Electric potential at the center of a dipole

In summary, the potential at the center of an electric dipole is zero because the force exerted on a charge along the bisector line is always perpendicular to the direction of motion, resulting in no work being required to bring the charge to the center. This may seem counterintuitive at first, but it is due to the nature of the electric force and its direction relative to the charge's motion.
  • #1
kavan
5
0
Potential at the center of an electric dipole is zero. This doesn't make intuitive sense, how can work required to bring an arbitrary charge from infinity to the center of a dipole be zero? Imagine a charge at some distance on horizontal bisector of the dipole, it will deflect from the horizontal line and get attracted to one or the other dipole charge...that means there will be some nonzero work involved to bring test charge to the center of the dipole. Can anyone please throw some light on it?
 
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  • #2
kavan said:
Imagine a charge at some distance on horizontal bisector of the dipole, it will deflect from the horizontal line and get attracted to one or the other dipole charge...that means there will be some nonzero work involved to bring test charge to the center of the dipole.

No. If the particle moves along the bisector line, the electric force on it is always perpendicular to the direction of motion. Therefore the force that you exert on the charge to counteract the electric force and keep the charge from straying from the line, does no work.
 
  • #3
Oh...got it. Thanks a lot, i was stuck with it for quite some time.
 

What is the formula for calculating the electric potential at the center of a dipole?

The formula for calculating electric potential at the center of a dipole is V = (kqd/r^2) + (kqd/r^2), where V is the electric potential, k is the Coulomb's constant, q is the magnitude of the charge, d is the distance between the charges, and r is the distance from the center of the dipole.

How does the distance between the charges affect the electric potential at the center of a dipole?

The distance between the charges affects the electric potential at the center of a dipole because it is directly proportional to the magnitude of the charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance. This means that as the distance increases, the electric potential decreases.

What is the significance of the electric potential at the center of a dipole?

The electric potential at the center of a dipole is significant because it represents the potential energy per unit charge at that point. It also helps to determine the direction and strength of the electric field surrounding the dipole.

How does the direction of the dipole affect the electric potential at its center?

The direction of the dipole does not affect the electric potential at its center. The electric potential at the center of a dipole is always zero, regardless of the direction of the dipole.

What are some real-life applications of understanding the electric potential at the center of a dipole?

Understanding the electric potential at the center of a dipole is important in various fields such as electrical engineering, physics, and chemistry. It can be applied in the design and functioning of capacitors, electric motors, and chemical bonding. It also helps in understanding the behavior of molecules and materials in an electric field.

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