What is Potential: Definition and 1000 Discussions

Potential generally refers to a currently unrealized ability. The term is used in a wide variety of fields, from physics to the social sciences to indicate things that are in a state where they are able to change in ways ranging from the simple release of energy by objects to the realization of abilities in people. The philosopher Aristotle incorporated this concept into his theory of potentiality and actuality, a pair of closely connected principles which he used to analyze motion, causality, ethics, and physiology in his aPhysics, Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics and De Anima, which is about the human psyche. That which is potential can theoretically be made actual by taking the right action; for example, a boulder on the edge of a cliff has potential to fall that could be actualized by pushing it over the edge. Several languages have a potential mood, a grammatical construction that indicates that something is potential. These include Finnish, Japanese, and Sanskrit.In physics, a potential may refer to the scalar potential or to the vector potential. In either case, it is a field defined in space, from which many important physical properties may be derived. Leading examples are the gravitational potential and the electric potential, from which the motion of gravitating or electrically charged bodies may be obtained. Specific forces have associated potentials, including the Coulomb potential, the van der Waals potential, the Lennard-Jones potential and the Yukawa potential. In electrochemistry there are Galvani potential, Volta potential, electrode potential, and standard electrode potential. In the
thermodynamics, the term potential often refers to thermodynamic potential.

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  1. chopnhack

    Calculating Potential Difference in an Electric Field with Given Field Equation

    Homework Statement An electric field is given by Ex = 2.2x + 5x2kNC-1. Find the potential difference between two points on the x-axis at x = -2.0 m and x = 2.0 m Homework Equations ∫5x2+2.2x from -2 to 2 The Attempt at a Solution I got the answer of 27V. Solution said - negative 27V Can...
  2. B

    What is the complexity of calculating the potential of a cylinder?

    Homework Statement Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a SolutionThe position of the point (where V is to calculated) on the z-axis would be ##u = z_0 + l/2##.So in cylindrical coords, $$V(u) = \int_V {k \rho \over (s^2 + (u -z)^2)^{1/2}} dV = k \rho \int_0^L \int_0^{2\pi} \int_0^R {k \rho...
  3. B

    Electric Potential and Electric fields

    Homework Statement Can there be a point in space where there is an electric potential but not electric field? Can there be a point in space where there is an electric field but no electric potential? Explain you answer. What would the electric field lines look like if the electric field was...
  4. T

    How Does Charging a Conducting Shell Affect Potential Difference?

    Homework Statement A solid conducting sphere having a charge Q is surrounded by an uncharged concentric conducting hollow spherical shell.Let the potential difference between the surface of the solid sphere and that of the outer surface of the hollow shell be V.If the shell is now given a...
  5. N

    I Particle has certain energy levels in a potential well?

    In the 'Particle in a box' system, with the well being extremely narrow, why does the particle path have to follow certain energy levels compared to the classical system? Thanks in advance.
  6. S

    Electricity (Potential difference between points in circuit)

    Homework Statement In the circuit shown, what is the potential difference VPQ? Homework Equations No relevant equations given in question The Attempt at a Solution Tried kirchhoffs law. Tried to find equivalent battery and resistance but that doesn't seem to be possible.
  7. T

    What Is the Potential of an Uncharged Conductor Near a Charged Conductor?

    Homework Statement Consider a finite,uncharged,insulated conductor placed near a finite positively charged conductor.The uncharged body must have a potential A)less than the charged conductor and more than at infinity B)more than the charged conductor and less than at infinity C)more than the...
  8. Marcus Nielsen

    Electric potential due to a solid sphere

    Hello Guys! This is my first post so bear with me. I am currently studying the basics of electrostatics using the textbook "Introduction to electrodynamics 3 edt. - David J. Griffiths". My problem comes when i try to solve problem 2.21. Find the potential V inside and outside a uniformly...
  9. R

    Question from Velocity-Dependent Potential in lagrangian (Goldstein)

    currently working on format.. sor i was not preparedHi I think this question would be much related to calculus more than physics cause it seems I'd lost my way cause of calculus... but anyway! it says, Q=- \frac{\partial{U}}{\partial{q}}+\frac{d}{dt}(\frac{\partial{U}}{ \partial{ \dot{q}}} )...
  10. R

    Potential energy vs position curve

    Can a potential energy curve be vertical ?
  11. Sunbodi

    Distances where electrostatic potential is zero

    Homework Statement A particle carrying charge +q is placed at the center of a thick-walled conducting shell that has inner radius R and outer radius 2R and carries charge −3q. A thin-walled conducting shell of radius 5R carries charge +3q and is concentric with the thick-walled shell. Define V...
  12. R

    Does Increasing Potential Energy Affect the Gravitational Pull on an Object?

    hey guys! i am very confused about the concept of potential energy and gravity. we know that as an object is continuously lifted above ground, its potential energy increases. but i was wondering if that potential energy is physically affecting the body, like if the potential energy increases...
  13. M

    Chemical potential using Boltzmann equation

    Homework Statement I must calculate chemical potential using the Boltzmann equation in relaxation time approximation $$f=f^0-\tau v_z^2 \partial f^0/\partial z,$$ where ##f^0## is given as $$f^0 = 2(\frac{m}{2\pi\hbar})^3 \frac{1}{\exp{\beta(z)(\frac{mv^2}{2}-\mu(z))}+1}$$ I have to consider...
  14. e2m2a

    Invariance of elastic potential energy

    At non-relativistic speeds is the elastic potential energy of a compressed spring frame-invariant? That is, would all reference frames agree on how much elastic potential energy is stored in the spring?
  15. B

    Kinetic energy and potential energy look very dissimilar

    The more I think about it the less clear the respective natures of kinetic energy and potential energy (and of their sum, the so-called total energy) become. The thing is I have the impression that once you try to go a bit further than the usual description of "scalar values assigned to systems...
  16. J

    Can Elastic Potential Energy Ever Be Negative?

    Homework Statement Which of the following Graphs BEST illustrates the potential energy vs. time for the system in Figure 1, where t=0 is defined as the time at which the incident box 1st contacts the box on the spring? My question is why can't the Elastic PE be negative? The answer is A...
  17. D

    I Kinetic and Potential energy operators commutation

    Hi All, Perhaps I am missing something. Schrodinger equation is HPsi=EPsi, where H is hamiltonian = sum of kinetic energy operator and potential energy operator. Kinetic energy operator does not commute with potential energy operator, then how come they share the same wave function Psi? The...
  18. Pouyan

    Potential of a circle boat

    Homework Statement A line charge has the total charge Q evenly distributed over a circle boat with radius a and sector 2β, placed according to the figure Find the Electric field E and the potential V in the origin. Homework Equations I know for this case that E(r) = (1/4πε) ∫ (λ(r')/R2)R...
  19. DavideGenoa

    I Laplacian of retarded potential

    Dear friends, I have found a derivation of the fact that, under the assumptions made in physics on ##\rho## (to which we can give the physical interpretation of charge density) the function defined by $$V(\mathbf{x},t):=\frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\int_{\mathbb{R}^3}...
  20. Y

    Electrostatic potential of a cube with charge density

    Homework Statement Consider a uniformly charged cube with uniform charge density ρ.The ratio of electrostatic potential at the centre of the cube to that of one of the corners of the cube is? A hint on how to approach the problem's solution would be appreciated.(whether to use gauss law or not...
  21. V

    B Negative potential energy and negative mass

    My question is: If gravitational potential energy is normally negative, and E=m•c^2, doesen't that means that negative mass could exist? (I don't know much about general relativity so please explain as simple as posible)
  22. T

    Potential difference of an emf with internal resistance

    Homework Statement A battery of emf 2V and internal resistance 0.1ohm is being charged with a current of 5 ampere. In what direction will the current flow inside the battery?What is the potential difference between the two terminals of the battery? Homework Equations If a battery of emf E and...
  23. T

    Potential Gradient of potentiometer wire

    Homework Statement The resistivity of a potentiometer wire is (40×10^-8) ohm-m and the area of cross section is (8×10^-6)m^2.If 0.2 amp current is flowing through the wire,then the potential gradient will be?? Homework Equations 1.Resistance=[(Resisitvity)×(Length)]/(Cross-sectional area)...
  24. A

    Gravitational potential for various matter configurations

    Homework Statement Consider the Earth as 1. with a constant density of matter, 2. as a thin shell empty sphere and 3. with a constant linear density of matter ##\rho(r) = \rho_{0}r##. In all cases, calculate the gravitational potential and the gravitational field everywhere and make a...
  25. T

    How electric potential boundary condition works

    Homework Statement [/B] Inside a sperical dielectric mass there is a electric dipole on the center of the sphere. The sphere has radius a. This dieletric sphere is inside and on the center of a conductive spherical shell of radius b. The problem asks to find the potentials and then the...
  26. bachir1994

    The physical meaning of electric potential

    I read that : An electric potential (also called the electric field potential or the electrostatic potential) is the amount of work needed to move a unit positive charge from a reference point to a specific point inside the field without producing any acceleration. Typically, the reference point...
  27. Kelly Lin

    Is the Hydrogen Atom Stable for a Potential Behaving as -1/rs?

    Homework Statement An electron in a hydrogen atom does not fall to the proton because of quantum motion (which may be accounted for by the Heisenberg uncertainty relation for an electron localized in the volume with size r). This is true because the absolute value of the Coulomb potential...
  28. D

    Electric potential related to electric field question

    Homework Statement (i) Consider a non-conducting sphere of radius R with non-homogeneous charge density ρ = ρ(r) = r, where r is the radial co-ordinate. (a) Find the electric field inside and outside of the sphere(b) Find and plot the electric potential inside and outside of the sphere...
  29. AdrianMachin

    Electric potential between two concentric spherical shells

    Homework Statement (The complete problem statement and solution are inside the attached picture) Two isolated, concentric, conducting spherical shells have radii ##R_1=0.500 m## and ##R_2=1.00 m##, uniform charges ##q_1=2.00 mC## and ##q_2=1.00 mC##, and negligible thicknesses. What is the...
  30. C

    I Why can you write the solution in this form?

    In a barrier potential with sections: I: V(x)=0 (x<-a), II:V(x)=V (-a<x<a) and III:V(x)=0 (a<x) you can write the solution in this form: Ψ(x)=Ae^(ikx)+Be^(-ikx) (x<-a) Ψ(x)=Ce^(ik'x)+De^(-ik'x) (-a<x<a) Ψ(x)=Ee^(ikx) (a<x) and with boundary conditions solve, but why do you can write this...
  31. an_single_egg

    Determining Electric Potential with Charge Density

    Homework Statement A nonconducting sphere of radius r0 carries a total charge Q. The charge density ρE increases as the square of the distance from the center of the sphere, and ρE=0 at the center. a) Determine the electric potential as a function of the distance r from the center of the...
  32. BTEC Michio Kaku

    GCSE Physics : Temperature & Gravitational potential energy

    Homework Statement Q7. Some lead shot with a mass of 50 grams is placed into a card board box the distance from one end to the other being 1m. The ends are sealed with rubber bungs in order to prevent the lead shots from falling out, the tube is rotated so the lead shots fall down from one end...
  33. AdrianMachin

    Plot 3D graph of electric potential of a charged particle

    Homework Statement Plot the electric potential ##V(r)## due to a positively charged particle located at the origin of an XY plane. Homework Equations ##V=\frac 1 {4πε_0} \frac q r## The Attempt at a Solution I'm unfamiliar with 3D coordinates at this time, but I like to know how can I plot it...
  34. esha

    Why is electric potential present inside a conductor?

    potential energy is the work done by an external force in taking a body from a point to another against a force. on the surface of a conductor the electrostatic charges arrange themselves in such a way that the net electric field is always zero. so if there isn't any force to act against why...
  35. G

    The total potential energy of two charges Wikipedia mistake?

    Say, we have two particles of equal and opposite charge in an isolated system in which we neglect gravity. The energy of particle 1 is: E1 = U1 + T1 Where U1 is electrostatic potential energy and T1 is the kinetic energy of particle 1. The energy of particle 2 is: E2 = U2 + T2 Where U2 is...
  36. Pushoam

    Change in electrostatic potential energy of two spheres

    We have two conducting spheres of radius r1 and r2 far away from each other. The first sphere has a charge Q. What is the change in electrostatic potential energy when they are connected together? Before the connection , Ube = ## \frac{Q^2}{8\pi\epsilon_0 r_1} ## After the connection , Uaf = ##...
  37. A

    Higher Potential with reference point

    Reference point was chosen to be at Va. I'm trying to understand the logic behind it. It is clear that Vc = - Vs because if Vc was the reference point at Va the voltage potential between Va and the reference point Vc is Vs. Therefore, Va = Vs, Va - Vc = Vs if Vc is reference. However, when Vc...
  38. Bunny-chan

    Finding the Mass of a Pole Vault Athlete

    Homework Statement An olympic athlete with ~30 kg mass is participating in pole vaulting. The athlete runs and, at the moment of the jump, he has a velocity of ~10 m/s. Calculate the maximum height he can reach. To solve these kinds of problems, we can just convert all the kinetic energy the...
  39. Bunny-chan

    Potential gravitational energy coordinate axis

    Homework Statement I know that potential gravitational energy is relative to the reference point that I decide to choose (like in the picture below). But then if, for instance, I set my reference point in the ceiling and my vertically down y-axis to be positive. What would the potential...
  40. N

    Calculating electric potential with a uniform elect field

    Homework Statement In a certain region of space, there is a uniform electric field of magnitude 25.0 V m^-1 directed at 30.0 degrees to the direction of the positive x-axis and at 60.0 degrees to the direction of the positive y-axis. (There is no z component of the electric field.) The electric...
  41. Hardik Batra

    Potential inside a charged conductor

    As shown in figure, we know that at the sharp end E field is strong, and at the other end field is weak. Inside the conductor E=0. that means V=constant. on its surface and throughout the conductor. if we move unit positive charge from B to A or P to Q (as shown in fig.) then different amount...
  42. AdrianMachin

    A problem regarding the electric potential of an electron

    Homework Statement There is a sample problem in my physics textbook (Fundamentals of Physics, 10th Edition by David Halliday and others) which has some confusion in it for me. Please take a look at the snapshot I took, in the attachments. Homework Equations 3. The Attempt at a Solution [/B]...
  43. eigenmax

    Electron beam energy to acceleration potential relation

    Hi, How can I relate the beam energy of an electron beam produced by an electron gun to the accelerating potential? I realize that accelerating potential, initial energy (before acceleation), and losses by synchrotron radiation, etc, will play a part. I searched online and can't find much. Thanks
  44. F

    Electric potential of charged concentric spheres

    Homework Statement Two conducting concentric spheres of negligible thickness. The radii of the spheres are R_1 and R_2, respectively, with R_2>R_1. A charge q_2 is placed on the external sphere. A charge q_1 is placed on the internal sphere. Assume that the electric potential is zero...
  45. N

    Clarification between electric field and potential energy

    From my understand, electric field is the force emitting from a charge. This means that if a charge was placed in the vicinity of the charge that was emitting the field of force, that charge placed would experience a force from it. How does potential energy differ from this? I understand that...
  46. N

    Help clarifying capacitors, dielectrics, E field, potential

    Hello there, I was wondering if anyone wouldn't mind helping clarify what is occurring with a charged capacitor for me. I understand that in a charged capacitor one conducting plate is negatively charged and one is positively charged due to the distribution or rearrangement of electrons. There...
  47. B

    Zangwill, problem 10.19 - A Matching condition for the vector potential A

    Homework Statement Show that the normal derivative of the coulomb gauge vector suffers a jump discontinuity at a surface endowed with a current density K(\vec r_s ) Homework Equations The vector potential A is given by: A=\frac{\mu_0}{4\pi}\int{\frac{J(x')}{|x-x'|}d^3x} The magnetic...
  48. DarkBabylon

    I A particle measured in a too high potential

    Hello, we were introduced to qunatum physics this semester. We were tackling the problem of particles sent with a certain value of energy into a potential well as well as a barrier. The not so very new thing to me was that the probability is non zero in places where the potential is higher. In...
  49. N

    How does a battery push charges? Potential difference?

    Hello there, I'm confused on several things such as the potential difference it provides and how it pushes the charges through the wire or conductor or circuit. So when a battery comes into contact with a wire, the positive charges flows from high potential through the circuit to the low...
  50. phasacs

    Why isn't Kinetic Energy always equal to Potential Energy?

    K= ∫mvdv = ∫m dx/dt dv = ∫m dx/dv dv/dt dv = ∫m dv/dt dx = ∫Fdx = U => K=U, why isn't this true? If it is, wouldn't that mean that Kinetic Energy is always equal to Potential Energy?
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