Electric Potential

Energy in
Capacitors
 Electric Potential
Electric Potential Energy
Electric Potential Energy
Work done by Coulomb force when q1
moves from a to b:

rb rb k q1q 2
W   FE  ds    2
dr
ra ra r
rb
rb 1  1
W  k q1q 2 
ra r 2
dr  k q1q 2  
 r  ra

 1 1 1 1
W  k q1q 2      k q1q 2   
 rb ra   rb ra 
Electric potential energy is “just like” gravitational potential
energy.
Except that all matter exerts an attractive gravitational force, but
charged particles exert either attractive or repulsive electrical forces—so
we need to be careful with our signs.
Electric potential is the electric potential energy per unit of
charge.
Electric Potential
U g  mgh Here we see the equation for gravitational
potential energy.

U g  U E (or W ) Instead of gravitational potential energy we

are talking about ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
mq ENERGY

gE
A charge will be in the field instead of a mass

The field will be an ELECTRIC FIELD instead

hxd of a gravitational field

U E (W )  qV The displacement is the same in any

reference frame and use various symbols

W
V Putting it all together!

q Question: What does the LEFT side of the equation

mean in words? The amount of Energy per charge!
Energy per charge
The amount of energy per charge has a specific name and it is
called, VOLTAGE or ELECTRIC POTENTIAL (difference). Why the
“difference”?

1 mv2
W K
V    2
q q q
Understanding “Difference”
Let’s say we have a proton placed between
a set of charged plates. If the proton is held
fixed at the positive plate, the ELECTRIC
FIELD will apply a FORCE on the proton
(charge). Since like charges repel, the
proton is considered to have a high
potential (voltage) similar to being above
the ground. It moves towards the negative
plate or low potential (voltage). The plates
are charged using a battery source where
one side is positive and the other is
negative. The positive side is at 9V, for
example, and the negative side is at 0V. So
basically the charge travels through a
“change in voltage” much like a falling
mass experiences a “change in height.
(Note: The electron does the opposite)
W is Electric Potential Energy (Joules)
is not
V is Electric Potential (Joules/Coulomb)
a.k.a Voltage, Potential Difference
 Example
A pair of oppositely charged, parallel plates are separated by
5.33 mm. A potential difference of 600 V exists between the
plates. (a) What is the magnitude of the electric field strength
between the plates? (b) What is the magnitude of the force
on an electron between the plates?
d  0.00533m V  Ed
V  600V 600  E (0.0053) Fe Fe
E 
E ? E  113,207.55 N/C q 1.6 x10 19 C
qe   1.6 x10 19 C Fe  1.81x10 N
-14
Things to remember about electric potential:

 Electric potential and electric potential energy are related, but

are not the same.
Electric potential difference is the work per unit of charge
that must be done to move a charge from one point to
another without changing its kinetic energy.

 The terms “electric potential” and “potential” are used

interchangeably.
Ur
 The units of potential are joules/coulomb: V  r  = .
q0
1 joule
1 volt =
1 coulomb
Things to remember about electric potential:

 Only differences in electric potential and electric potential

energy are meaningful.
It is always necessary to define where U and V are zero.
Here we defined V to be zero at an infinite distance from the
sources of the electric field.

Sometimes it is convenient to define V to be zero at the

earth (ground).

It should be clear from the context where V is defined to be

zero, and I do not foresee you experiencing any confusion
about where V is zero.
Potential energy and electric potential are defined relative to
some reference point, so it is “better” to use
U
V  Vf  Vi 
q
To find the electric potential energy for a system of two charges,
we bring a second charge in from an infinite distance away:

r
q1 q1 q2

q1q 2
U 0 U k
r
before after
To find the electric potential energy for a system of three
charges, we bring a third charge in from an infinite distance
away:

r12 r12
q1 q2
q1 q2
r13 r23

q3
before after
q1q 2  q1q 2 q1q3 q 2q3 
U k U  k   
r12  r12 r13 r23 
Example: a 1 C point charge is located at the origin and a -4
C point charge 4 meters along the +x axis. Calculate the
electric potential at a point P, 3 meters along the +y axis.

y
qi  q1 q 2 
VP = k  = k  + 
i ri  r1 r2 
P
9  1×10-6 -4×10-6 
3m = 9×10  + 
 3 5 
x
= - 4.2×103 V
q1 4m q2
Capacitors and Dielectrics

A capacitor is two conducting plates

separated by a finite distance:
The capacitance relates the
charge to the potential
difference:
Dielectric
Remember, the dielectric is an insulating material placed
between the conductors to help store the charge. In
the previous example we assumed there was NO
dielectric and thus a vacuum between the plates.
A
C  k o
d
k  Dielectric
All insulating materials have a dielectric
constant associated with it. Here now
you can reduce the AREA and use a
LARGE dielectric to establish the
capacitance at 1 F.
A simple type of capacitor is the parallel-plate capacitor. It
consists of two plates of area A separated by a distance d.

By calculating the electric

field created by the charges
±Q, we find that the
capacitance of a parallel-
plate capacitor is:
The general properties of a parallel-plate
capacitor – that the capacitance increases as
the plates become larger and decreases as the
separation increases – are common to all
capacitors.