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Chapter 16 HW#3
7
th
Edition (p591): 1, 4, 5, 6, 14, 16, 22, 26, 27, 36, 41.


Due: 2/26/2013, 5 pm.
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Exam #1 (Next Tuesday)
Covering Chapters 15 and 16.

Formula sheet will be provided.

Tutorial problems already available online.

During the lab session this week, Lab instructor
will discuss the solutions.

LA: Paul Martin (pmarti4@[Link])

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Chapter 16
Electric Potential, Energy, and Capacitance
To understand electric potential, potential difference
(voltage) and potential energy, equipotential surface.
To calculate the electric potential of point charges.
To calculate the electric potential inside a parallel-plate
capacitor.
To understand and calculate the capacitance.

Objective:
Electric fields allowed us to understand electric forces,
Electric Potential allows us to understand electric energy.
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Big Picture
Q
F E
F = qE
V U
U=qV
W

=
-

U
=
F

V

=
-
E

s

Energy conservation
Newtons Laws of Motion
vector
scalar
Q: charge
F: electrical force U: electric potential energy
E: electric field V: electric potential
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K m v =
1
2
2
Kinetic Energy:
m g h U =
Potential energy near the
surface of the Earth:
r
Mm
G r U = ) (
Gravitational potential energy
of two point masses:
Unit: Joule ( J )
Review: Work and Energy
u
F

s
u c o s s F W =
Work:
W = 0 when
F s
W K = A
The Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem:
For conservative force: W = -U
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Electric Force vs. Gravitational Force
0 e B A e
U U U W q Ed A = = =
g B A g
U U U W mgh A = = =
Moving a positive charge q
0

against the electric field requires
positive work (electric force will do
negative work!) and increases the
electric potential energy.
Moving a mass m against the
gravitational field requires positive
work (gravitational force will do
negative work!) and increases the
gravitational potential energy.
cos W Fs u =
0 0
cos(180 )
e
W q Ed q Ed = =
cos(180 )
g
W mgh mgh = =
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Electric Potential Energy
0 e
U U qEd = +
The electric potential energy of charge q in a uniform
electric field is
where d is measured from the negative plate and U
0
is
the potential energy at the negative plate (d = 0).

Note: It will often be convenient to choose U
0
= 0, but
the choice has no physical consequences because it
doesnt affect U
e
, the change in the electric potential
energy.
Q: Difference of the U
e
between negative and positive
charge q?
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Electric Potential
Define the electric potential (or, for brevity, potential) as
=
e
U
V
q
Alejandro Volta
(1745-1827)
SI Unit: 1 Volt = 1 V = 1 J/C
Charge q is used as a probe to
determine the electric potential, but the
value of V is independent of q. The
electric potential, like the electric
field, is a property of the source
charges.
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Only potential differences are meaningful. This
means that we are free to assign the zero of potential at
our convenience. The zero of potential is commonly refer
to as ground.
Potential Difference = Voltage
A
A = = =
e
U qEd
V Ed
q q
For uniform field between parallel plates:
V
E
d
A
= e
U q V A = A
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What happens to the potential energy and potential of a
positive charge (+q) as it moves in the direction of the electric
field?
E
d
+q
A B
F
e

Positive charges accelerate toward regions of lower
potential.
Electric field lines always point in the direction of
decreasing electric potential.
Ed
q
U
V V V
A B
=
A
= = A
A = = =
e B A e
U U U W qEd
Q:
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What happens to the potential energy and potential of a
negative charge (-q) as it moves in the direction of the electric
field?
E
d
-q
A B
F
e

Ed
q
qEd
q
U
V V V
A B
=

A
= = A
Electric field lines always point in the direction of decreasing
electric potential.


B A e
U U U W qEd A = = =
Q:
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The electric potential ALWAYS decreases in the
direction of the electric field! It does not depend
upon the sign of the charge.
The electric potential energy depends upon the sign
of the charge. It decreases in the direction of the
electric force.
Positive charges accelerate toward regions of lower
potential.
Negative charges accelerate toward regions of higher
potential.
Rules of Electric Potential and Potential Energy:
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Suppose you let go of a positive charge in electric field.
It accelerates in the direction
1. Opposite to the electric field and higher potential
2. Of the electric field and higher potential
3. Opposite to the electric field and lower potential
4. Of the electric field and lower potential
A positive charge moves in the direction of the electric
field, and thats the direction of decreasing potential. So a
positive charge moves toward a region of lower potential.
Q:
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An electron is released in a region where there is a
varying electric potential. The electron will move toward
(A) the lower potential region.
(B) the higher potential region.
(C) None of the above
Q:
Electric Potential Energy between
Two Point Charges
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Let Q be the source charge, and let a second charge q, a
distance r away, probe the electric potential of Q. The
potential energy of the two point charges is:
( )
e
kQq
U r
r
=
Note:
1. The reference point of U
e
= 0 is at r = (infinity).
2. The potential energy is the energy of the system
(Q+q), not Q alone.
3. U
e
is proportional to 1/r.
4. U
e
could be positive or negative, depending on the
sign of Q and q.
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Electric Potential of Point Charge
A
B
Q
q
0

( )
( )
e
U r kQ
V r
q r
= =
Note:
V is proportional to 1/r, in contrast to electric force!!!!
Electric potential is a scalar quantity (scalar addition)
(Much easier!! )
Electric potential increases as we consider locations
nearer to positive charges.
Electric potential decreases as we consider locations
nearer to negative charges.
( ) 0 V =
With
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Example: Calculate the Potential Due to Two Point Charges
What is the potential at point P?
Use V = kQ/r for each charge,
then add the potentials:
V
1
= (9 x 10
9
)(4 x 10
-9
)/12
= 3 V

V
2
= (9 x 10
9
)(6 x 10
-9
)/27
= 2 V

Total Potential:
V = V
1
+V
2
= 5 V

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Example: Work and Potential Energy
How much work would be
done by an external force
to move a +20 C charge
from A to B?
W = AU
e
= QAV
Q = 20 C; A V = 8.0V - 4.5 V
= 3.5 V

W = (20 C) (3.5 V) = 70 J
The external force does work
against the electric force, the
electric potential energy is
increasing from A to B. The
needed external work is equal
to the electric potential energy
gain.
Q: What is the work done
by the electric force??
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Electric force is conservative force:
The work done to move a charge between two points
in electrostatic field is independent of path
W
I
= W
II
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Example: What is the total electrostatic potential energy
of the charge configuration shown?
U J
t
= 0 1 2 .
The minus sign means that the charges in this configuration
have a lower potential energy than they would if they were at
a greater distance apart. Positive external work is needed to
break the configuration apart.
12 13 23
1 3 2 3 1 2
12 13 23
t
U U U U
q q q q q q
k k k
r r r
= + +
= + +
Ex. 16.2: Creating X-ray: Accelerating electrons
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Equipotential Surfaces
E
q A
B
F is perpendicular to displacement W = 0
A B
AB
A B AB
V V
q
U
V V V
=
=
A
= = A 0
Equipotential surfaces are perpendicular
to the electric field lines.
An equipotential surface is a set of points in an electric
field which are all at the same electrical potential.
W = 0 along the equipotential surface

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Equipotential Surfaces in a Uniform Electric Field
Equipotential surfaces are planes
perpendicular to the electric field
lines. (2-dimensional view)

3-dimensional view
Equipotential surfaces are
imaginary planes.

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Equipotential Surfaces: Point Charge
Equipotential surfaces
(3-dimensional)

V(r) = kQ/r
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Topographic Maps
A gravitational analogy for equipotential surfaces
For horizontal movement,
the potential energy does
not change: horizontal
planes are gravitational
equipotential surfaces.
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Equipotential Surfaces and Electric Fields
Cross-sectional view of 3-dimensional equipotential surfaces.
Equipotential surfaces are perpendicular to the electric field
lines.
What is potential along this line?
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Equipotential Lines for Point Charges
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Equipotential Lines May Not Cross
Considering conduction and geometry one may prove
why the lines do not cross.
Electric field lines are always perpendicular to the
equipotential lines.
A conducting surface is always an equipotential surface!
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A small positive point charge is placed at
point P in the electric field shown below
(represented by equipotential lines).
Which way should the charge be moved
if no work is to be done on it as it
moves?
1. Along the 1 V equipotential.
2. Perpendicular to the equipotential
lines.
3. You can't avoid doing work, unless you
move the charge along the 0 V
equipotential line.
Electric field lines are always perpendicular to equipotential
lines. So if you move a charge along an equipotential line, you
are moving it perpendicular to the field and thus perpendicular
to the force, and thus no work is done.
Q:
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Calculating E from Potential Difference
Uniform Electric Field
For a general electric field:
E = |AV / Ax|
max

E is in the direction in
which V decreases most rapidly.
gravitational analogy:
the direction of steepest descent
AB B A
V V V Ed A = =
A
B
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The Electron Volt: Unit of Energy
The electron volt (eV) is defined as the energy that an
electron (or proton) gains when accelerated through a
potential difference of 1 V.
Electrons in normal atoms have energies of 10s of eV
Excited electrons have energies of 1000s of eV
High energy gamma rays have energies of millions of
eV
1 eV = 1.6 x 10
-19
J
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The Parallel-Plate Capacitor
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The Parallel-Plate Capacitor
Equal and opposite charges are
placed on the plates of parallel
metal plates.

Electric field E points from positive
plate to the negative plate.
0
4t
c
= =
k Q Q
E
A A
A capacitor is a device for storing charge.
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Definition of Capacitance
Q AV Q = CAV
C = Q / AV
charge stored per volt

Units: coulomb/volt= farad (F)
-----------------------------
The capacitance of a capacitor is
constant; if q increases, AV
increases proportionately.
Michael Faraday
(1791-1867)
---------------------------------------------------------
We use V instead of AV; thus, C = Q / V
The capacitance is a measure of the amount of charge a capacitor
can store.
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V = Ed = (4tkQd)/A
C = Q / V = A/(4tkd)
c
0
=1/(4tk)

= 8.85 x 10
-12
C
2
/(Nm
2
) (SI units)
c
0
= permittivity of free space
C = (c
0
A)/d
Capacitance of a Parallel-Plate Capacitor
4 k Q
E
A
t
=
Example: What dimensions must a square plate capacitor
have if it is to have a capacitance of 1.0 F when the gap
between the plates is 1 mm?
A = (Cd)/ c
0
= (1 F)(1x10
-3
m)/(8.85 x 10
-12
C
2
/(N m
2
)) =
= 1.1x10
8
m
2
= 43 mi
2
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Real Capacitors