Chapter 24

Electric Potential
What is physics?

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For a Find E Find V

given ρ(r) (↔ F) (↔ U)
Conservative
Coulomb’s law
force
24-1 Electric Potential
The electric potential V at a point P in the
electric field of a charged object is

The natural choice for the reference (a) A test charge has been brought
point is infinity, where F = 0. in from infinity to point P in the
electric field of the rod.
(b) We define an electric potential V
W∞ is the work that would be done by the at P based on the potential
energy of the configuration in (a).
electric force on a positive test charge q0,
were it brought from an infinite distance to P.
U is the electric potential energy that would then be stored in the test
charge–object system.
24-1 Electric Potential

If a particle with charge q is placed at a point where the electric

potential of a charged object is V, the electric potential energy U
of the particle–object system is

The unit for the potential: volt (V = J/C)

The unit for the electric field: N/C = (J/m)/C = V/m

*Electron-volts
1 eV = e (1V) = (1.602*10-19 C)(1 J/C) = 1.602*10-19 J
24-1 Electric Potential

Change in Electric Potential. If the particle moves through a potential

difference ΔV, the change in the electric potential energy is

Work by the Field. The work W done by the electric force as the
particle moves from i to f:

for a conservative force

Conservation of Energy. If a particle moves through a change ΔV in

electric potential without an applied force acting on it other than the
electric force, applying the conservation of mechanical energy gives the
change in kinetic energy as

The work-(kinetic) energy theorem

24-1 Electric Potential

Work by an Applied Force. If some force in addition to the electric

force acts on the particle, we account for that work

If the particle is stationary before and after the move (or Ki = Kf), then
24-2 Equipotential Surfaces and the
Electric Field
Adjacent points that have the same electric potential form an
equipotential surface, which can be either an imaginary
surface or a real, physical surface.
The work done by the electric field
on a charged particle as the particle
moves from one end to the other of
paths I and II is zero because each
of these paths begins and ends on ∆𝑉 = ∆𝑉 = 0
the same equipotential surface and
thus there is no net change in ∆𝑉 = ∆𝑉
potential.
The work done as the charged particle moves from one end to the other
of paths III and IV is not zero but has the same value for both these paths
because the initial and final potentials are identical for the two paths; that
is, paths III and IV connect the same pair of equipotential surfaces.
24-2 Equipotential Surfaces and the
Electric Field

Equipotential surface is always perpendicular to the electric field lines

(and thus E).

Why?  If not, the parallel component would do work on a charged

particle. Then it cannot be no longer within an equipotential surface.
24-2 Equipotential Surfaces and the
Electric Field
The electric potential difference between two
points i and f is
𝑑𝑊 = 𝐹⃗ 𝑑𝑠⃗ = 𝑞𝐸 𝑑𝑠⃗

where the integral is taken over any path 𝑊= 𝑑𝑊 = 𝑞 𝐸 𝑑𝑠⃗

connecting the points. If the integration is
𝑊 = −∆𝑈 = −𝑞∆𝑉
difficult along any particular path, we can
choose a different path along which the
integration might be easier.
If we choose Vi = 0, we have,

A test charge q0 moves from point i to point f along

the path shown in a non-uniform electric field. During
a displacement ds, an electric force q0 E acts on the
test charge. This force points in the direction of the
field line at the location of the test charge.
24-2 Equipotential Surfaces and the
Electric Field
In a uniform field of magnitude E, the change in potential from a higher
equipotential surface to a lower one, separated by distance Δx, is

The electric field vector points from higher potential to lower potential.

We move between points i and f,

between adjacent equipotential
lines in a uniform electric field E,
parallel to a field line.
24-3 Potential due to a Charged Particle

For radial path

Vf = V  = 0
Vi = VR = V

Solving for V and

switching R to r

The particle with positive charge q produces an

electric field E and an electric potential V at point P.
𝑞 𝑑𝑟 1 𝑞 We find the potential by moving a test charge q0 from
𝑉 𝑟 =− 𝐸 𝑑𝑟⃗ = − =
4𝜋𝜀 𝑟 4𝜋𝜀 𝑟 P to infinity. The test charge is shown at distance r
from the particle, during differential displacement ds.
24-3 Potential due to a Charged Particle

Potential Due to a Group of Charged Particles

The potential due to a collection of charged particles is

Thus, the potential is the algebraic sum of the individual potentials,

with no consideration of directions.
 24-4 Potential due to an Electric dipole
The net potential at P is given by

We can approximate the two lines to P as

being parallel and their length difference
as being the leg of a right triangle with
hypotenuse d (Fig. b). Then

(a) Point P is a distance r from the midpoint O

Since p = qd, we have of a dipole. The line OP makes an angle θ with
the dipole axis. (b) If P is far from the dipole,
the lines of lengths r(+) and r(-) are
approximately parallel to the line of length r,
and the dashed black line is approximately
perpendicular to the line of length r(-).
24-5 Potential due to a Continuous Charge
Distribution
For a continuous distribution of charge (over an extended object), the
potential is found by

(1) dividing the distribution into charge elements dq that can be treated
as particles and then
(2) summing the potential due to each element by integrating over the
full distribution:
24-5 Potential due to a Continuous Charge
Distribution
Line of Charge A thin conducting rod of length L
has a differential charge of

This element produces an electric

potential dV at point P given by

We now find the total potential V produced by

the rod at point P by integrating dV along the
length of the rod, from x = 0 to x = L.

𝑑𝑥
= 𝑙𝑛 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑎
𝑥 +𝑎
24-5 Potential due to a Continuous Charge
Distribution
Charged Disk
Consider a differential element consisting of a flat
ring of radius R’ and radial width dR’. Its charge
has magnitude

in which (2πR’)(dR’) is the surface area of the

ring. The contribution of this ring to the electric
potential at P is

We find the net potential at P by integrating the A plastic disk of radius R,

contributions of all the rings from R’=0 to R’=R: charged on its top surface to
a uniform surface charge
density σ. We wish to find
the potential V at point P on
the central axis of the disk.
24-6 Calculating the Field from the
Potential
Suppose that a positive test charge q0 moves
through a displacement ds from one
equipotential surface to the adjacent surface.
The work the electric field does on the test
charge during the move is

On the other hand the work done by the

electric field may also be written as
A test charge q0 moves a distance ds
. from one equipotential surface to
another. (The separation between the
Equating these two expressions for the surfaces has been exaggerated for
clarity.) The displacement ds makes
work yields an angle θ with the direction of the
electric field E.

Since Ecosθ is the component of E in the 𝐸 = − 𝜕𝑉 ⁄𝜕𝑥

direction of ds, we get, 𝐸 = − 𝜕𝑉 ⁄𝜕𝑦
𝐸 = − 𝜕𝑉 ⁄𝜕𝑧
24-6 Calculating the Field from the
Potential

𝜕𝑉 𝜎 𝑑 𝐸 = − 𝜕𝑉 ⁄𝜕𝑥
𝐸 =− =− 𝑧 +𝑅 −𝑧 𝐸 = − 𝜕𝑉 ⁄𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑧 2𝜀 𝑑𝑧
𝜎 𝑧 𝐸 = − 𝜕𝑉 ⁄𝜕𝑧
=− 1−
2𝜀 𝑧 +𝑅

Identical to the electric field calculated

directly using Coulomb’s law (in Chapter 22)!
24-7 Electric Potential Energy of a System
of Charged Particles
The electric potential energy of a system of charged particles is equal to
the work needed to assemble the system with the particles initially at rest
and infinitely distant from each other.

For two particles at separation r,

Two charges held a

fixed distance r apart.
24-7 Electric Potential Energy of a System
of Charged Particles

Potential energy of a system of three charged particles

Mentally build the system step by step.

• q1: no work is needed!
• q2: work needed to bring in q2

• q3: work needed to bring in q3

Three charges are fixed at
the vertices of an
equilateral triangle.

Total potential energy

24-8 Potential of a Charged Isolated
Conductor

(a) A plot of V(r) both inside and

outside a charged spherical shell
of radius 1.0 m. (b) A plot of E(r)
for the same shell.

A large spark jumps to a car’s body and

then exits by moving across the insulating
left front tire (note the flash there), leaving
the person inside unharmed.
24-8 Potential of a Charged Isolated
Conductor

Isolated conductor in an external E-field

The free conduction electrons distribute
themselves on the surface such that the
E-field inside becomes zero.

Inside the conductor

The E-field on the surface is always

perpendicular to the surface, since the
surface is an equipotential surface.

∥ On the surface