Electric Potential of charges on a rectangle

In summary, the problem involves finding the electric potential at point P, located in a horizontal rectangle with charges of 7.0 µC, -14 µC, and -8.0 µC at the upper right, bottom right, and bottom left corners respectively. Using the equations EP = -qE(omega)d and PE=kq/r, the potential energy is calculated for each charge and added together to find the total electric potential at point P, with a final answer in units of V. It is important to note that potential energy is a scalar and the direction does not matter in this calculation.
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Homework Statement



Consider charges placed at the corners of a rectangle. This rectangle is a horizontal rectangle and is .43 m long and .25 m wide. At the upper right corner there is a charge of 7.0 µC. At the bottom right there is a charge of -14 µC. At the bottom left there is a charge of -8.0 µC. At the upper left there is Point P.
Find the electric potential at point P due to the grouping of charges at the other corners of the rectangle.
Answer in units of V.

Homework Equations


These may help:
EP = -qE(omega)d
PE=kq/r

The Attempt at a Solution



I worked the Potential Energy (so I thought) for point P and drew it out. Then I added the results vectorily, yet, I still got it wrong 5 times. If you could help that'd be awesome.
 
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  • #2
Extra said:
I worked the Potential Energy (so I thought) for point P and drew it out. Then I added the results vectorily, yet, I still got it wrong 5 times. If you could help that'd be awesome.

Potential energy is a scalar, not a vector. There is nothing to "draw out". You should just add the kq/r terms for each charge because all that matters is the distance to point P not the direction.
 

What is the electric potential of a charge on a rectangle?

The electric potential of a charge on a rectangle is the measure of the potential energy per unit charge at any point on the rectangle's surface.

How do you calculate the electric potential of a charge on a rectangle?

The electric potential of a charge on a rectangle can be calculated by summing the potential contributions from each individual charge on the rectangle using the formula V = kQ/r, where k is the Coulomb's constant, Q is the charge, and r is the distance from the charge to the point of interest.

What factors affect the electric potential of a charge on a rectangle?

The electric potential of a charge on a rectangle is affected by the magnitude and distribution of charges on the rectangle, as well as the distance from the charges to the point of interest. Additionally, the medium in which the rectangle is located can also affect the electric potential.

What is the difference between electric potential and electric field?

Electric potential is a scalar quantity that represents the amount of potential energy per unit charge at a point in an electric field. On the other hand, electric field is a vector quantity that represents the force per unit charge experienced by a test charge at a point in an electric field.

How does the electric potential change when a charge is moved on a rectangle?

The electric potential changes when a charge is moved on a rectangle due to the redistribution of charges and the change in distance from the charges to the point of interest. The electric potential at a point closer to a charge will be higher, while the electric potential at a point further away will be lower.

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