First off, the change in voltage is positive. To see this, use final minus initial:csimon1 said:Homework Statement
A Na+ ion moves from inside a cell, where the electric potential is -70 mV, to outside the cell, where the potential is 0 V.
Uelec = ? eV
Homework Equations
I thought you would convert -70 mV to V (therefore it would be -.07) and multiply it by 1.6*10e-19 C. But it is rejecting my answer so I don't know what formula to use.
The Attempt at a Solution
See above.
Electrical potential energy is the energy an object has due to its position in an electric field. It is the potential for an object to do work as a result of its charge and its location in the electric field.
An ion's electrical potential energy changes when it moves from one point to another in an electric field. This change in energy is due to the interaction between the ion's charge and the electric field. If the ion moves in the direction of the electric field, its potential energy decreases, and if it moves against the electric field, its potential energy increases.
The change in an ion's electrical potential energy is affected by the strength of the electric field, the distance the ion moves, and the charge of the ion. The greater the strength of the electric field, the larger the change in potential energy. The farther the ion moves, the greater the change in potential energy. And the larger the charge of the ion, the greater the change in potential energy.
The change in an ion's electrical potential energy is calculated using the formula ΔPE = qΔV, where ΔPE is the change in potential energy, q is the charge of the ion, and ΔV is the change in voltage or electric potential.
Some real-life examples of changes in an ion's electrical potential energy include the movement of ions in a battery, the flow of ions through nerve cells in the human body, and the separation of charges in a thunderstorm. These processes all involve the movement of ions in an electric field, resulting in a change in their electrical potential energy.