Electric potential and electric field

In summary, the first part of the conversation discusses the relationship between charge and electric field, stating that a charge at infinity will not have any effect on the electric field. However, according to the formula for force, there should still be a force on any charge due to the distance between them. The second part of the conversation asks about the amount of work needed to move an electron from a point with an electric potential of 100 V to just outside the field. The question is then clarified to ask what work is done on a 1 C charge at that potential. The expert suggests determining the force as the distance between the charges approaches infinity.
  • #1
amanara
11
0
Help on these problems-
1. If there is a charge then it has its own electric field. Now infinity is the area outside the electric field. This means a charge outside the electric field i.e at infinity , will not have any effect due to that charge. But by the formula F = kQ/rsq , there should be some force on any charge because there is always a value of r.

2. The electric potential at a point in an electric field is 100 V. How much work will have to be done to move an electron from that point to just outside the field?
The problem is that if potential in the given question in 100 V. If 1 C charge is present then 100 J of work is done on what?
 
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  • #2
What have you tried thus far?
 
  • #3
It makes no sense to say "at infinity" for any problem. It only makes sense to determine the force in the LIMIT as r-> infinity, that is what does the force tend to as you get further and further away.
 

1. What is the difference between electric potential and electric field?

Electric potential is a measure of the potential energy per unit charge at a specific location in an electric field. It is often described as the "voltage" in a circuit. Electric field, on the other hand, is a vector quantity that describes the force experienced by a charged particle at a specific location in an electric field. In simple terms, electric potential is the potential for work to be done by an electric field, while electric field is the actual force exerted by an electric field.

2. Can electric potential and electric field have negative values?

Yes, both electric potential and electric field can have negative values. Electric potential is a scalar quantity, meaning it has only magnitude and no direction. This means it can take on positive or negative values. Electric field, being a vector quantity, can also have negative values depending on the direction of the field at a specific location.

3. How are electric potential and electric field related?

Electric potential and electric field are closely related through the equation V = -∫E⋅dl, where V is electric potential, E is electric field, and dl is a small displacement along the path of the electric field. This means that the electric potential at a specific point is equal to the negative of the line integral of the electric field along a specific path.

4. What is the unit of measurement for electric potential and electric field?

The unit of measurement for electric potential is volts (V). The unit of measurement for electric field is newtons per coulomb (N/C). In both cases, the units are derived from the fundamental units of length, mass, and time in the International System of Units (SI).

5. How does the distance between two charged particles affect the electric potential and electric field?

The distance between two charged particles directly affects both the electric potential and electric field between them. As the distance increases, the electric potential decreases and the electric field weakens. This is because the force between two charged particles is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them, meaning the farther apart they are, the weaker the force and therefore the weaker the electric potential and electric field.

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