Chapter 17 Electric Potential

17.1 Electric Potential Energy

1. Newton’s law for the gravitational force and Coulomb’s law
for the electrostatic force are mathematically identical. Thus
the general feature we have discussed for the gravitational
force should apply to the electrostatic force.
2. In particular, we can infer that the electrostatic force is a
conservative force. Thus when that force acts between two or
more charged particles within a system of particles, we can
assign an electric potential energy U to the system.
3. Moreover, If the system changes its configuration from an
initial state i to a different final state f, the electrostatic force
does work W on the particles. The resulting change ∆U in the
potential energy of the system is ∆U = U f −U i = −W . As with
other conservative forces, the work done by the electrostatic
force is path independent.
4. For convenience, we usually take the reference configuration
of a system of charged particles to be that in which the
particles are all infinitely separated from each other. And we
usually set the corresponding reference potential energy to be
zero.

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17.2 Electric Potential
1. The potential energy of a charged particle in an electric field
depends on the magnitude of the charge. However, the
potential energy per unit charge has a unique value at any
point in the electric field. Thus the potential energy per unit
charge, which can be symbolized as U/q, is independent of the
charge q of the particle and is characteristic only as the electric
field we are investigating. The potential energy per unit charge
at a point in an electric field is called the electric potential V
U
(or simply the potential) at that point. Thus V =
q . Electric
potential is a scalar, not a vector.
2. The electric potential difference ∆V between any two points i
and f in an electric field is equal to the difference in potential
energy per unit charge between the two point:
∆U −W
∆V = V f −Vi =
q
=
q . The potential difference between two
point is thus the negative of the work done by the electrostatic
force per unit charge that move from one point to the other.
3. The SI unit for electric potential is the joule per coulomb. This
combination occurs so often that a special unit, the volt
(abbreviated V) is used to represent it.
4. One electron-volt (eV) is the energy equal to the work
required to move a single elementary charge e through a

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 potential difference of exactly one volt, so 1eV = 1.60 ×10 −19 J .

17.3 Equi-potential Surfaces

1. Adjacent points that have the same electric potential form an
equipotential surface, which can be either an imaginary
surface or a real, physical surface. No net work W is done on a
charged particle by an
electric field when the
particle moves between
two points i and f on the
same equipotential surface. See the Figure.
2. Figure shows the electric field lines and cross sections of

equipotential surface for several cases. We can find that

equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular to electric

field lines and thus to E which is always tangent to these
lines.

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17.4 Calculating the Potential from the Field
1. We can calculate the potential difference between any two
points i and f in an electric field if we know the field vector

E at all positions along any path connecting those points.
2. Consider an arbitrary
electric field,
represented by the field
lines in the right figure,
and a positive test charge q0 that moves along the path shown
from point i to point f. The differential work done on the
particle by the electrostatic force during a displacement is
   
dW = F ⋅ ds = q 0 E ⋅ ds . Thus the total work done on the particle by
the fields is the integration of the differential work done on
the charge for all the differential displacement along the path.
f   W f  
W = q 0 ∫ E ⋅ ds . Therefore, V f −Vi = − = −∫ E ⋅ ds .
i q0 i

3. If we choose the potential Vi at point i to be zero, then

f  
V = −∫ E ⋅ ds , in which we have drooped the subscript f. It
i

gives us the potential V at any point f in the electric field

relative to the zero potential at point i.
1 q
4. Potential due to a point charge: V = .
4π ε0 r

5. Potential due to a group of point charges: We can find the net

potential at a point due to a group of point charges to sum up

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 the potential resulting from each charge at the given point.
n n
1 qi
V = ∑Vi = ∑ r . Here q i is the value of the ith charge, and
i =1 4π ε0 i =1 i

ri is the radial distance of the given point from the ith charge.
1 p cos θ
6. Potential due to an electric dipole: (1) V = . (2)
4π ε0 r2

Induced dipole moment: Many molecules such as water

(Seeing right figure) have
permanent electric dipole moments.
In other molecules (nonpolar
molecules) and in every atom, the
centers of the positive and negative
charges coincide and thus no dipole moment is set up.
However, if we place an atom or nonpolar molecule in an
external electric field, the field distorts the electron orbits and
separates the centers of positive and negative charge and sets
up a dipole moment that points in the direction of the field.

This dipole moment p said to be induced by the field, and the
atom or molecule is said to be polarized by the field. When
the field is moved, the
induced dipole moment and
the polarization disappear.
See the figure.

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7. Potential due to a continuous charge distribution:
1 dq
V = ∫ dV = ∫ . Here the integral is to be taken over the
4πε0 r

entire charge distribution. (1) lines of charge; (2)Charged

disk.

17.5 Calculating Electric Field from Electric Potential


1. The component of E in any direction is the negative of the
rate of change of the electric potential with distance in that
∂V ∂V ∂V
direction. Ex = −
∂x
; Ey = −
∂y
; Ez = −
∂z .

17.6 Electric Potential Energy of a System of Point Charges

1. The electric potential energy of a system of fixed point-
charges is equal to the work that must be done by external
agent to assemble the system, bringing each charge in from an
infinite distance.

17. 7 Potential of a Charged Isolated Conductor

1. An excess charge placed on an
isolated conductor will distribute
itself on the surface of that
conductor so that all points of the
conductor-whether on the surface

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 or inside-come to the same potential. This is true regardless of
whether the conductor has an internal cavity.
2. If an isolated conductor is placed in an external electric field,
as in the right figure, all points of the conductor still come to
a single potential regardless of whether the conductor has an
excess charge.