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Homework Statement
An electron that accelerates from a point near a collection of negative source charges toward a point near a collection of positive source charges experiences
A) a decrease in electric potential energy as it moves toward a region at a lower electric potential
B) a decrease in electric potential energy as it moves toward a region at a higher electric potential
C) an increase in electrical potential energy as it moves toward a region at a lower electric potential
D) an increase in electrical potential energy as it moves toward a region at a higher electric potential
E) no change in electrical potential energy
The answer is suppose to be B
Homework Equations
U = qV
V = kQ/r
Force (electro static) x d = U
The Attempt at a Solution
Please correct me if I said something incorrectly
From what I understand, Negative source has lower electric potential, and Positive source has higher electric potential. Because the question asks about an electron, it is obvious that it moves towards region of higher electric potential, aka the positive source.
However, this is the part that doesn't really make sense to me. I KNOW that the electric potential will decrease because the U (potential energy) is decreasing as it goes from negative to positive source, just like how gravitational potential decreases.
But if you think about it, because electric potential is getting higher, shouldn't U get higher, according to the equation U=qv? The equations don't make sense to me... please help!
Thanks.
-Andrew
