UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

Chapter-23 Electric Potential

Topics in the material

1. Learning Goals

2. Electric Potential Energy of two point charges

3. Electric Potential

4. Calculating Electric Potential

5. Equipotential Surfaces

6. Potential Gradient

7. Conceptual Problems: TYU-23.1, TYU-23.2

8. In-class problems: 23.8, 23.11

9. Assignment problem: 23.14, 23.29

LEARNING GOALS

• To study and calculate electrical potential energy

• To define and study examples of electric potential

• To trace regions of equal potential as equipotential surfaces

• To find the electric field from electrical potential

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

Electric Potential Energy

A charged particle in an electric field has electric potential energy. It experiences a force as
given by Coulomb’s law. Electric potential energy is defined as the work done by Coulomb
force when q1 moves from a to b:
rb rb rb
W   FE  ds   FE ds cos    FE dr dr  displacement along r
ra ra ra

rb 1 q1q 2
W   dr
ra 40 r 2

rb
1 rb 1 1  1
W
40
q1q 2  ra r 2
dr  
40
q1q 2  
 r  ra

1  1 1 1 1 1
W q1q 2     q1q 2   
40  rb ra  40  rb ra 

1 1 1
W q1q 2   
40  rb ra 

It is clear that the work depends only on the initial and final positions of q 1. In other words, the
work done by the electric force is independent of path taken. The electric force is a conservative
force.

Electric Potential Energy in a Uniform Field

A pair of charged parallel metal plates sets up a uniform electric

field in downward with magnitude E.

The magnitude of force exerted by the electric field on a positive

test charge q0 in downward direction is

F = q0 E

As the charge moves downward a distance ‘d’ from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’, the force on the test
charge is constant and independent of its location.

So the work done by the electric force is the same for any path from ‘a’ to ‘b’ and is given by
Wa b  F d  q0 E d

This work is positive, since the force is in the same direction as the net displacement of the test
charge.

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

An electric charge moving in an electric field

• Positive charge movement in the E field

direction:
– Field does positive work on charge.
– K.E increases and U decreases

• Positive charge movement opposite to the

E field direction:
– Field does negative work on charge.
– K.E decreases and U increases

• Negative charge movement in the E field

direction:
– Field does negative work on charge.
– K.E decreases and U increases

• Negative charge movement opposite to the

E field direction:
– Field does positive work on charge.
– K.E increases and U decreases

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

Electric Potential Energy of Two Point Charges

Let us consider an electric field caused by a single, stationary point charge ‘q’. A test charge q 0
is moving from ‘a’ to ‘b’.

The Coulomb’s force Fr on q0 is given by,

1 q q0
Fr 
4 0 r 2

The work done on a test charge q0 in moving from ‘a’ to ‘b’ by Fr is

rb rb r
1 q q0 q q 0 b dr
  Fr dr  
40 ra r 2
Wa b dr 
ra ra
40 r 2

q q0  1 1 
r
 1
b
q q0
Wa b    r   4   r  r 
40 ra 0  b a 

q q0 1 1
Wa b    
40  ra rb 
In this case the work done by the electric force depends only on the endpoints.

1 q q0 1 q q0
Wa b  
40 ra 40 rb
Wa b  U a  U b

1 q q0
Where, U a  , potential energy when q 0 is at ra from 'q '
40 ra
1 q q0
Ub  , potential energy when q 0 is at rb from 'q '
4 0 rb

In general the electric potential energy for a system of two point charges q and q 0, separated by
1 q q0
a distance r is written as U 
4 0 r
For a conservative force we have

Wa b  Ua  Ub    Ub  Ua    U

Thus if, Wa b is positive, then U is negative and vice versa.

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

Potential energy curves: PE versus r

Graphs of the potential energy of two

point charges q and q0 versus their
separation r is shown in the figure. It is
clear from the graph that:

 q and q0 have the same sign

 U>0
 As r →0, U→ + ∞
 As r →∞, U→ 0
Thus the potential energy between like charges increases sharply to positive (repulsive)
values as the charges become close.

 q and q0 have the opposite sign

 U<0
 As r → 0, U→ - ∞
 As r →∞, U→ 0
Unlike charges have potential energy becoming sharply negative as they become close
(attractive).

Electric Potential Energy with Several Point Charges

The potential energy associated with the test charge q0 at point ‘a’ is
the algebraic sum of the individual energies

1 q1 q 0 1 q2 q0 1 q3 q 0
U    ......
40 r 40 r 40 r
q 0  q1 q 2 q  q0 qi
U 
40  r1
  3  ......   U
40
r
r2 r3  i i

Above equation shows that we can always find a potential-energy function for any static electric
field. So, for every electric field due to a static charge distribution, the force exerted by that
field is conservative.

If the system contains many point charges then the total potential
energy U is the sum of the potential energies of interaction for each
pair of charges. We can write this as
1 q1q 2 1 q1q 3 1 q 2q3 1 qi q j
U
40 r12

40 r13

40 r23
 ...  U
40

i j rij

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

The electrical potential

Potential V at any point in an electric field is defined as the potential energy U per unit charge
associated with a test charge q0 placed at that point:
U
V
q0
 Potential is a scalar quantity.
 The SI unit of potential, called one volt (1 V = 1 joule per coulomb)

The potential of ‘a’ with respect to ‘b’ is denoted by Vab = Va – Vb.

This is also the potential difference between two points ‘a’ and ‘b’.
The potential difference between two points is often referred as
voltage. It is defined as the work done by the electric force on a unit
charge that moves from ‘a’ to ‘b’ in the field.
Thus,
Wa b U a  U b
Vab  Va  Vb  
q0 q0

An instrument that measures the difference of potential between two points is called a
voltmeter.

Calculating Electric Potential

The potential V due to a single point charge is

U  1 q q 0  1 
V  V  
q0  40 r  q 0 
1 q
 V
40 r
Where r = distance from the point charge ‘q’ to the point at which the potential is evaluated.
 If q is positive, the potential that it produces is positive at
all points;
 If q is negative, it produces a potential that is negative
everywhere.
 V = 0 at an infinite distance from the point charge.
 The potential due to a collection of point charges is:
U 1 qi
V
q 0 40
r
i i

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

Electron Volts

Electron volt is a unit of electrical energy. It is defined as the amount of electrical energy
associated with an electron when it is placed inside an electrical field of potential difference of
1volt. So,

W=qV => 1eV = (1.6 x 10-19C)(1Volt) => 1eV = 1.6 x 10-19J

Calculation of Electric Potential

1. Calculation of Electric Potential due to a charged conducting sphere

Let us consider a solid conducting sphere of radius R. q be the total charge contained in it. The
charge conducting sphere can be considered as a point charge.
Outside the sphere:
Let us consider a point ‘r’ outside the sphere and keep a test charge q0 there. The potential
energy associated with q0 is:

1 q q0
U
4 0 r

Now the potential V due to point charge is the potential energy U per unit charge associated
with a test charge q0 placed at that point.

U  1 q q 0  1  1 q
Voutside   Voutside      Voutside 
q0  40 r  q0  40 r

On the surface of the sphere:

On the surface of the sphere, r = R.

1 q
Vsurface 
40 R

Inside the sphere:

Inside the sphere, E is zero everywhere. Hence no work is

done on a test charge that moves from any point to any other
point inside the sphere. So the potential is the same at every
point inside the sphere and is equal to its value at the surface,
i.e

1 q
Vinside 
4 0 R

The variation of electric potential with the distance from the

center of the charged conducting sphere is shown in the
figure.

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

From the figure it is clear that

1
Voutside 
r

Vinside  Vsurface  cons tan t

2. Calculation of Electric Potential due to a uniformly charged ring.

Let
Q = amount of charge distributed uniformly around a thin ring.
a = radius of the ring
Let us consider a point P on the axis of the ring that passes through
the center and perpendicular to the plane of the ring.
x = distance of the point from the center of the ring on the axis.
Let dV be the potential at P due to the infinitesimal charge dq lying
on the surface of the ring. So,

1 dq
dV 
4 0 r

1 dq 1 1
V  V  dq
40 r 4 0 x2  a2
1 Q
 V
40 x2  a2

From the above expression it is clear that:

1 Q
 At the center of the ring (x=0), Vcenter 
40 a
1 Q
 If x>>a, then V 
4 0 x

This is the potential at a distance x from a point charge Q.

Equipotential surfaces and field lines

 An equipotential surface is a three-

dimensional surface on which the
electric potential V is the same at every
point.

 If a test charge q0 is moved from one

point to other on such a surface, the
electric potential energy (U = qoV)
remains constant.

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

 The work done in moving a test charge on the equipotential surface is zero.

 In a region where an electric field is present, we can construct an equipotential surface

through any point. Equipotential surfaces for different potentials never intersect.

 Field lines & equipotential surfaces are always mutually perpendicular.

 Field lines & equipotential surfaces are shown in the figure.

 When all charges are at rest:

 Surface of conductor is always an equipotential
surface (shown in the figure below)

 E field just outside conductor is always

perpendicular to surface

 Entire solid volume of conductor is at same

potential.

 At all points on the surface of a conductor, the

electric field just outside must be
perpendicular to the surface. If had a tangential
component, a net amount of work would be
done on a test charge by moving it around a
loop as shown here—which is impossible
because the electric force is conservative.

Potential gradient

The electric field can be written as

dV  dV ˆ dV ˆ dV ˆ 
E  E   i j k  E   V
dr  dx dy dx 

V is called the potential gradient

The components of the electric field are

dV dV dV
Ex   , Ey   , Ez  
dx dy dz

At each point, the potential gradient points in the direction in which V increases most rapidly
with a change in position.
Hence at each point the direction of E is the direction in which V decreases most rapidly and is
always perpendicular to the equipotential surface through the point.

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

Conceptual Problems:

Test Your Understanding of Section 23.1

Consider the system of three point charges as shown in

figure.

a) What is the sign of the total potential energy of this

system?
(i) positive; (ii) negative; (iii) zero.
b) What is the sign of the total amount of work you
would have to do to move these charges infinitely far
from each other?
(i) positive; (ii) negative; (iii) zero.

Answers: (a) (i), (b) (ii)

The three charges q1, q2 and q3 are all positive. So all three pairs of individual potential energy
are positive. Hence the total electric potential energy (U) is positive.
This means that it would take positive work to bring the three charges from infinity to the
positions shown in the figure. Hence negative work to move the three charges from these
positions back to infinity.

Test Your Understanding of Section 23.2

If the electric potential at a certain point is zero, does the electric field at that point have to be
zero?

Answer: no
If V = 0 at a certain point, E does not have to be zero at that point.
For example, at any point on the perpendicular bisector line of an
electric dipole. In figure the electric field at ‘C’ exists but V= 0.

In-class problems:

Example- 23.8: A charged conducting sphere

A solid conducting sphere of radius ‘R’ has a total charge ‘q’. Find the electric potential
everywhere, both outside and inside the sphere.

Solution: Given in the study material

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UPEM Electric Potential Chapter-23

Example-23.11 A ring of charge

Electric charge Q is distributed uniformly around a thin ring of radius ‘a’. Find the potential at a
point ‘P’ on the ring axis at a distance ‘x’ from the center of the ring.

Solution: Given in the study material

Assignment problem:
23.14. A small particle has charge – 5 μC and mass 2 x 10-4kg. It moves from point ‘A’ where
the electric potential is VA = + 200V, to point ‘B’ where the electric potential is
VB = + 800V. The electric force is the only force acting on the particle. The particle has
speed 5m/s at point ‘A’. What is its speed at point ‘B’. Is it moving faster or slower at
‘B’ than at ‘A’? Explain.

Solution:

Applying conservation of energy to points A and B we get,

KA + UA = KB + UB
1 1
m v 2A  qVA  m v B2  qVB
2 2
1
2
m v 2A  qVA  K B  qVB 
1
2
 2 x 104 kg   5m / s   qVA  qVB  K B
2

 K B   25 x 10 J   q  VA  VB   K B   25 x 104 J    5 x 10 6 C   200V  800V 

4

 K B   25 x 104 J    3 0 x 104 J 

1 2 x 55 x 104 J
 m v 2B  55 x 104 J  vB   v B  7.42 m / s
2  2 x 104 kg 
23.29 . A total electric charge of 3.5 nC is distributed uniformly over the surface of a metal
sphere with a radius of 24 cm. If the potential is zero at a point at infinity, find the value
of the potential at the following distances from the center of the sphere: (a) 48.0 cm;
(b) 24.0 cm; (c) 12.0 cm.

Solution: charge = q = 3.5 nC, radius = R = 24cm

(a) Here, r = 48 cm
2 2 
3.5 x 109 C 
  9 x 10 N.m C 
1 Q
This is outside the sphere, so V  9
 65.6V
40 r  48 x 102 m 
(b) Here, r = 24 cm
2 2 
3.5 x 109 C 
  9 x 10 N.m C 
1 Q
This is on the sphere, so V  9
 131V
40 R  24 x 102 m 
(c) Here, r = 12.0 cm
This is inside the sphere. The potential has the same value as at the surface, 131 V.

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