Electric potential in relation to electric field problem

In summary, the conversation discusses finding the electric field in a region of uniform electric field given two points with different electric potentials. The formula V = Ed is suggested to use, where E is the magnitude of the field and d is the separation between the two points. One should find the slope of the potential function and determine the direction of the electric field from the given information.
  • #1
gallib
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Homework Statement



The electric potential in a region of uniform electric field is -1000 V at x = -0.900 m and + 1400 V at x = + 2.00 m. What is E_{x} ?


Homework Equations



e=kq1q1/r^2
v= integral of E dot ds
v=ed

The Attempt at a Solution



i am thinking i will use the equation V=Ed, so I would use V=-1000 and d equal to -.9m
then i have no idea what to do from there, any help is appreciated. thank you
 
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  • #2
gallib said:
i am thinking i will use the equation V=Ed, so I would use V=-1000 and d equal to -.9m...

This is the right direction. For a potential which only changes along one dimension, you can write E = -dV/dx ; that is, the magnitude of the field is the slope of the potential function and the direction of the field runs from higher to lower potential. (This is basically where V = Ed comes from, for the case of a uniform field.)

BTW, in that formula, d is the separation between the two points over which the potential change is measured, not a position.

So you have two values of the electric potential at two values of x. What is the slope of this (linear) function? What is the direction of the electric field?
 
Last edited:

What is electric potential and how is it related to electric field?

Electric potential is the amount of work needed to move a unit positive charge from a reference point to a specific point in an electric field. It is related to the electric field by the equation V = Ed, where V is electric potential, E is electric field, and d is the distance between the two points.

How can I calculate the electric potential and electric field at a specific point?

The electric potential at a specific point can be calculated by using the equation V = kq/r, where k is the Coulomb's constant, q is the source charge, and r is the distance between the source charge and the point. The electric field at a specific point can be calculated by using the equation E = kq/r^2, where k is the Coulomb's constant, q is the source charge, and r is the distance between the source charge and the point.

What is the unit of electric potential and electric field?

The unit of electric potential is volts (V) and the unit of electric field is volts per meter (V/m).

How does electric potential affect the movement of charges in an electric field?

Electric potential determines the direction and speed of charged particles in an electric field. Charged particles will move from areas of high potential to areas of low potential, and the higher the potential difference, the faster the particles will move.

How is electric potential energy related to electric potential?

Electric potential energy is the energy that a charged particle has due to its position in an electric field. It is related to electric potential by the equation U = qV, where U is electric potential energy, q is the charge of the particle, and V is electric potential.

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