 Equipotential Surfaces

 Relation between electric field and

electric potential
 How to get V from E?
 How to get E from V?

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 1

 Equipotential Surfaces

New Topic
PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 2
 Equipotential Surfaces
 contours of constant potential
 all points on the contour have the same value of V

 no work is required to move charge along an

equipotential surface
 W = ΔPE = q(VB – VA) = 0 if VB = VA

 equipotential surface

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 3

Where E field is constant (same distance between E field lines)
⇒ same distance is between equipotential lines

Where E field is stronger (E field lines

closer together) ⇒ equipotential lines
are closer together

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 4

Electric field lines vs. electric potential lines

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 5

ConcepTest 23.4(post) 1
Electric potential
2
 At which point is the
3
electric potential V = 0? +Q –Q

(5) all of them

4

Phys2435: Chap23, Pg 6
 Relation between
Electric Field
and
Electric Potential

New Topic
PHYS 22: Chap. 23, Pg 7
 →
How to get V from E ?

b  
Ub - U a ∫ F ⋅dl b  
Vb - Va = = − W ab = − a
= − ∫ E ⋅dl
q0 q0 q0 a

Potential difference is equal to the line

integration over field over any path that
connects the two points.
€ (In practice, pick the line that makes the
integral the easiest to do)

Another unit for electric field: volt / meter

1 V/m = 1 N/C

Phys2435: Chap. 23, Pg 8

 Example: potential difference between two
parallel and oppositely-charged plates

 The field is constant between the plates. So the line integral is easy

b  
Va − Vb = ∫ E ⋅dl = Ed
a

€
 The electric field is E = σ/ε0 so it provides a practical way
to measure the surface charge density on the plate

ε0(Va –Vb)
σ=
d

Phys2435: Chap. 23, Pg 9

€
 Example: potential of a point charge
 The field is radial, with a magnitude

 Choose the line along the normal line, then the line integral becomes

 Choose reference point: Vb=0 at rb=infinity.

Phys2435: Chap. 23, Pg 10

 Example: potential of an infinite line charge

 We know the field is 2kλ/r. So the line integral is easy

λ rb
Va - Vb = ln
2πε0 ra
 This is also the potential of an
infinite long cylinder.

Phys2435: Chap. 23, Pg 11

 →
How to get E from V ?
• We can obtain the electric field E from the potential V by
inverting our previous relation between E and V:

• Expressed as a vector, E is the negative gradient of V

z

θ
Cartesian coordinates:
r
y
o

Spherical coordinates: x ϕ
 Example: A point charge
 The electric potential depends only on the distance from the point
charge: z
1 Q
V (r) = θ
4 πε0 r
r
In spherical coordinates (r,θ,ϕ ) : o
y

∂V 1 Q ϕ
E r = −€ = x
∂r 4πε0 r 2

No angular dependence, so
Eθ = Eϕ = 0

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 13

 Example 23-11: A ring of charge
 A ring of radius R carries a total charge Q distributed uniformly around
it. The electric potential at a point on its axis is

1 Q
V (x, y,z) =
4 πε0 (x 2 + R 2 )1/ 2
∂V 1 Qx
Ex = − =
∂x 4πε0 (x 2 + R 2 ) 3 / 2
E€ = 0
y

Ez = 0
We obtained the same result as that
with vector sums of electric fields.
But it’s much easier here.
PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 14
 The electron volt as an unit for energy
 The kinetic energy acquired by a
particle carrying a charge e, moving Vba = 1 V
across a potential difference of 1 V.
+ –
 by conservation of energy: + –
+ –
+e +e
KE gained = PE lost + –
+ b a –
 KE = q Vba + –

 So 1 eV = 1.6x10-19 Joules
For electron, 1
2
me v = 1 eV gives
2 For proton, 1
2 m p v 2 = 1 eV gives

2 !1.6 !10"19 2 !1.6 !10"19

v= = 5.9 !10 5
m/s v= "27
= 1.4 !10 4
m/s
9.1!10 "31
1.67 !10
PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 15
 Summary of fields:

Constant field: Point charge: Line charge:

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 16

 ConcepTest 23.5(Post)
23.5 Electric potential
A conductor carries a net charge +Q
and has a cavity inside. What is the
potential difference between the inner
and outer surfaces?
(a) Inner surface has higher potential
(b) Outer surface has higher potential
(c) They have the same potential

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 17

 ConcepTest 23.6(Pre)
23.6 Electric potential
The inner shell of the two conducting,
concentric shells carries charge +q. How
does the electric potential compare on
the surfaces? 1) V > V > V > V
a b c d
2) Va < Vb < Vc < Vd
3) Va = Vb > Vc = Vd
4) Va = Vb < Vc = Vd
5) Va = Vb = Vc = Vd
6) None of these

PHYS 2435: Chap. 23, Pg 18