Electric Potential vs Potential Energy

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Electric potential refers specifically to the potential created by an electric field around a charge, while potential energy encompasses the total energy from various forces, including electric and gravitational. Electric potential is measured in units of potential energy per unit charge, making it useful for calculating the potential energy of a system when a test charge is introduced. This distinction allows for a clearer understanding of how the presence of a source charge affects the potential energy based on the test charge's value. The concept of electric potential provides a standardized way to assess the strength of the electric field. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in physics and engineering.
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what is the difference between the electric potential andn the potential energy??
 
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_potential"

Chris
 
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hmmm...I guess electric potential is the potential *only* due to electric field around the body, whereas potential energy is the sum of electric potential+Gravitational potential+any other potential you can have(like if there are magnets lying around?)
 
Electric potential has units of potential energy PER UNIT CHARGE. It's useful, because if you have a fixed source charge, and you want to know what the potential energy of the system will be if you add a test charge a certain distance away from it, the answer of course will vary depending on the value of the test charge. The potential expresses it on a per unit charge basis, giving you a sensible way to measure the "strength" of this source.
 

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