)( 600 V) - (-8.0x10-6C)(200 V)
∆U = (-8.0x10-6C)( 600 ) - (-8.0x10-6C)(200 )

∆U= (-4.8 x 10-3J) – (-1.6 x 10-3J)

∆U= -3.2 x 10-3J

2) A point particle has a charge of +6.0 μC. It moves from point A, with electric
potential VA = -100 V, to point B. In the process, the potential energy changes by
+0.0018 J. What is the electric potential at point B?

∆U = UB - UA ∆U = qVB - qVA VB=

VB=
VB=200 J/C
VB=
VB=200V
VB=
3. A 50 μC charge at rest is 10cm away from a 100 μC
stationary charge.
(a)Calculate the U between the two charges.

(b)What is the U when 50 μC is 50 cm away from the other charge?

(c)How much work is required to move the charge from 10cm to

50cm away from the stationary charge?

(d)What is the final speed of 50μC charge if its mass is 5grams

when it’s 50cm away?
 3. A 50 μC charge at rest is 10cm away from a 100 μC stationary charge.

(a)Calculate the U between the two charges.

U

9 𝑥 10 9 𝑁 .𝑚 2 / 𝐶 2 ( 50 𝑥 10 −6 𝐶 ) ( 100 𝑥 10 −6 𝐶 )
𝑈=
0.1 𝑚
9 2 2 −9 2
9 𝑥 10 𝑁 .𝑚 / 𝐶 (5 𝑥 10 𝐶 )
𝑈=
0.1𝑚
2
45 𝑁 .𝑚
𝑈=
0.1 𝑚

𝐔 =𝟒𝟓𝟎 𝐍 . 𝐦𝐨𝐫 𝐉 Initial U

 (b)What is the U when 50 μC is 50 cm away
from the other charge?
U

9 𝑥 10 9 𝑁 .𝑚 2 / 𝐶 2 ( 50 𝑥 10 −6 𝐶 ) ( 100 𝑥 10 −6 𝐶 )
𝑈=
0.5 𝑚
9 2 2 −9 2
9 𝑥 10 𝑁 .𝑚 / 𝐶 (5 𝑥 10 𝐶 )
𝑈=
0.5 𝑚
2
45 𝑁 .𝑚
𝑈=
0. 5 𝑚

𝐔 =𝟗𝟎 𝐍 . 𝐦 𝐨𝐫 𝐉 Final U
c)How much work is required to move the charge from
10cm to 50cm away from the stationary charge?
∆U=Uf – Ui

∆U=90J – 450J

∆U=-360 J Work = - ∆U
Work = -(-360 J)

Work =360 J
PERFORMANCE TASK 2
Solve what is ask in the problem and upload your answers using the link
provided.

1. A bottle of wine is 0.350 kg falls from rest from a shelf that is 1.75
meter above the ground.
a. Calculate the Potential Energy of the bottle relative to the earth’s
surface (floor).
b. The Kinetic Energy just before it hits the ground.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/
1YXicwQpAnZeJ0Oue6iYBacmQ9FBMRjYMneN7MIXpOBQ/edit
(d)What is the final speed of 50μC charge if its
mass is 5grams, when it’s 50cm away?
Charge is at rest, vi=0
W= ∆K.E=360 J

∆K.E= 2 2 ( 360 𝐽 )
𝑣 =
𝑓 −3
5 𝑥 10 𝑘𝑔
∆K.E=

√ ( )
𝑚
2 360 𝑘𝑔 . 2 .𝑚
360J= 𝑠
𝑣𝑓= −3
5 𝑥 10 𝑘𝑔
Slide 21
 √
360J= 𝑚
2
720 𝑘𝑔 . 2
𝑠
2 2 ( 360 𝐽 ) 𝑣𝑓= −3
𝑣 =
𝑓 −3
5 𝑥 10 𝑘𝑔
5 𝑥 10 𝑘𝑔
𝑣 𝑓 = √ 144 000 𝑚 / 𝑠
2 2

√ ( )
𝑚
2 360 𝑘𝑔 . 2
.𝑚
𝑠
𝑣𝑓= −3
5 𝑥 10 𝑘𝑔 m
𝑣𝑓 = 379.473
s

√ ( )
2
𝑚
2 360 𝑘𝑔 . 2 𝐦
𝑠 𝒗 𝒇 =𝟑𝟕𝟗 . 𝟒 𝟕
𝑣𝑓=
5 𝑥 10
−3
𝑘𝑔
𝐬
 Seatwork No.4

(d)What is the final speed of 50μC charge if its

mass is 5grams, when it’s 50cm away?
 Electric Potential Energy in Different
Scenarios
A.

High Electric Potential Energy WHY?

 B.
Low Electric Potential Energy, WHY?

Remember!
 +q gains P.EE(U) if it moves  -q gains P.EE(U) if it moves
opposite the direction of in the same direction of
the electric field. the electric field.
Other References
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8vGuA6k6so
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZPmIKneSBk
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-4monRooN4
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJXGoVIQ7c
5. https://www.utm.edu/staff/cerkal/potential.html#:~:text=Let's
%20remember%20Kinetic%20Energy%2DWork,evaluated%20at
%20the%20end%20points).